Is Your Marketing Driving Growth - or Stuck on a Hamster Wheel?
- Kymm Martinez
- Sep 22, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
How strategic marketing, clarity, and the Wilder Growth Grid can help you escape busywork and achieve breakthrough impact.
Have you ever wondered why your marketing team works so hard, yet growth feels out of reach? A few years ago, I was brought into a legacy organization where the CEO told me, "I can teach you this industry, but you need to teach us marketing." My mission: transform marketing from a “cost center” into a true growth driver—a strategic function guiding real business outcomes.
On day one, I met a dedicated team. Most marketers had been set up (and trained) as skilled project managers, diligently fielding requests from “internal clients.” When I’d review a marketing asset, I’d always start with a simple question:
“What is this supposed to do? And who, specifically, is it for?”
More often than not, the answer was: “The client (another department) asked for it.” Why a brochure? “It’s what they wanted.” Why that headline/photo? “Client request.”
I pressed pause and offered a new vision:
"We’re not here to fill orders. We are strategic partners, unlocking business outcomes—not just delivering what people think they want.”
The roadblock wasn’t a lack of drive—it was a system that hadn’t equipped marketers to lead strategically or ask the right business questions. As I spoke with internal partners, a bigger problem surfaced: very few were aligned on the goals they were supposed to accomplish, or if previous efforts had real impact. “We’ve always used this format.” The reality? The organization had slipped into what I call the hamster wheel—working hard, but lacking clarity, direction, and progress.
If that rings true, you’re in good company. But with the right lens, you can get truly unstuck—and move from busywork to business impact.
What Is the Wilder Growth Grid? A Marketing Strategy Diagnostic Tool
After decades guiding organizations through transformation, some themes are universal:
Marketing without strategy fails. Busyness does not equal breakthrough.
To help teams pinpoint their current mindset—and move up—visual expert Wes Wheless helped develop my observations into a simple 2x2 diagnostic: the Wilder Growth Grid.
The Two Axes:
X-axis: How does your marketing function?
From tactical “order taking” to strategic, insight-driven action.
Y-axis: Are your organization’s growth goals clear?
From fuzzy or shifting, to specific, shared, and aligned.
Where your team lands on this grid is more critical than you may realize.
The Four Mindsets (and How to Move Up)
🚅 Bullet Train (Strategic Actions + Clear Goals)
Decisive direction and momentum. The team is strategic and energized by shared objectives. Measurement, feedback, and results climb steadily.
Action: Keep strategy front and center. Revisit goals, use feedback loops, and watch for tactical drift.
🍳 Short Order Cook (Tactical Actions + Clear Goals)
Orders in, activities out. Marketing is boxed into execution, without a voice in shaping the “why.”
Action: Ask “what’s the purpose of this request?” and reframe partnerships—move from order takers to co-pilots for growth.
🛩️ Foggy Flight (Strategic Actions + Fuzzy Goals)
Experienced pilots, can’t see the path. Smart marketing leaders, but muddled company direction. Good plans stall or loop.
Action: Marketing should drive strategic clarity. Ask: why now? What outcome are we hoping for? Who are we trying to influence?
🐹 Hamster Wheel (Tactical Actions + Fuzzy Goals)
Constant motion, zero progress. Everyone’s working, but results are unclear and legacy habits dominate.
Action: Pause! Audit every activity for purpose and alignment. Be willing to stop or revise what isn’t serving your brand’s growth.
6 Questions to Clarify Your Marketing Strategy and Drive Growth
Does your team know what each asset is for, who it serves, and how success is measured?
Is most work rooted in real consumer insight, or just tactical requests?
Are top business growth priorities clear, and is marketing included in early strategic conversations?
Do you clarify the problem first, or jump to deliverables?
Are legacy “just because” marketing formats going unquestioned?
Are you measuring output (how much) or outcome (what actually changed)?
How to Escape the Hamster Wheel: Steps for Building Marketing Momentum
Ask why (not just what): Challenge every request with “what are we trying to achieve?”
From "clients" to partners: Share the challenge—make marketing a true business partner
Review “zombie” tactics: Encourage the team to challenge legacy work that’s no longer effective.
Reset the culture: Celebrate fresh thinking, reward those who pause and ask “why,” and partners open to receiving ideas different from their initial ask.
Only measure what matters: Focus on outcomes, not vanity metrics.
From Activity to Impact: Next Steps for Growth-Driven Organizations
High-performing marketing teams strive to stay in the “bullet train” zone. Progress is about deliberate choice—not autopilot.
Ask yourself:
Is strategy leading, or are you stuck in the tactical weeds?
Are goals clear, shared, and truly meaningful?
Does your team feel safe questioning “the way it’s always been done?”
Are partners truly open to new approaches, not just their initial ideas?
Not sure where your organization fits on the Growth Grid? Let’s connect for a complimentary Marketing Growth Grid Audit. Together, we’ll pinpoint your starting point and sketch a roadmap from busywork to breakthrough.
Schedule a Wilder Growth Grid Audit by reaching out to kymm@WilderMarketingGroup.com today. I also welcome any comments/feedback on this tool or these action steps. Let me know what you find useful!
After 30+ years, nothing excites me more than seeing a good team break free from the busy trap—because on the other side is true brand momentum—and real business impact.
About Wilder Marketing Group
Wilder Marketing Group is a strategic marketing consultancy specializing in helping purpose-driven organizations unlock sustainable growth and lasting brand value. Founded and led by a seasoned executive, Wilder partners with leaders and teams to transform marketing from tactical support to a true engine of impact—combining proven frameworks, advanced AI tools, and deep market insight. Wilder’s approach is clarity-first, collaborative, and always guided by what makes your organization distinctive.