Diana Haussling (hello Products) | Leadership Lessons from a CMO Turned CEO

Diana Haussling (hello Products) | Leadership Lessons from a CMO Turned CEO

From The CMO Podcast by vYve & Jim Stengel

March 24, 2026 · 58 min · Episode 386

About this episode

Diana Haussling discusses her journey from CMO to CEO and shares insights on leadership and personal growth.

More and more CMOs are ascending to the CEO role. Starbucks, Hinge, Revlon, Avon, and Brinker International are all companies that have elevated former CMOs to CEO. Joining Jim this week is a guest who joins that group. Diana Haussling is the Chief Executive Officer of hello, the bold, happy, design-forward oral care brand. Founded in 2012 by Craig Dubitsky with the goal of being a “friendly” alternative in the market, hello was acquired by Colgate in early 2020 for a reported $351 million. Today, hello products are found in over 55,000 retail stores across the U.S. Before stepping into the CEO role, Diana served for four years as Chief Marketing Officer for North America at Colgate, where she led Marketing, Digital Commerce, and Direct-to-Consumer. Her career also includes roles at three other Fortune 500 companies: Campbell’s, General Mills, and The Hershey Company. Tune in for a conversation with a leader who speaks candidly about insecurity, ambition, and why learning to talk about your strengths isn’t bragging, but necessary. — Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/ccs   Promo Code for $150 off ticket prices: CMOPODCCS26 — This week's episode is…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Stengel

Guest: Diana Haussling

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • CMO to CEO
  • marketing
  • oral care
  • career development

Keywords

  • CMO
  • CEO
  • leadership lessons
  • oral care
  • marketing strategy
  • career progression
  • Diana Haussling

Sponsors

IAB

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: hello, Colgate, Starbucks, Hinge, Revlon, Avon, Brinker International, Campbell’s, General Mills, The Hershey Company

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