Q&A with Paige O'Neill, CMO at Sitecore

MEDIA 7 | May 19, 2019

Paige O'Neill, CMO of Sitecore is an experienced, data-driven B2B marketer with enterprise and mid-market SaaS experience that ranges from Fortune 100 to late stage startups and stages in between. Her career graph uniquely combines extensive product marketing and PR / communications backgrounds resulting in an adeptness at creating brand stories and differentiated positioning. 

In this thought-provoking Q&A with MEDIA 7, Paige shares her journey into the field of marketing and her unrelenting zest for technology.

MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into Marketing?
PAIGE O'NEILL:
 My journey started when I was a Ph.D. student at New York University, and I thought I was on the road to become a college professor, but one day I had an interview at a high-tech PR firm for a part time job. The enthusiasm for technology at that agency changed the course of my life. I felt enamored with everything I heard about “PR” – even though at the time I didn’t even know what it actually was – so I dropped out of the Ph.D. program and started a career working for IBM’s PR agency. I loved technology communications, but wanted to tackle messaging from a more technical perspective, which led to my interest in product marketing. The transition from technology public relations to a product marketing role wasn’t an easy one. It’s an uncommon trajectory and there wasn’t a precedent at the company I worked for at the time, so I had to build my own path. In the end, I hustled to prove that I could leverage the skills I learned through my communications-focused position and translate them to a more product-focused role. It took persistence to prove that point.

"Success for marketers is defined by the ability to deliver experiences that are aware and adaptive to individual customers’ specific needs, in a way that is seamless to the end-user."



M7: What is your favourite part of working at Sitecore?
PN:
I love working with organizations during times of change, and there’s a lot of that going on at Sitecore. We are in the midst of a complete marketing transformation at Sitecore that starts with our top-level messaging, augmenting those messages more towards the marketing department. We are doing this through a new visual identity and branding, an expansion of our demand generation function (which is scaling to map to new personas and go-to-market areas), and, finally, a complete digital transformation leveraging Sitecore’s technology to build a new version of our website and align our digital channels to the customer journey. It’s truly a thrill to be a part of.


"Consumers’ expectations outpace companies’ abilities; most organizations are still early in their efforts to transform the business for a digital world."



M7: What do you consider the biggest challenges for a CMO these days?
PN:
 Marketers have had to accept a heavy truth: it is up to consumers, not them, to decide when, where, and how to engage with their company. Success for marketers is defined by the ability to deliver experiences that are aware and adaptive to individual customers’ specific needs, in a way that is seamless to the end-user. In many cases, though, consumers’ expectations outpace companies’ abilities; most organizations are still early in their efforts to transform the business for a digital world. Getting there will take an investment in technology, and we’ll see marketers rely more on things like channel-agnostic services, machine learning capabilities, and data management systems. But marketers are also going to have to rethink their people and processes, so they have the right training and organizational design to make sure they can leverage the power of those technology investments.


"Marketers have to rethink their people and processes, so they have the right training and organizational design to make sure they can leverage the power of technology investments."



M7: The past year has seen Sitecore hiring four women in executive leadership roles. Is the gap between the number of men and women at Sitecore shrinking? How do you see it?
PN: 
Our CEO, Mark Frost, has always had a passion for diversity and bringing women into senior roles, and it’s been great to see him implement his proactive approach to inclusive hiring at Sitecore. As a result, diversity representation is definitely on the upswing - although we prefer to think of it as more than just a numbers game. Rather than having a quota for female hires, we focus on setting benchmarks that will ensure an equal representation of potential candidates for any position. We’re also taking a top down/bottom up approach to ensure that leadership is setting the right example, while every department is just as engaged in diversity practices.

M7: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your younger self?
PN: 
Speak up! Articulate your professional goals and don’t wait for someone to notice you and hope they will give you an opportunity. There’s no way for those around you to know what you want, if you don’t vocalize it. I think a lot of time women in particular think if they work hard, someone will notice them, they will earn that promotion or be selected for that exciting opportunity, but I know from personal experience that making your career ambitions known, can pay dividends.

