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Highlights

 

In this episode of Marketing from the Frontlines, we speak with Táňa Rulková, VP of Marketing at TipHaus, a hospitality tech solution focused on tip management. With deep roots in the hospitality industry and a passion for beverage brands, Táňa shares how she built a lean, high-performing marketing team that produced over 50 case studies in just one year. Her approach combines strategic inbound marketing with tactical customer storytelling, creating a powerful engine for growth in a highly specialized B2B SaaS space.

Topics Discussed:

  • Building an effective marketing strategy from scratch at a growing tech startup
  • Creating a high-volume case study program that drives sales and product feedback
  • Managing a lean marketing team with strategic use of part-time specialists and agencies
  • Balancing freedom and agility in smaller organizations vs. structured processes in larger companies
  • AI integration in daily marketing operations for content optimization and image generation
  • The shift away from traditional trade shows toward more targeted digital events

 

Actionable
Takeaways

Structure First, Then Scale:

When taking over marketing leadership, prioritize foundational elements before tactical execution. Rulková's first 30 days focused on sales alignment, customer pain point discovery, audience segmentation documentation, and messaging frameworks—creating the structure needed for everything that followed.

Merge Customer Success with Content Strategy:

Instead of treating case studies as standalone marketing assets, use the interview process as a multi-purpose engine. Each customer conversation becomes an opportunity for product feedback, feature prioritization insights, and relationship building, while simultaneously creating marketing content.

Implement Precision-Based Team Building:

Rather than hiring generalists or full-time specialists for every function, Táňa built a core team (content + leadership) supplemented by part-time specialists (design + web development) and cyclical agency relationships (PR). This approach provides specialized expertise without the overhead of full-time headcount.

Adopt "Helpful Friend" Positioning in B2B Marketing:

Instead of focusing on outbound interruption tactics, position your marketing as the helpful resource that answers specific questions prospects are already asking. This philosophy drives SEO strategy, content development, and the overall approach to market presence.

Implement Smart PR Cycling:

For high-impact PR that doesn't break the budget, use a cycling strategy. Rather than maintaining expensive year-round agency relationships, engage experts for targeted 2-month campaigns around specific announcements, then pause until the next major milestone. This provides specialized expertise when it matters most without ongoing retainer costs.

Leverage AI to Replace Junior Functions:

Rather than hiring marketing assistants or interns who require significant training and supervision, use AI tools to handle repetitive tasks like proofreading, content editing, and first drafts. This allows small teams to focus their human resources on strategy and relationship-building activities.

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