Marketing is one of the most visible, emotional, and misunderstood functions inside a business. And if you lead marketing in any organization—whether you're a CMO, brand director, head of growth, or senior strategist—you already know the challenge.

In this episode of The Lizard Eating Its Tail, Brandon Keenen unpacks the unique psychological weight of leading marketing from the inside. Because while the job looks creative and exciting from the outside, the reality is that you're often stuck navigating unclear expectations, underpowered budgets, and constant feedback from people who do not understand your craft.

Marketing leaders face a unique set of challenges: you're expected to be bold, but safe. Creative, but data-driven. Simple, but strategic. You carry pressure from above to deliver quick wins, while trying to build something meaningful that takes time. And all the while, you work in the one department where everyone—from the boardroom to the intern pool—feels qualified to weigh in.

This episode dives deep into the psychological toll of being the person responsible for the most public, most scrutinized, and often least understood part of a company. It covers:

• Why marketing is one of the top three most important and expensive functions in a business, but often gets the least room to lead

• How to deal with the "everyone thinks they're a marketer" problem

• The importance of emotional intelligence and internal storytelling in the role

• What it really means to prove value when results are public and the pressure is constant

• How to present ideas in a risk-averse culture while still pushing for bold creative

• Why marketing leadership requires psychological resilience, not just marketing knowledge

You will also hear strategies for maintaining clarity, trust, and authority in the role, especially when resources are tight or internal politics get in the way of execution. Brandon breaks down how to frame your work in terms the business can understand, how to fight the right battles, and how to be the calm center in the chaos that often surrounds growth.

This episode is a reminder that the best marketing leaders do more than manage campaigns. They manage attention. They manage energy. They manage culture. And they do it while carrying the weight of high visibility and limited support.

If you are in the middle of that experience, this episode will resonate. And if you are building toward leadership in marketing, it will prepare you for what is ahead.

You do not need everyone in the company to understand marketing. You need the right people to trust in your marketing expertise.

This is a message for the ones holding it all together, building in the grey space, and translating brand value into business value in real time. You are not just doing marketing. You are doing psychology, communication, strategy, and survival—all at once.

This episode is for you.