In partnership with
Let Baker Mayfield Bake: Why Fit Beats Pedigree in Football and Marketing
Baker Mayfield didn’t suddenly become a new QB in Tampa. He landed in the right system.
Same story with Geno Smith in Seattle.
Same story with Sam Darnold in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, “can’t-miss” guys like Trevor Lawrence or even Aaron Rodgers have looked average when the scheme didn’t fit.
Talent matters. Fit matters more.
The Myth of the “System QB”
“System QB” gets thrown around like it’s an insult. It’s not. It means the system worked. The coach, the playbook, and the teammates unlocked the player’s best game.
Marketing is no different.
That unicorn CMO you just hired? They can flop inside a bloated org.
That director another company fired? They can look like a genius with a lean team, a clear playbook, and some trust.
The star wasn’t broken. The system was.
Fit > Pedigree
Stop asking: “Who’s the most talented marketer we can land?”
Start asking: “What system are we running, and who actually fits it?”
Do we need a brand builder or a growth hacker?
Do we play slow, enterprise chess or fast, SMB blitz?
Do we want safe singles or someone swinging for home runs?
Get clear on your system before you draft your GTM QB.
If You’re the Marketer…
Don’t try to “prove you can win anywhere.” That’s how you get scapegoated.
Instead, ask the hard questions up front:
What’s the playbook?
Who’s blocking for me?
How much freedom do I get to audible?
If the answers are fuzzy, the fit’s wrong. Walk.
Bottom Line
Great people are everywhere.
Great fits are rare.
Don’t just hire the best. Hire the right.
Don’t just take the best offer. Take the right one.
Fit beats pedigree. Every damn time.
Your time deserves better work
Clearing inboxes won’t grow your business. Wing gives you a dedicated virtual assistant to run scheduling, admin, and follow-ups. So every hour you save can turn into momentum you can scale.
Typing is a thing of the past
Typeless turns your raw, unfiltered voice into beautifully polished writing - in real time.
It works like magic, feels like cheating, and allows your thoughts to flow more freely than ever before.
With Typeless, you become more creative. More inspired. And more in-tune with your own ideas.
Your voice is your strength. Typeless turns it into a superpower.