Cofounder of Chubbies + Loop Returns | Now, Marathon: A managed technology platform + bespoke services offering helping you exit the short-term direct-response hamster wheel to find your balance of Brand and performance

Chubbies and Loop Returns co founder. Now, applying those lessons and mistakes to help consumer brands transition to a balance of Brand and performance with software that measures the future rev impact of brand, incrementality studies to validate; and the media management and creative production to actually execute on the vision. MarathonDataCo.com

Classic AI software + services combo. 

This is all informed by our firsthand experience and a desire to help brands go through the transition that transformed our business and helped us get acquired for a massive number and continue to grow super profitably today...but without all the pain and heartache we had to go through...

You see, Chubbies almost went out of business because of the exact problem we're trying to solve at Marathon.

In the early days at Chubbies we built Brand because we had to. We had no money. We were scrappy, creative, dynamic. 

And we built an awesome Brand.

Then we monetized that Brand with performance DR. 

We convinced ourselves that that was the source of our growth. 

We almost went out of business.

We righted the ship and built, brick by brick, to a >$100m exit, culminating in a >$1B IPO, and now, doing well over $100M / year at nearly a 30% EBITDA margin, but to do that we had to overcome the overwhelming pressure to take a short–termist approach.

As we've seen this direct–to–consumer brand market evolve over the years, we've seen the same cycle happen to nearly every other business out there: Starting hot, pushing performance marketing, then stalling out and never getting to long-term sustainable growth.

This was the problem we felt absolutely compelled to solve because we felt for these brand builders and entrepreneurs. We were in their shoes. And but for a whole lotta luck and a gritty–a** team, it would have sunk us.

Then we looked around and realized there just isn't anything on the market that helps companies do this — this most important thing imaginable.

So that's what we're working towards, would love your feedback.

Preston 🩳 Rutherford

co-founder of mktg wmn | fractional marketing leader | mother

I'm originally from Portland, Maine, with a college degree from Boston University. Now I'm a B2B and B2C brand marketer with over 15 years of business experience from CPG and SaaS companies ranging from 5 employees to 5,000. 

My non-marketing experience includes years spent hosting, waiting tables, and bartending in restaurants from the high-end white linen destinations to the oceanside tourist traps. 

Want to connect but we're not already friends? Include a note!

Gabrielle Dalvet

I went my entire full-time career being underpaid.

And I'd probably be considered one of the luckier women in marketing. I successfully negotiated salary bumps into roles twice. I negotiated raises while in seat twice more. I asked for more. I had the conversations. I did the work.

I was still underpaid.

I heard all the excuses. "We just don't pay that." "You're early in your career." "We don't have budget." "Timing isn't right." None of it changed what I was actually worth. It just changed how much I accepted.

When we analyzed over 500 women's salaries for the 2026 MKTG WMN Salary Report, I stopped being angry at myself for not negotiating harder. I got angry at a system.

Here's what the data shows:

**Only 1 in 6 full-time women marketers are paid at or even approaching market rate.** 

1 in 6.

There is no escape hatch. No industry where women are paid fairly. Not tech (-20%). Not remote (-21.7%). Not financial services (-17.4%). Not agency (-32.4%). Not nonprofit (-29.4%). Nowhere.

Women who feel "fairly paid"? 90% of VPs saying they're fairly paid are actually below market. The system has normalized underpayment so completely that we don't even know when we're being stolen from.

The Head of Marketing trap: women doing VP-level work for $37.5K less because the title is vague enough to avoid benchmarking.

The director bottleneck: women reaching senior roles without senior compensation architecture.

The nonprofit lie: zero respondents paid at market rate. Not one.

Knowledge is power. A rising tide lifts all boats.

But you can't rise if you don't know the system is designed to keep you down.

This report shows exactly where that happens. And it shows you how to fight back.

I can't get my years back. But I can make sure you don't waste yours.

https://salary.mktgwmn.com

One of the biggest lies the patriarchy tells us is that we can't bring our whole selves to work.

Your ambition has to be palatable. Your femininity has to be invisible. Your personal brand has to fit in a neat little box.

Tameka Bazile 🟢 said it perfectly at our NYC Unscripted panel last fall:

"Your personal brand is all of that. It's your brain. It's how you show up. I cannot gamble my authenticity to accomplish that."

We're finally releasing the full panel recording — and so much of the evening centered around exactly this. You don't have to choose between being brilliant and being yourself. The two aren't in conflict. They never were.

Thank you to Wistia, Taylor Corrado, and Laura A. for sponsoring the evening and making it all happen. And thank you to Tameka Bazile 🟢 Keta Bag Michelle Golladay for showing up, being yourselves, and sharing your wisdom so generously.

Full recording is live in the MKTG WMN community.

And if you missed us in NYC? We're coming to you. Our full 2026 in-person event calendar drops this week — and we're bringing the rising tide to more cities than ever before.

Shoutout to Brooke Gorsica for our incredible event photos and videos <3

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The Battle

Preston 🩳 Rutherford

Gabrielle Dalvet

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Gabrielle Dalvet's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreGabrielle Dalvet's LinkedIn Performance