Business Growth Strategies For CEOs: Top CMOs On Marketing Strategy Implementations

Per Ohstrom

A global B2B marketing and sales driver, Per brings 20+ years of senior level marketing experience in $1-2 billion blue chip industrial companies. A servant leader, he delegates and empowers without losing focus on results. With a track record in manufacturing, construction equipment, equipment rental, MRO supplies, supply chain, specialty chemicals and other industries, he is a people-centered leader, an effective communicator and builder of cross-functional teams. A strong team player and creative problem solver, Per deals comfortably with ambiguity and is effective in matrix organizations.

Does Your Contracting Pipeline Live in the Owner’s Head?

Fri, Nov 6, 2026 | Posted by Per Ohstrom

Relationships matter in construction, and most subcontractors have good ones. The owner or president carries the key customer relationships, and the project managers carry everything else. That arrangement can work well. It is also fragile. In our last post, we asked whether you know by name who owns each strategic account. This one looks at what happens when the answer is the owner.

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Is Your Contracting Business Growing on Purpose, or on Luck?

Fri, Oct 30, 2026 — Most successful subs know their operations cold. You know your backlog, which jobs are on schedule, where labor is tight, and which estimates are due this week. Most of you also don’t have a sales department. Business development belongs to the owner and the project managers who are already running projects, so growth work happens in whatever time is left over.

Tariffs and Your Next Chapter | From Cost Burden to Market Edge: Turning Tariffs into a Competitive Advantage

Fri, Apr 11, 2025 — Tariffs have been around for centuries. Commonly used to protect emerging industries or bolster national security, tariffs have evolved beyond trade tools into economic levers that can shift markets overnight. Tariffs have re-entered the conversation for mid-sized business leaders, especially those with global supply chains or international customer bases. But here's the thing: reacting like it’s still 1995 won’t cut it.

Tariffs and Your Next Chapter | The 5 Biggest Mistakes Leaders Make Around Tariffs

Thu, Apr 10, 2025 — Tariffs have been around for centuries. Commonly used to protect emerging industries or bolster national security, tariffs have evolved beyond trade tools into economic levers that can shift markets overnight. Tariffs have re-entered the conversation for mid-sized business leaders, especially those with global supply chains or international customer bases. But here's the thing: reacting like it’s still 1995 won’t cut it.

Tariffs and Your Next Chapter | Buying in a Tariff Economy: Smarter, Not Cheaper

Wed, Apr 9, 2025 — Tariffs have been around for centuries. Commonly used to protect emerging industries or bolster national security, tariffs have evolved beyond trade tools into economic levers that can shift markets overnight. Tariffs have re-entered the conversation for mid-sized business leaders, especially those with global supply chains or international customer bases. But here's the thing: reacting like it’s still 1995 won’t cut it.

Tariffs and Your Next Chapter | Selling Through Tariffs: Avoiding the Pricing Traps

Tue, Apr 8, 2025 — Tariffs have been around for centuries. Commonly used to protect emerging industries or bolster national security, tariffs have evolved beyond trade tools into economic levers that can shift markets overnight. Tariffs have re-entered the conversation for mid-sized business leaders, especially those with global supply chains or international customer bases. But here's the thing: reacting like it’s still 1995 won’t cut it.

Tariffs and Your Next Chapter: Turning Disruption into Go-to-Market Growth

Mon, Apr 7, 2025 — Tariffs have been around for centuries. Commonly used to protect emerging industries or bolster national security, tariffs have evolved beyond trade tools into economic levers that can shift markets overnight. Tariffs have re-entered the conversation for mid-sized business leaders, especially those with global supply chains or international customer bases. But here's the thing: reacting like it’s still 1995 won’t cut it.

Helping Clients Nail Their Target Market™ in EOS®

Mon, Apr 7, 2025 — Four Steps Every Implementer Can Use to Drive Clarity and Growth One of the most critical decisions your clients will make in their Sales and Marketing Strategy is identifying their Target Market™ — the group of people or organizations for whom they solve a clear problem, in a compelling way. Getting this right isn’t just a branding exercise. It’s foundational to the ability to set the right strategy, message, and Sales and Marketing Rocks™.

The Untapped Powerhouse: Why CEO Social Media Presence Matters

Fri, Jun 7, 2024 — In today's digital age, consumers and potential employees are increasingly turning to social media to understand the companies they interact with. This extends beyond just a catchy company bio and curated product photos. For private CEOs, social media offers a powerful, yet often underutilized platform to build brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and connect with your target audience on a deeper level.

Beyond Lead Gen: How CEOs Can Leverage Marketing for Sales Performance

Wed, Mar 27, 2024 — In today's competitive business environment, a highly skilled and empowered sales force is essential for driving revenue growth. However, the effectiveness of sales training alone is limited without consistent support and reinforcement. This is where the collaboration between the sales and marketing departments becomes crucial. It's imperative to recognize that marketing and sales are not isolated functions but interconnected components of the business success equation.

Growth Insights for CEOs