[riboflavin]

Yes, a lot of companies try to use paid early, and not only do these leads not convert as well to revenue, they also requires continuous investment. The hard thing, but much better thing, is to invest in content and organic, but a lot of founders don't think that way.

I also wonder if early-stage marketers can get a lot of credibility / leverage in their organizations by focusing on product marketing.

Other random observation – a lot of marketers seem to not be able to figure out what works, and then the solution they offer is spending more money. (This isn't always a marketing problem, could be a product issue that the marketing team can't influence.)