ABOUT SITECORE

Sitecore is the global leader in digital experience management software that combines content management, commerce, and customer insights. The Sitecore Experience Cloud™ empowers marketers to deliver personalized content in real time and at scale across every channel—before, during, and after a sale. More than 5,200 brands––including American Express, Carnival Cruise Lines, Dow Chemical, and L’Oréal––have trusted Sitecore to deliver the personalized interactions that delight audiences, build loyalty, and drive revenue. Visit Sitecore to know more.

More C-Suite on deck

Q&A with Lew Weiss, Owner and Publisher, Jacket Media Co

Media 7 | August 16, 2022

Lew Weiss, founder of Jacket Media Co, host of Manufacturing Talk Radio and publisher of Manufacturing Outlook. Follow Jacket Media Co on Twitter @JacketMediaCo.

Read More

Delivery robots can reduce congestion and emissions, says Starship Technologies' Alastair Westgarth.

Media 7 | March 2, 2022

Alastair Westgarth, Chief Executive Officer at Starship Technologies talks to us about creating the first delivery robot for contactless and safe deliveries. Read on to learn more about how Starship Technologies came about this invention and what they have in store in the near future.

Read More

Q&A with Scott Heide, Chief Executive Officer at Engineering Intent Corporation

Media 7 | August 3, 2021

Scott Heide, Chief Executive Officer at Engineering Intent Corporation, brings more than 30 years of experience in knowledge-based engineering software and has long been a key source for industry understanding of application strategies for engineering and sales automation. Heide drove the development of Knowledge Bridge, a cloud-based comprehensive EPQ (Engineer Price Quote) and visual configuration platform. It offers tools and methods to automate custom engineering, technical sales, and business processes – the “To Order” in “Engineer To Order”. Heide holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University and a Master of Science in Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Read More

Q&A with Lew Weiss, Owner and Publisher, Jacket Media Co

Media 7 | August 16, 2022

Lew Weiss, founder of Jacket Media Co, host of Manufacturing Talk Radio and publisher of Manufacturing Outlook. Follow Jacket Media Co on Twitter @JacketMediaCo.

Read More

Delivery robots can reduce congestion and emissions, says Starship Technologies' Alastair Westgarth.

Media 7 | March 2, 2022

Alastair Westgarth, Chief Executive Officer at Starship Technologies talks to us about creating the first delivery robot for contactless and safe deliveries. Read on to learn more about how Starship Technologies came about this invention and what they have in store in the near future.

Read More

Q&A with Scott Heide, Chief Executive Officer at Engineering Intent Corporation

Media 7 | August 3, 2021

Scott Heide, Chief Executive Officer at Engineering Intent Corporation, brings more than 30 years of experience in knowledge-based engineering software and has long been a key source for industry understanding of application strategies for engineering and sales automation. Heide drove the development of Knowledge Bridge, a cloud-based comprehensive EPQ (Engineer Price Quote) and visual configuration platform. It offers tools and methods to automate custom engineering, technical sales, and business processes – the “To Order” in “Engineer To Order”. Heide holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University and a Master of Science in Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Read More

Related News

ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Sarcos Signs Manufacturing Services Agreement with Jabil to Advance Production Capabilities for Sarcos Robotic Systems

