Power of Surge - by Holly Rollo (Paperback)

About the Book

A B2B Software CEO's Guide to Strategic Modern Marketing That Delivers Results!

For CEOs and investors in small to midsize B2B software companies, this book provides a clear blueprint for transforming your marketing to unleash hidden value, especially leading up to a transaction or exit event.

Based on over thirty years of experience leading major technology company transformations, the author outlines a strategic approach using the Power of SURGE--Strategy, Unity, Reputation, Gains, and Efficiency. Learn how to develop a customer-centric strategy tailored to your unique business situation, achieve radical alignment across sales and marketing, establish a compelling competitive market position and brand reputation with customers, unlock hidden revenue streams, and build a modern marketing engine for scale and ROI.

The book covers common disconnects between CEOs and CMOs that undermine execution, along with advice for finding and keeping the right marketing leader in a competitive talent market. You'll discover proven methods for driving growth, lowering customer acquisition costs, shortening sales cycles, and boosting valuation. With practical advice from other industry leaders, this playbook provides the key steps to transform your marketing for competitive advantage and transaction success.

Book Synopsis

2025 AXIOM Business Book Awards Bronze - Business Technology
2024 North American Book Award Silver - Business Entrepreneurial
2024 Goody Business Book Awards - Gamechanger
2024 Goody Business Book Awards - Technology
2024 Best Book Award - Finalist

For CEOs and investors in small to midsize B2B software companies, this book provides a clear blueprint for transforming your marketing to unleash hidden value, especially leading up to a transaction or exit event.

Based on over thirty years of experience leading major technology company transformations, the author outlines a strategic approach to marketing using the Power of SURGE--Strategy, Unity, Reputation, Gains, and Efficiency. Learn how to develop a customer-centric strategy tailored to your unique business situation, achieve radical alignment across sales, marketing, and customer success, establish a compelling competitive market position and brand reputation with customers, unlock hidden revenue streams, and build a modern marketing engine for scale and ROI.

The book covers common disconnects between CEOs and CMOs that undermine execution, along with advice for finding and keeping the right marketing leader in a competitive talent market. You'll discover proven methods for driving growth, lowering customer acquisition costs, shortening sales cycles, and boosting valuation. With practical advice from other industry leaders, this playbook provides the key steps to transform your marketing for a competitive advantage and transaction success.

Review Quotes

Holly has written the definitive strategic marketing

manifesto. She has shared the scar tissue you get

only by living and breathing the ups and downs of

building a business and has described those lessons

in a straightforward, digestible, and fun read. As one

who has reviewed thousands of business plans and

hundreds of board plans, Holly nailed it. You must

keep your eye on the horizon lest you go off course,

but you better pay maniacal attention to the details

that are driving to that horizon. Holly's sage advice

acts as a rudder and should be absorbed by every B2B

CEO trying to balance their ship.

TED SCHLEIN

Former managing partner, Kleiner Perkins

Founder partner, Ballistic Ventures

Rollo's advice is a lifeline for those preparing for a

major transaction or going through a pivot. If you're

ready to turbocharge your software business and find

hidden value, Power of Surge is an indispensable guide.

DAVID LANG

Partner, KKR

Refreshing and powerful. Rollo's insights about

how to use strategic marketing as a value driver are

helpful and impactful. She not only diagnoses root

causes hindering results but also offers actionable

remedies that CEOs can put to work immediately.

The framework she lays out in this book can help

companies set themselves up for long-term success.

BETTY HUNG

Managing director, Vista Equity Partners

Holly Rollo's new book is a must-read for any investor

or CEO in the B2B software space. Her decades of

marketing leadership success at important companies

have given her the ideal perspective for crafting a

tight, actionable framework for creating a competitive

advantage. All of this is combined with a highly

accessible narrative style. What is not to like?

SEKSOM SURIYAPA

Partner, Upfront Ventures

Today more so than ever, a B2B software CEO

needs the skill to navigate sudden and unexpected

changes in the business climate. Power of Surge offers

actionable insights to leverage marketing as a source

of strategic advantage and maximize the value of

a business at exit. It is very clearly a practitioner's

rendition and presents this advice in a refreshingly

relatable and compelling way. It's a great addition to

any CEO's bookshelf!

ROHIT GHAI

CEO, RSA

What a wonderful opportunity for CEOs to learn the

uncensored truth about marketing in our uncertain

roller coaster of a world. Holly Rollo generously

shares her relentlessly practical, no-holds-barred

experience as a CMO. She reveals how small businesses

can avoid fumbling their fortune, achieve

better results, and become resilient by capitalizing on

how marketing really works.

KATHLEEN SCHAUB

Marketing management strategist

Former IDC CMO advisory practice leader