Marketing Search + Interim Leadership for B2B Brands

I find your next leader.
And keep marketing
moving in the meantime.

Marketing search paired with interim leadership, so marketing never loses momentum while I place the permanent leader.

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Deirdre Pelrin

Hi, I'm Deirdre Pelrin — I've spent 18 years building and scaling marketing teams, including one that helped take a company to a $1.5B valuation. More about me ↓

Where I've Worked
Immuta
$1B+ valuation
Seismic
$1B+ valuation
Drivepoint
Series A
SmashFly
Acquired
Cayan
Acquired for $1.05B
The problem

A search takes months.
Marketing can't just wait it out.

Finding the right marketing leader takes 3-6 months on average from launch to onboarding. Meanwhile, the same issues that made the hire necessary keep compounding:

Broken Targeting
Chasing too many accounts, or the wrong ones.
Inconsistent Messaging
Marketing, sales, and product are all saying different things.
Random Acts of Marketing
Scattered execution with no real system behind it.
Founder-Dependent GTM
The founder holds the context without a system for sharing it.

Left unsolved, this costs real pipeline, budget, and board confidence.
And you're no closer to being ready for the leader you eventually hire.

How we work together

While the search runs,
the marketing doesn't stop.

PHASE 1
1 WEEK
Search Kickoff
We kick off your search on day one, starting with an intake and calibration session to define exactly who you need, then market mapping to identify and prioritize the strongest candidates. From there, outreach is ready to begin by end of week one.
PHASE 2
3 WEEKS
GTM Audit & Go-Forward Plan
Once we align on the search, we move into the marketing work with a GTM audit. In this sprint, I'll uncover what's working, what's not, and where the real gaps are — then build a plan scoped to the unique findings, not just implement some standard playbook.
PHASE 3
TYPICALLY 3-4 MONTHS
Interim Marketing Leadership
Next, we get the team aligned on any strategy shifts, resource the plan (leveraging pre-vetted contractors as needed), and move quickly into execution, with me operating as the embedded senior marketing leader while the search continues.
PHASE 4
UPON SEARCH COMPLETION
Placement and Handoff
When we find the right leader, I onboard them and hand off a marketing function with a real foundation already in place, so they're set up for success. Optionally, I can be retained in an advisory capacity as a separately scoped engagement.
Typical Engagement is 3-6 Months•$20K Monthly Retainer All-In (No Additional Placement Fee)
Search partner comparison

How your options compare.

Traditional
Search		Propel
Placement Fee20 - 35%$0
Recruiter with Experience in Your Company✕✓
Recruiter with Marketing Operating Experience✕✓
Interim Marketing Leadership During The Search✕✓
Deirdre Pelrin
Deirdre Pelrin
Founder, Propel
About me

18 years building teams and growing companies into billion-dollar brands through great marketing.

I've spent my career building and leading marketing at VC-backed startups and growth-stage brands, and have personally run marketing searches throughout that time.

As a marketing leader founders trust to take a company from early stage to scale, I know exactly what it takes to bridge the gap in your marketing today and match you with the right leader.

And because I'm embedded as your interim leader while the search runs, I'm pitching candidates on the real team, culture, and product I'm working inside of, not a job description.

Let's Work Together
Testimonials

What founders and leaders
say about working with me.

"Deirdre was instrumental in sharpening our GTM. She designed a data-driven ICP model, built our positioning and messaging from the ground up, and put rigor behind the funnel—while also rebuilding our brand and website, and pushing our AI adoption further than most teams our size. The result was a measurable impact on our pipeline. She'd be a huge asset to any founder or CEO looking to get marketing right in the age of AI."
Austin Gardner-Smith
Austin Gardner-Smith
Co-Founder & CEO, Drivepoint
"Deirdre operates like an owner, not just a function head. She can build the strategic marketing foundation and has the ability to scale it. She also has a strong eye for talent and builds teams that perform, which is what makes her dangerous in the best way: strategy and execution, together. I can't recommend her enough."
Moritz Plassnig
Moritz Plassnig
CEO, CloudBees
"Deirdre is a powerhouse in GTM recruiting. She brings sharp scorecards, fast and decisive feedback, and a fiercely high bar to every hire. She sources top talent, and can close candidates with competing offers because she knows how to sell a mission."
Andy Olsen
Andy Olsen
Head of People, Immuta

Let's find your next marketing leader.

Let's meet to talk through where marketing stands today, your vision for where it's going, and explore if we're a mutual fit.
No pitch deck, no pressure.

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