professional biography
Ben F. Espanto brings 25+ years of diverse experience in marketing operations, branding and technology to his role as Senior Marketing Operations Consultant at 4Thought Marketing. Ben has a penchant for everything marketing technology related, including marketing automation, CRM integrations, data hygiene, email deliverability, and performance analytics. His main focus is orchestrating cross-functional teams to deliver complex technology implementations on time and on target—specializing in platforms like Marketo, Eloqua, and Salesforce CRM. He bridges strategy and execution, turning ambitious plans into completed projects that directly impact pipeline and growth.
Since joining 4Thought Marketing in 2021, Ben has been instrumental in driving company growth, generating 50% of company-wide new business opportunities by proactively identifying growth areas and driving strategic client expansion. He successfully introduced and scaled the Marketo consulting practice within a firm previously specialized in Eloqua, and now serves as the key organizational subject-matter expert for Marketo. He also revitalized and currently leads the company's comprehensive new employee onboarding program, enhancing team integration and productivity.
Before 4Thought Marketing, Ben served as Head of Marketing at Cavalier Associates from 2016 to 2021, where he revamped the branding, educational and design strategies of all marketing collateral and established the company as a thought leader through sophisticated content, event, and educational marketing programs. He implemented lifecycle marketing campaigns leveraging Eloqua and Salesforce CRM to drive inbound leads throughout the sales cycle. During this tenure, he also consulted for Duku Solutions on the creation of a Fintech CRM & marketing automation solution.
Prior to Cavalier, Ben built the entire marketing infrastructure for the Mironer Law Firm as VP of Marketing & Business Development, establishing and implementing all processes and technology stacks including Salesforce CRM, Google Analytics, and various marketing automation tools. He also served as Director of Marketing Technology for UBM Advanstar (MAGIC Tradeshow), where he executed marketing strategy using Marketo and Salesforce CRM across numerous brands and databases, while managing technologically-based initiatives including mobile apps and social platforms.
Ben helmed and built the entire marketing department for Spotlight Ticket Management (now TicketManager), a VC-funded SaaS startup. He created the go-to-market digital strategy, introduced and implemented Marketo and Salesforce to track metrics and automate marketing processes, and generated all inbound leads from SEM, SEO and web-related collateral—leading to the acquisition of notable clients such as Coca-Cola, Mastercard, American Express, Staples, and Madison Square Garden. His efforts were instrumental in helping secure $30M in venture funding.
Ben got his first taste for enterprise marketing automation as Marketing Director at the Kavinoky Law Firm, where he managed SEO, SEM, email and direct mail marketing programs with a budget of over $100K per month achieving a minimum of 600% ROI. As the department leader, he was responsible for all traditional and web marketing strategies, serving as the chief "rain maker" and optimizing leads across all websites and online directories. His targeted SEO and PPC strategies increased ROAS while minimizing SEM budget. He believes that time-tested, traditional marketing strategies should be modified and implemented in current digital campaigns.
Before the law firm, Ben spent his first years honing his craft in the real estate industry, starting with Coldwell Banker, then Prudential, and finally ushering in the first Sotheby's International Realty offices in Southern California. At Ewing & Associates Sotheby's Realty, he built the entire marketing department from company inception, created the brand implementation, and helped grow the company from one branch to three branches through strategic branding, market positioning, and sales enablement programs.
Ben graduated Cum Laude at the top of his class with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Marketing and a minor in Psychology from Woodbury University in Burbank, California, receiving the Marketing Department Honors. A born leader, Ben's passionate and results-driven style has always propelled him into leadership positions. His focus on disciplined execution and proven marketing techniques has garnered success in every position he has held, as well as the ability to fully invest himself in the vision of each company.
"If you're going to do it anyway, then you might as well do your best."
He believes that a successful marketing operations leader must possess what he calls "The Trifecta": a traditional education in marketing, functional knowledge of design & technology, and a firm understanding of client psychology. He continues to strive for excellence through his propensity to absorb knowledge across all facets of business and technology.
Please feel free to contact Ben if he can be of service to your company at benespanto@gmail.com
Since joining 4Thought Marketing in 2021, Ben has been instrumental in driving company growth, generating 50% of company-wide new business opportunities by proactively identifying growth areas and driving strategic client expansion. He successfully introduced and scaled the Marketo consulting practice within a firm previously specialized in Eloqua, and now serves as the key organizational subject-matter expert for Marketo. He also revitalized and currently leads the company's comprehensive new employee onboarding program, enhancing team integration and productivity.
[ If you're going to do it anyway, then you might as well do your best ]
Before 4Thought Marketing, Ben served as Head of Marketing at Cavalier Associates from 2016 to 2021, where he revamped the branding, educational and design strategies of all marketing collateral and established the company as a thought leader through sophisticated content, event, and educational marketing programs. He implemented lifecycle marketing campaigns leveraging Eloqua and Salesforce CRM to drive inbound leads throughout the sales cycle. During this tenure, he also consulted for Duku Solutions on the creation of a Fintech CRM & marketing automation solution.
Prior to Cavalier, Ben built the entire marketing infrastructure for the Mironer Law Firm as VP of Marketing & Business Development, establishing and implementing all processes and technology stacks including Salesforce CRM, Google Analytics, and various marketing automation tools. He also served as Director of Marketing Technology for UBM Advanstar (MAGIC Tradeshow), where he executed marketing strategy using Marketo and Salesforce CRM across numerous brands and databases, while managing technologically-based initiatives including mobile apps and social platforms.
Ben helmed and built the entire marketing department for Spotlight Ticket Management (now TicketManager), a VC-funded SaaS startup. He created the go-to-market digital strategy, introduced and implemented Marketo and Salesforce to track metrics and automate marketing processes, and generated all inbound leads from SEM, SEO and web-related collateral—leading to the acquisition of notable clients such as Coca-Cola, Mastercard, American Express, Staples, and Madison Square Garden. His efforts were instrumental in helping secure $30M in venture funding.
Ben got his first taste for enterprise marketing automation as Marketing Director at the Kavinoky Law Firm, where he managed SEO, SEM, email and direct mail marketing programs with a budget of over $100K per month achieving a minimum of 600% ROI. As the department leader, he was responsible for all traditional and web marketing strategies, serving as the chief "rain maker" and optimizing leads across all websites and online directories. His targeted SEO and PPC strategies increased ROAS while minimizing SEM budget. He believes that time-tested, traditional marketing strategies should be modified and implemented in current digital campaigns.
Before the law firm, Ben spent his first years honing his craft in the real estate industry, starting with Coldwell Banker, then Prudential, and finally ushering in the first Sotheby's International Realty offices in Southern California. At Ewing & Associates Sotheby's Realty, he built the entire marketing department from company inception, created the brand implementation, and helped grow the company from one branch to three branches through strategic branding, market positioning, and sales enablement programs.
Ben graduated Cum Laude at the top of his class with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Marketing and a minor in Psychology from Woodbury University in Burbank, California, receiving the Marketing Department Honors. A born leader, Ben's passionate and results-driven style has always propelled him into leadership positions. His focus on disciplined execution and proven marketing techniques has garnered success in every position he has held, as well as the ability to fully invest himself in the vision of each company.
"If you're going to do it anyway, then you might as well do your best."
He believes that a successful marketing operations leader must possess what he calls "The Trifecta": a traditional education in marketing, functional knowledge of design & technology, and a firm understanding of client psychology. He continues to strive for excellence through his propensity to absorb knowledge across all facets of business and technology.
Please feel free to contact Ben if he can be of service to your company at benespanto@gmail.com