Joseph Haecker
Fractional CMO
Joseph Haecker, Inc.
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Customer-Centric Marketing in Action
Inside Joseph Haecker’s philosophy of turning stories into communities and customers into advocates.
Published on:
10/2/25, 3:07 AM
Thank you for sitting down with us today! To start, could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us who you are and the type of work you’ve been doing recently?
Thanks for having me! I’m Joseph Haecker. I’ve spent the past couple of decades as an entrepreneur, marketer, and innovator, but the common thread in all of my work has been this idea I call Customer-Centric Marketing.
I’ve actually been talking about it since 2012, when I built out my first social platform for the interior design community, called Dezignwall. The whole idea was simple: give people a place to tell their stories and promote themselves — because when they do that, they’re not just marketing their own brand, they’re also marketing the platform itself. That was my first real proof that if you put customers at the center, the marketing takes care of itself.
And honestly, social media giants have mastered this model. Every platform out there thrives on the same principle: users create content to self-promote, to network, to build credibility. But in doing so, they’re also marketing the platform. That’s how Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok — you name it — have become trillion-dollar companies.
Today, as a Fractional CMO and Chief Innovation Officer, I help small and mid-sized businesses tap into that same dynamic. Instead of spending all their budget shouting about features, I show them how to build systems where their customers’ stories become the marketing engine. It’s authentic, it’s scalable, and it’s the most powerful growth lever I’ve ever seen.
Every industry has its heartbeat. For you, why does this space matter — and what keeps you motivated to stay in it?
For me, the heartbeat of this space is simple: every business is already playing the social media game — but most don’t realize they’re not using the same playbook that makes social platforms so powerful.
Nearly every business has a presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok. But here’s the gap: very few of them understand that the platforms themselves grew massive by turning their customers into their marketers. Social media didn’t get big because of ads. It got big because users were given the tools to self-promote — and in doing so, they marketed the platforms at the same time.
That’s what motivates me. Because once you see that, you realize the same model can apply to any business. I can almost guarantee I could walk into any B2B or B2C company and build a Customer-Centric Marketing strategy that uses their customers as their most authentic and effective marketing team.
That’s what keeps me energized — showing business owners that they don’t need bigger ad budgets, they just need better systems that let their customers share their stories.
Every career has its milestones. Could you share one project that you’re especially proud of — and what impact it had?
One project I’m especially proud of is the growth we’ve seen with Only Fans Insider Magazine. When we launched, we were starting from zero — no network, no audience, and the bold idea of being the first magazine dedicated to OnlyFans content creators.
Fast forward just under four months, and the results have been incredible. We’ve cleared 6.1 million page views, we’re maintaining a rolling 1.7 million views in the past 30 days on Instagram, and more than 2.8 million views in the last 90 days. For a brand-new publication, those numbers are unheard of.
But honestly, the numbers aren’t the part I’m most proud of. The real impact has been in giving creators a platform where their stories can finally be told. These are voices that traditional press often ignores or stigmatizes, and yet their journeys are full of resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurship. By publishing their stories, we’ve not only built an audience — we’ve helped legitimize a community and show creators that their experiences matter.
That combination — measurable growth and meaningful impact — is what makes Only Fans Insider such a milestone for me.
Growth often comes in hindsight. In what ways have your experiences shaped the professional you’ve become today?
Looking back, one of the biggest lessons for me has been that growth doesn’t happen all at once — it happens through the evolution of ideas across different communities. Even though I’ve been creating socially driven platforms since 2012, what’s been most interesting is seeing how Customer-Centric Marketing plays out within so many different niche groups.
Every time I’ve launched a platform or built a community — whether it was for interior designers, content creators, or job seekers — it’s been like a live case study. I’ve been able to test and deploy customer-driven strategies in real time and watch what resonates. And what I’ve learned is this: every group is unique in its culture, language, and motivations… but at the same time, they’re all fundamentally the same in their need to be seen, heard, and valued.
That insight has shaped me as a professional. It’s taught me not to chase trends or get distracted by surface-level differences, but to focus on the universal truth that drives growth everywhere: when you put people at the center and share their stories, everything else follows.
Innovation is often about fresh perspective. If hired, how would you bring new ideas or approaches to your role?
For me, innovation isn’t really about coming up with brand-new ideas — it’s about seeing things from a different angle. Too often, businesses live in a silo, copying what their competitors are doing. But if you only look sideways, you’ll always get more of the same. The real breakthroughs happen when you look outside your industry and apply proven models in fresh ways.
One example: a tile store once asked me how I would redesign their business. My answer surprised them — I said, “I wouldn’t.” Why? Because their target customers were interior designers and contractors, and those professionals don’t actually shop for tile every day. But they do struggle with something else: finding space to work and meet with clients.
So instead of a traditional tile store, I suggested they build a co-working space for designers and contractors, using their tile creatively throughout the space. Imagine conference rooms, vignettes, and communal areas where the product is showcased naturally — while also solving a daily pain point for their target market. Suddenly, the store isn’t just a showroom, it’s part of their customers’ everyday workflow. That keeps the brand top of mind in a way no display wall ever could.
That’s how I approach innovation. It’s not about standard playbooks. It’s about looking at the real goal, finding the gap, and pulling proven strategies from other industries to create something truly valuable.
Well, this has been wonderfull. Thank you for taking the time to sit with us. Many of our readers love supporting candidates. What should they know about the value you bring, and how can sharing your story make a difference?
Thank you — it’s been a pleasure sharing my story. What I’d want readers to know is that the value I bring isn’t just in marketing or innovation as standalone skills — it’s in helping businesses see that their customers are their greatest growth engine. I’ve spent my career proving that when you put people at the center and amplify their stories, you can build communities, movements, and brands that outlast any single campaign.
And that’s why sharing stories like this matters. Visibility creates opportunity. Every time someone shares my story — or their own — it sparks connections that can lead to new ideas, collaborations, and growth. It’s not just about me; it’s about showing what’s possible when we open the door for real, human-centered storytelling.
So if my journey resonates with you, I’d encourage you to share it — because the ripple effect of a single story can be much bigger than we realize.