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation, a leader in the design, development and manufacture of advanced robotic systems that redefine human possibilities, is collaborating with Jabil Inc., a leading manufacturing solutions provider, to expand Sarcos’ production capacity for its robotic systems and sub-systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Sarcos will utilize Jabil’s broad manufacturing services to produce a variety of leading-edge robotic systems and sub-systems. Sarcos also will be able to leverage Jabil’s global footprint, strategic supplier relationships, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to accelerate volume production while benefiting from advanced supply chain, procurement, and component-sourcing solutions. “We expect that our relationship with Jabil will advance Sarcos’ manufacturing capabilities tremendously, helping to augment our overall production capacity and enabling us to scale much faster than we could without their support,” said Kiva Allgood, president and CEO, Sarcos. “We are excited to work with a proven manufacturing services leader that has a long-standing record of success and an established global network of vendors and partners as we begin delivering our robotic systems to our customers.” Sarcos expects to increase the production of its commercial robotics technologies throughout 2023, with manufacturing and assembly occurring at a combination of Sarcos’ facilities in Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh, as well as Jabil’s San Jose, California-based production site. Sarcos anticipates that Jabil will primarily produce sub-systems for Sarcos’ commercial products this year, particularly the Guardian® XT™ dexterous robotic system and may also include the Guardian® XM intelligent robotic system and Guardian® Sea Class Robotic System. In 2023, final system assembly is expected to take place at Sarcos facilities. “Jabil is pleased to provide our value-added manufacturing services, which we are confident will expand Sarcos’ overall production capacity in a highly cost-effective and efficient manner,” said Craig Trotter, vice president of the capital equipment business unit, Jabil. “Our deep expertise in materials science, mechanical assembly, and human-machine interfaces, along with final assembly and test, will prove pivotal in accelerating world-class production of Sarcos’ industry-leading robotic systems and sub-systems.” About Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation designs, develops, and manufactures a broad range of advanced mobile robotic systems that redefine human possibilities and are designed to enable the safest most productive workforce in the world. Sarcos robotic systems operate in challenging, unstructured, industrial environments and include teleoperated robotic systems, a powered robotic exoskeleton, and software solutions that enable task autonomy.

Read More

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Machina Labs Awarded U.S. Air Force Contract for Robotic Composites Manufacturing

Machina Labs | March 20, 2023

Machina Labs today announced that the United States Air Force (USAF) has awarded Machina Labs $1.6M to advance and accelerate the development of its robotic technology for manufacturing of metal tooling for high-rate production of composites. Higher vehicle production rates in comparison to current rates is anticipated as experts project that the airline industry will need to triple its fleet to about 60,000 airplanes over the next 20 years. With respect to military applications, there is a similar drive towards balancing mission agility, sustainment, and vehicle cost; giving rise to emerging air vehicle concepts like the Low-Cost Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) program where there is a higher tolerance over limited life and loss of vehicles during operations. In addition, Advanced/Urban Air Mobility (AAM/UAM) vehicles have received considerable commercial traction in recent years. These highly automated, on-demand passenger and air cargo vehicles are anticipated to have production rates in the tens to hundreds of thousands per year. Lightweight, high-strength composite structures are a key enabler for achieving these goals. As such, the factory throughputs of advanced composite structures have to be increased and their production cost lowered. Machina Labs’ AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract will be focused on metal tooling for a fast-cure, out-of-autoclave (OOA) composite processing route. Through its previous contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Machina Labs has validated that its tools have vacuum integrity, are dimensionally stable once thermally stabilized, and are thermally more responsive than conventional metal tools. Composite tooling, depending on the materials selected and the tool size, could cost more than $1 million per tool and require 8-10 months of lead time. These costs and lead times for composite tooling do not support referenced increased manufacturing goals. “Machina Labs has demonstrated that its large-envelope, two-robot, incremental sheet metal forming technology can be used for manufacturing of metal tooling for composites resulting in dramatically reduced tool costs and time-to-market of composite parts,” according to Craig Neslen, Manufacturing Lead for the ACP Program at AFRL. “At the same time, given that no part-specific hardware is necessary for manufacturing of the sheet metal tools, it is possible to not only fabricate the tools expeditiously, but to quickly accommodate design changes when necessary.” Machina Labs uses robots the way a blacksmith uses a hammer to creatively manufacture different designs and material, introducing unseen flexibility and agility to the manufacturing industry. The company’s manufacturing platform combines the latest advances in robotics and AI so great ideas can quickly and affordably turn to reality and businesses can benefit from rapid iteration to bring more innovative products to market, faster. “We are pleased to advance our work with USAF in order to advance composite tooling for a wide variety of applications,” according to Babak Raeisinia, Co-Founder and Head of Applications & Partnerships at Machina Labs. “Keeping inventory of tooling is expensive. I believe technology will free up capital and allow organizations such as USAF to transition to an on-demand tooling model.” Machina Labs combines the latest advances in AI and robotics to deliver finished metal products in days – not months or years – and gives customers unprecedented time to market and competitive advantage. Robotic sheet forming is the first process enabled by Machina’s patented manufacturing platform. Using material- and geometry-agnostic technology, the platform outperforms traditional sheet forming methods that rely on custom molds or dies. About Machina Labs Founded in 2019 by aerospace and automotive industry veterans, Machina Labs is an advanced manufacturing company based in Los Angeles, California. Enabled by advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics, Machina Labs is developing Software-Defined Factories of the Future. The mission of the company is to develop modular manufacturing solutions that can be reconfigured to manufacture new products simply by changing the software.

