Suggestions
Scott Brinker
VP Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and Editor at chiefmartec.com
Scott Brinker, born on September 28, 1971, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a prominent figure in the field of marketing technology. He currently holds the position of Vice President of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot, where he is responsible for shaping the company's platform strategy and managing its global technology partner ecosystem. Brinker has been with HubSpot since September 2017 and plays a crucial role in nurturing partnerships that enhance the HubSpot platform's capabilities .135
Education and Early Career
Brinker's educational journey began at the University of Miami, but he left to join Galacticomm, a company known for developing bulletin board systems (BBS). He later returned to academia, earning a B.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University, graduating summa cum laude as valedictorian. He also obtained an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management .13
Professional Background
Before joining HubSpot, Brinker co-founded ion interactive, a SaaS company specializing in interactive content marketing solutions. His early career included significant roles at Galacticomm, where he became president and CEO by age 21 .13 He is also known for creating the MarTech conference series in 2014, which focuses on the intersection of marketing and technology .25
Contributions to Marketing Technology
Brinker is widely recognized for his insights into marketing technology and is often referred to as the "Godfather of MarTech." He runs the blog chiefmartec.com, which covers topics at the intersection of marketing and technology and has garnered a substantial readership .35 His work emphasizes the importance of ecosystems in marketing strategies and how they can drive business success.
Personal Insights
In addition to his professional achievements, Brinker actively shares his thoughts on success and career development through various platforms, including LinkedIn .4 His extensive experience positions him as a thought leader in leveraging technology to enhance marketing effectiveness and drive innovation within organizations.
Highlights
It's easy to pile on all the ways in which SaaS is threatened.
What's much more interesting is the potential path to its salvation.
I have thoughts. 😀
Yesterday's newsletter introduces the concept of context-as-a-service (CaaS) and why it could be a phenomenal opportunity for a new generation of software platforms.
Existing SaaS platforms can make this transformation. In fact, their core expertise is a tremendous — and portable — asset in this new framing that I propose.
That said, it's not an easy transformation. The hardest aspect of it for many will be that this only works as a true platform play. Unfortunately, most SaaS companies think product-first rather than ecosystem-first. Changing that mindset is key to their survival.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
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The only day better than #MartechDay? #StarWarsDay!
May the 4th be with you today... and may the #martech be with you on May 6: https://t.co/Yay2eFfUzL
The martech is what gives a marketer their power. It's an energy field created by all living data. It surrounds us and empowers us. It binds our marketing together.
(With apologies to George Lucas.)



