In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with Michelle Herl, Vice President of Marketing at SOR Controls Group, to talk about what it really takes to build a marketing function from the ground up inside a mid-size industrial manufacturer – and keep it growing for more than 25 years. Michelle shares how she started with no office, no budget, and catalogs hanging from wires, and turned it into a seat at the leadership table. She also breaks down how SOR manages a house of brands across three distinct product lines – SOR, SSi, and SENSOR – and why educating your internal team on brand structure matters just as much as reaching customers. From building a strategic planning system that keeps the one pager club at bay, to winning over the CFO by watching the bottom line like a marketer who actually cares about money, this conversation is full of real-world lessons for anyone trying to make marketing matter in a complex B2B environment.
Key Takeaways
Getting the house in order before going to market is essential, especially in manufacturing and industrial B2B
Earning a seat at the leadership table takes time, but it starts with proving that marketing drives strategy, not just tactics
Managing a house of brands requires consistent internal education across sales teams, partners, and leadership
A structured planning system with clear priorities keeps marketing focused and protects the team from reactive one-off requests
Building trust with finance means watching expenses, questioning invoices, and showing that marketing is accountable to the bottom line
Differentiating through people, not just products, creates authentic brand moments that competitors cannot replicate
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