Read More

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

SVT Robotics and Kardex Solutions Partner to Enable Complete End-to-End Pick and Pack Solution

SVT Robotics | March 17, 2023

SVT Robotics, a leading enterprise software provider for the rapid integration of industrial robotics, and Kardex Solutions, a leading Global Business Partner of AutoStore™ and intralogistics solution provider of automated storage, retrieval, and material handling systems, today announced a strategic partnership. The partnership now enables Kardex Solutions customers to easily deploy and integrate AutoStore systems with additional automation technology by leveraging the power of the SVT Robotics SOFTBOT® Platform. Building upon its Kardex Control Center WES technology, Kardex Solutions has connected its software to the SOFTBOT Platform to enable a complete end-to-end pick and pack solution. Through this partnership, Kardex Solutions customers can quickly integrate and deploy an AutoStore system and Kardex Control Center with other warehouse functions, such as a WMS. "Agility is one of the greatest advantages that companies can leverage. When it comes to automation, it's imperative that businesses can quickly deploy supply chain technologies as well as reconfigure them to meet their evolving needs," said A.K. Schultz, CEO of SVT Robotics. "We're excited to partner with Kardex Solutions to offer their customers a simple and effective method for rapid automation adoption." "By coupling Kardex Control Center with the SOFTBOT Platform, we're able to provide our customers with a true 'easy button' approach to automation," said Mitch Hayes, President of Kardex Solutions. "What we've done is eliminate the complexities around warehouse automation by creating a pathway for AutoStore systems to easily integrate with technologies commonly found in distribution centers. We're proud to offer this complete solution to our customers." About SVT Robotics SVT Robotics is an enterprise software company that's revolutionizing robot deployments in the warehousing and manufacturing industries. SVT's tech-agnostic, low-code SOFTBOT Platform enables companies to integrate robots, automation, IoT technology, or human productivity tools for any task in just days or weeks. About Kardex Solutions Kardex Solutions is part of the Kardex Group, which is a leading intralogistics solution provider of automated storage, retrieval, and material handling systems and an AutoStore Global Business Partner. The Kardex mission is to provide solutions and services to increase the efficiency in storing and handling of goods and materials on a global scale.

