How Smart Leadership Can Drive Growth in 2025

Can we talk about the elephant in the room? I know we’re all exhausted from the 2024 election cycle (honestly, who isn’t?), but there’s something we need to discuss: tariffs.

I can hear you groaning already – “Please, no more political talk!” Trust me, I get it. But it has to be said: these new tariff proposals aren’t just political noise. They’re about to hit all of us where it hurts – our wallets and our businesses.

Let’s Get Real About What’s Happening

Want to see what this looks like in real life? Take E.l.f. Beauty‘s story. Back in 2019, they got slapped with a 25% import tariff. Their CEO, Tarang Amin, put it bluntly: tariffs are basically “a tax on the American people.” They had to pull every lever they could find just to stay competitive.

And before you say, “Well, we manufacture in the US, so we’re safe,” – think again. Even domestic companies are feeling the squeeze because of tariffs on raw materials. Just ask Columbia Sportswear. Their CEO, Tim Boyle, isn’t mincing words – they’re having to raise prices, making it tough to keep their gear affordable for everyday Americans.

Global trends tell an important story: luxury brands are pivoting to emphasize long-term value and sustainability due to economic pressures, with 41% of consumers are adjusting their purchasing habits accordingly. This signals an opportunity for brands across industries to recalibrate their value propositions and messaging.

What This Means for Your Marketing Team

Here’s where things get interesting (and by interesting, I mean challenging). When costs go up, guess what usually gets cut first? Yep, marketing budgets. The irony? That’s exactly when you need smart marketing the most.

Think about what your marketing team is dealing with:

• Shrinking budgets while expectations continue to rise
• The need to pivot strategies quickly as the market shifts
• The challenge of explaining price hikes without losing customers
• A deep dive into changing consumer behavior and how to adapt

The Data Tells a Critical Story

CEOs who keep marketing at the heart of their growth strategy are twice as likely to see serious growth (we’re talking 5%+ annually) compared to those who don’t. Yet – and this is wild – 40% of Fortune 500 companies don’t even have one growth-focused executive on their team. Make it make sense.

So, What Do We Do? 

So how do we prepare to keep growing when belts (and purse strings) are getting tighter? 

2025 isn’t here yet, which means we’ve a little time to prepare. Here’s a plan of action I’d suggest:

1. Don’t panic– Make data-driven decisions.

High stress leads to rash decisions, which often backfire. Instead of slashing resources or making drastic pivots, take a step back and analyze the data. Where are the real risks? Where are the opportunities?

2. Get back to marketing basics.

Who is your audience today? Consumer behavior is shifting fast—are you tracking it effectively? Many brands operate on outdated assumptions. Strengthening your customer insights and data analytics will help you stay ahead.

3. Embrace new, more flexible marketing strategies.

What worked in years past won’t necessarily work now. Once your foundation is set, it’s time to look for creative strategies, seek out mentorship that helps you think big, and invest in leadership models that offer you some flexibility. Some of the smartest companies out there are trying something different: fractional CMOs. This model delivers senior marketing leadership expertise without the full-time CMO salary. And it works. Companies using this approach are seeing 10-20% revenue bumps in their first year. Not too shabby.

Why Fractional CMOs Are a Game Changer

Many companies are ditching the full-time CMO salary and opting for fractional CMOs instead. This model allows businesses to bring in high-level marketing leadership without the overhead. And it works—businesses leveraging fractional CMOs often see measurable growth in their first year, thanks to strategic leadership without the full-time cost.

Here’s what a good fractional CMO brings to the table:

• C-Suite experience in budget magic  (a long history of making  dollars stretch further.)
• Pivotal role as your “price increase translator” (keeping customers happy when prices rise. )
• Consistency in your market position(staying competitive when things get tough.)
• Professionals of the quick pivot (because plans change fast.)

Adaptation Beats Budget Size

Look, 2025 is coming whether we’re ready or not. And as it approaches, there will be clear challenges. The companies that will thrive aren’t the ones with the largest budgets – they’re the ones that adapt strategically. Strong marketing leadership isn’t optional; it’s essential for navigating what’s ahead.

The beauty of the fractional model? It makes experienced, high-level marketing leadership accessible to small and midsized businesses—without the corporate price tag.

Challenges are coming. Investing in great leadership is the best way to prepare.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Marketing Strategy?

Trade uncertainty is real, but so are the solutions. If your business is preparing for economic shifts and needs expert marketing leadership without the full-time cost, Goodstory’s fractional CMOs can help.

Let’s talk about how we can drive your growth—starting today.