By
Jamey Heinze
If you know me, you know I’ve always been an idea guy but never had a burning desire to start my own company. I always thought of myself as a strong operator—someone who could jump into a business, take ownership of marketing, and deliver results. But sometimes life gives you a nudge.
In my case, it was the combination of timing and circumstance. That’s a concept I come back to often, perhaps ad nauseam if you’ve known me long enough. Yes, you create your own luck through smart decisions and tenacity. But success, whether personal or professional, almost always has a timing and circumstance element baked in.
In 2021, I found myself at a professional crossroads. That’s when Matt Brown from Waterloo Data reached out and encouraged me to take on a fractional CMO role. I hadn’t been actively looking, but the timing was right. And thanks to Matt, I took the leap.
From there, things moved fast. Decades of building relationships across the tech and marketing world paid off—I quickly found myself oversubscribed with fractional CMO work. Along the way, I started collaborating with two exceptional leaders: Christina Nobles and Layne Levine. The chemistry, balance of experience, and shared values were so strong that it felt obvious we needed to formalize something together. That’s how F3 Growth was born.
Do What You Know
One thing we all had in common, and why F3 has worked so well? We were doing what we knew. We were using our combined, hard-won experience built over decades running sales and marketing teams, driving go-to-market strategies, launching products, and leading turnarounds.
The data says that founders who build businesses in areas they know deeply, rather than jumping into a space just because it’s trendy, are far more likely to succeed. This tracks with everything I’ve seen: success in business usually comes from leaning into your strengths, not pursuing gold in them thar hills.
That’s what F3 Growth is: a combination of skill sets that are both complementary and proven. Christina brings deep consulting, brand, and ops chops. Layne has elite enterprise and GTM experience. I round out the strategy and execution side. Together, we help clients plug in real sales and marketing leadership to drive growth—quickly, painlessly, and without the full-time headcount.
Relationships Matter (And So Does Diplomacy)
Another core belief of mine? Diplomacy is 80% of the battle. I’ve seen it (and said it) over and over: technical skills matter, but how you work with people matters more. It’s why I’ve been able to build such a strong network of friends, colleagues, and partners—many of whom have become clients, collaborators, or both.
Christina and Layne are perfect examples. We got to know each other by working together. Trust was built through execution. And now we’re surrounded by an incredible team of A-player F3 consultants who share the same mindset: get it done, get it done well, and treat people right along the way.
If you’ve ever worked with me, you’ve probably heard a few of my personal “isms,” (e.g. diplomacy is 80% of the battle). These are principles I try to live and work by. For years, they were mostly things I’d come up with informally and shared jokingly. But I didn’t realize the real value of this until I worked for Dave Dutch for the first time at Vignette back in 2008.
On day one, he shared his “Dutch-isms,” five simple rules that have stuck with me ever since:
I’ve subsequently co-opted those into my own long list of Jamey-isms, which I’m happy to share anytime. The point is: having a set of personal principles keeps you grounded. It shapes how you show up, make decisions, and build teams. I think everyone, especially those in leadership roles, should take time to define and revisit theirs.
The truth is, F3 Growth exists because a lot of good people showed up at the right moments. Matt Brown gave me the push. Christina and Layne brought vision and partnership. Our combined network opened doors. Timing and circumstance played a role, but so did experience, trust, and a little diplomacy along the way.
If you’re running a company that could use real sales and marketing leadership—without the complexity of building a full team—F3 Growth might be the partner you didn’t know you needed. We’re not consultants who parachute in with theory. We’re operators who know how to get to work. And if you’re just someone who appreciates strong principles and great teams, I’d love to hear about your own “isms.”
Thanks for reading, and thanks to all of you who helped shape this journey.