32 - The Revenue Risk When CEOs Say “We Can’t Measure Event ROI"
Thu Feb 05 2026
In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Zach Barney, founder and CEO of Mobly, to talk about a problem many growth-stage companies quietly accept.
They spend a lot on in-person events and have no real way to know what is working.
Zach explains how his background as a VP of Sales exposed a gap most teams accept as normal. Digital marketing is measured closely. In-person marketing often is not. That gap led him to start Mobly and focus on bringing clearer tracking and follow-up to face-to-face marketing.
The conversation also goes well beyond product and growth. He shares openly what it was like to run out of runway faster than expected, raise capital in a tougher market, and deal with serious anxiety while leading a growing company. He talks about getting help, being honest with his team, and why founders should not try to carry everything alone.
This episode is a realistic look at what scaling actually feels like, and how better decisions come from clarity, not optimism.
Check out Zach's work at https://www.getmobly.com/.
Say hello to Zach!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmobly/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbarney/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getmobly/
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/
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In this episode of The Breakout CEO Podcast, Jeff Holman sits down with Zach Barney, founder and CEO of Mobly, to talk about a problem many growth-stage companies quietly accept. They spend a lot on in-person events and have no real way to know what is working. Zach explains how his background as a VP of Sales exposed a gap most teams accept as normal. Digital marketing is measured closely. In-person marketing often is not. That gap led him to start Mobly and focus on bringing clearer tracking and follow-up to face-to-face marketing. The conversation also goes well beyond product and growth. He shares openly what it was like to run out of runway faster than expected, raise capital in a tougher market, and deal with serious anxiety while leading a growing company. He talks about getting help, being honest with his team, and why founders should not try to carry everything alone. This episode is a realistic look at what scaling actually feels like, and how better decisions come from clarity, not optimism. Check out Zach's work at https://www.getmobly.com/. Say hello to Zach! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmobly/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbarney/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getmobly/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply https://go.intellectualstrategies.com/