Read More

ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Sarcos Signs Manufacturing Services Agreement with Jabil to Advance Production Capabilities for Sarcos Robotic Systems

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation, a leader in the design, development and manufacture of advanced robotic systems that redefine human possibilities, is collaborating with Jabil Inc., a leading manufacturing solutions provider, to expand Sarcos’ production capacity for its robotic systems and sub-systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Sarcos will utilize Jabil’s broad manufacturing services to produce a variety of leading-edge robotic systems and sub-systems. Sarcos also will be able to leverage Jabil’s global footprint, strategic supplier relationships, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to accelerate volume production while benefiting from advanced supply chain, procurement, and component-sourcing solutions. “We expect that our relationship with Jabil will advance Sarcos’ manufacturing capabilities tremendously, helping to augment our overall production capacity and enabling us to scale much faster than we could without their support,” said Kiva Allgood, president and CEO, Sarcos. “We are excited to work with a proven manufacturing services leader that has a long-standing record of success and an established global network of vendors and partners as we begin delivering our robotic systems to our customers.” Sarcos expects to increase the production of its commercial robotics technologies throughout 2023, with manufacturing and assembly occurring at a combination of Sarcos’ facilities in Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh, as well as Jabil’s San Jose, California-based production site. Sarcos anticipates that Jabil will primarily produce sub-systems for Sarcos’ commercial products this year, particularly the Guardian® XT™ dexterous robotic system and may also include the Guardian® XM intelligent robotic system and Guardian® Sea Class Robotic System. In 2023, final system assembly is expected to take place at Sarcos facilities. “Jabil is pleased to provide our value-added manufacturing services, which we are confident will expand Sarcos’ overall production capacity in a highly cost-effective and efficient manner,” said Craig Trotter, vice president of the capital equipment business unit, Jabil. “Our deep expertise in materials science, mechanical assembly, and human-machine interfaces, along with final assembly and test, will prove pivotal in accelerating world-class production of Sarcos’ industry-leading robotic systems and sub-systems.” About Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation designs, develops, and manufactures a broad range of advanced mobile robotic systems that redefine human possibilities and are designed to enable the safest most productive workforce in the world. Sarcos robotic systems operate in challenging, unstructured, industrial environments and include teleoperated robotic systems, a powered robotic exoskeleton, and software solutions that enable task autonomy.

Read More

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Machina Labs Awarded U.S. Air Force Contract for Robotic Composites Manufacturing

Machina Labs | March 20, 2023

Machina Labs today announced that the United States Air Force (USAF) has awarded Machina Labs $1.6M to advance and accelerate the development of its robotic technology for manufacturing of metal tooling for high-rate production of composites. Higher vehicle production rates in comparison to current rates is anticipated as experts project that the airline industry will need to triple its fleet to about 60,000 airplanes over the next 20 years. With respect to military applications, there is a similar drive towards balancing mission agility, sustainment, and vehicle cost; giving rise to emerging air vehicle concepts like the Low-Cost Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) program where there is a higher tolerance over limited life and loss of vehicles during operations. In addition, Advanced/Urban Air Mobility (AAM/UAM) vehicles have received considerable commercial traction in recent years. These highly automated, on-demand passenger and air cargo vehicles are anticipated to have production rates in the tens to hundreds of thousands per year. Lightweight, high-strength composite structures are a key enabler for achieving these goals. As such, the factory throughputs of advanced composite structures have to be increased and their production cost lowered. Machina Labs’ AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract will be focused on metal tooling for a fast-cure, out-of-autoclave (OOA) composite processing route. Through its previous contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Machina Labs has validated that its tools have vacuum integrity, are dimensionally stable once thermally stabilized, and are thermally more responsive than conventional metal tools. Composite tooling, depending on the materials selected and the tool size, could cost more than $1 million per tool and require 8-10 months of lead time. These costs and lead times for composite tooling do not support referenced increased manufacturing goals. “Machina Labs has demonstrated that its large-envelope, two-robot, incremental sheet metal forming technology can be used for manufacturing of metal tooling for composites resulting in dramatically reduced tool costs and time-to-market of composite parts,” according to Craig Neslen, Manufacturing Lead for the ACP Program at AFRL. “At the same time, given that no part-specific hardware is necessary for manufacturing of the sheet metal tools, it is possible to not only fabricate the tools expeditiously, but to quickly accommodate design changes when necessary.” Machina Labs uses robots the way a blacksmith uses a hammer to creatively manufacture different designs and material, introducing unseen flexibility and agility to the manufacturing industry. The company’s manufacturing platform combines the latest advances in robotics and AI so great ideas can quickly and affordably turn to reality and businesses can benefit from rapid iteration to bring more innovative products to market, faster. “We are pleased to advance our work with USAF in order to advance composite tooling for a wide variety of applications,” according to Babak Raeisinia, Co-Founder and Head of Applications & Partnerships at Machina Labs. “Keeping inventory of tooling is expensive. I believe technology will free up capital and allow organizations such as USAF to transition to an on-demand tooling model.” Machina Labs combines the latest advances in AI and robotics to deliver finished metal products in days – not months or years – and gives customers unprecedented time to market and competitive advantage. Robotic sheet forming is the first process enabled by Machina’s patented manufacturing platform. Using material- and geometry-agnostic technology, the platform outperforms traditional sheet forming methods that rely on custom molds or dies. About Machina Labs Founded in 2019 by aerospace and automotive industry veterans, Machina Labs is an advanced manufacturing company based in Los Angeles, California. Enabled by advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics, Machina Labs is developing Software-Defined Factories of the Future. The mission of the company is to develop modular manufacturing solutions that can be reconfigured to manufacture new products simply by changing the software.

