At a time when speed, agility, and cost-efficiency are non-negotiable, B2B SaaS companies are increasingly turning to global, distributed marketing teams. But how do you structure and manage these teams without slipping into chaos?
In the latest episode of SaaS Half Full, Wendy White, CMO of Daxko, shares how she has successfully built and scaled distributed marketing teams across India, the Philippines, and the U.S., and how a “follow-the-sun” agile model can work if you get the structure and culture right.
Why Global? Cost, Speed, and Talent You Can’t Find Locally
When Wendy joined Daxko, the marketing team was largely U.S.-based and operating with generalists wearing too many hats. Sound familiar?
To address this, she adopted a strategic approach: moving specialized, executive roles overseas, where she could access top-tier talent at a fraction of the U.S. cost. For example, a skilled digital marketer in India might cost $15–18k annually versus $80k+ in the U.S.
But this wasn’t just about cost-cutting.
“It’s about tapping into labor pools we couldn’t otherwise afford, keeping work closer to the business than using an agency, and speeding up execution by taking advantage of time zones,” said Wendy.
By hiring globally, Wendy has more in-house control, faster turnaround, and a scalable model that’s deeply aligned with business goals—not vendor deliverables.
The Tools & Workflows That Make It Work
Asana is at the core of Daxko’s global marketing operations, but Wendy is quick to note that tools don’t fix broken processes.
Her team had to rebuild workflows from scratch after their first attempt failed due to poor alignment. Execution teams had optimized workflows for themselves, not the company-wide needs. The fix? Start by defining the right way to work before implementing it on a platform.
To improve visibility and performance tracking, her B2B SaaS marketing team also built a Power BI dashboard that pulls data from Asana to measure speed, revisions, SLA adherence, and quality of work over time.
Cultural Sensitivity + Local Leadership = Team Success
Building a global team isn’t just about tools and processes; it’s about culture and respect.
Wendy is intentional about flattening hierarchy and eliminating the “decision team vs. support team” mindset. She says, “They’re not support. They’re strategic. They’re award-winners. We recognize our team members in company-wide awards—and they’re winning them.”
Wendy also emphasizes cultural understanding. This includes:
- Respecting local work hours (no late-night meetings)
- Hiring local team leads to coach and manage junior staff
- Creating flexibility (e.g. remote work, flexible Fridays)
- Hosting in-person visits to build connection and collaboration
Lessons Learned: Mistakes and Fixes
This model hasn’t been perfect. Wendy candidly shares the hard lessons:
- Don’t outsource workflow design. Own it at the leadership level
- Don’t assume everyone shares the same working hours. Ask.
- Don’t skimp on local management. You need in-market leadership
- Don’t treat overseas employees as “offshore help.” Treat them as true team members
The Takeaway: Global Teams Done Right
The future of B2B SaaS marketing is distributed, but that doesn’t mean disconnected.
By investing in global talent, clarifying workflows, respecting cultural dynamics, and utilizing tools (and AI) with intention, Wendy has created a model that’s not only cost-effective but also high-performing, fast, and deeply integrated.
Whether you’re already operating globally or just beginning to explore it, this episode offers a masterclass in how to do it right.
Listen here for the full episode with Wendy White on SaaS Half Full.