Read More

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

SVT Robotics and Kardex Solutions Partner to Enable Complete End-to-End Pick and Pack Solution

SVT Robotics | March 17, 2023

SVT Robotics, a leading enterprise software provider for the rapid integration of industrial robotics, and Kardex Solutions, a leading Global Business Partner of AutoStore™ and intralogistics solution provider of automated storage, retrieval, and material handling systems, today announced a strategic partnership. The partnership now enables Kardex Solutions customers to easily deploy and integrate AutoStore systems with additional automation technology by leveraging the power of the SVT Robotics SOFTBOT® Platform. Building upon its Kardex Control Center WES technology, Kardex Solutions has connected its software to the SOFTBOT Platform to enable a complete end-to-end pick and pack solution. Through this partnership, Kardex Solutions customers can quickly integrate and deploy an AutoStore system and Kardex Control Center with other warehouse functions, such as a WMS. "Agility is one of the greatest advantages that companies can leverage. When it comes to automation, it's imperative that businesses can quickly deploy supply chain technologies as well as reconfigure them to meet their evolving needs," said A.K. Schultz, CEO of SVT Robotics. "We're excited to partner with Kardex Solutions to offer their customers a simple and effective method for rapid automation adoption." "By coupling Kardex Control Center with the SOFTBOT Platform, we're able to provide our customers with a true 'easy button' approach to automation," said Mitch Hayes, President of Kardex Solutions. "What we've done is eliminate the complexities around warehouse automation by creating a pathway for AutoStore systems to easily integrate with technologies commonly found in distribution centers. We're proud to offer this complete solution to our customers." About SVT Robotics SVT Robotics is an enterprise software company that's revolutionizing robot deployments in the warehousing and manufacturing industries. SVT's tech-agnostic, low-code SOFTBOT Platform enables companies to integrate robots, automation, IoT technology, or human productivity tools for any task in just days or weeks. About Kardex Solutions Kardex Solutions is part of the Kardex Group, which is a leading intralogistics solution provider of automated storage, retrieval, and material handling systems and an AutoStore Global Business Partner. The Kardex mission is to provide solutions and services to increase the efficiency in storing and handling of goods and materials on a global scale.

Read More

Spotlight

Sitecore

Sitecore

Sitecore is the global leader in experience management software that combines content management, commerce, and customer insights. The Sitecore Experience Cloud™ empowers marketers to deliver personalized content in real time and at scale across every channel—before, during, and after a sale. More t...

Events

Resources