In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Michaela Egbers, a marketer who’s spent the last decade helping startups, scale-ups, and creative brands turn strategy and storytelling into real growth.

From being the first marketing hire at Icehouse Ventures to now leading marketing at Ideally, Michaela shares what it takes to build credibility, community, and cut-through in crowded ecosystems.

This conversation explores how strong storytelling scales across founders, investors, marketers, and researchers and why retention, purpose, and clarity matter just as much as acquisition. It’s a practical, thoughtful look at how modern marketing works when you’re building for the long term.

• How to balance credibility and aspiration when storytelling for founders, investors, and scale-ups
• Why retention and community marketing are critical—and what CMOs can learn from ecosystem-led brands
• The role of copywriting across the full funnel, from first touch to long-term engagement
• Helping startups evolve from product-led pitches to purpose-driven brands without losing commercial focus
• The difference between ecosystem marketing and product marketing and how to avoid diluted messaging
• Which marketing metrics actually matter when scaling platforms, communities, and modern SaaS brands

You should listen if you're a marketer, startup founder, or brand leader looking to scale your impact through storytelling, strategy, and community.

Become part of a community built for career progression, industry connections, real-world learning and all the marketing vibes!

Our members get access to educational events, social networking events, dinner club events, webinars, exclusive perks, and a private Slack network of marketers across Australia & New Zealand.

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marketing-club-au-nz

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Find your membership options and subscribe to our newsletter at www.themarketingclub.com or get in touch at contact@themarketingclub.org

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In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Cat Emerson, Chief Customer Officer at Kernel Wealth and one of the company’s very first hires. Cat shares what it really looks like to build a brand from the ground up in a fintech startup—far beyond the glossy startup stereotypes. From moving out of big corporate marketing roles into early-stage chaos, to realising that trust (not financial products) is Kernel’s true value proposition, this conversation unpacks the realities of marketing in a highly regulated, emotionally charged category. It’s an honest look at money, trust, and what it takes to grow a brand when the stakes are high.

• The reality of being an early startup hire and how it differs from the “startup glamour” narrative
• Transitioning from corporate marketing into a startup and what surprises most marketers
• Growing with the business: lessons from moving from early hire to Chief Customer Officer
• Why trust—not funds or features—is Kernel’s most important product
• Tackling money shame and deeply ingrained financial myths in New Zealand
• Finding creative marketing opportunities in a tightly regulated fintech environment

If you’re a marketer navigating a high-trust, high-risk category where getting it wrong really matters, this episode is for you. From anyone working in fintech, finance, or regulated industries, or for marketers who want a realistic view of what “building from scratch” actually looks like.

Become part of a community built for career progression, industry connections, real-world learning and all the marketing vibes!

Our members get access to educational events, social networking events, dinner club events, webinars, exclusive perks, and a private Slack network of marketers across Australia & New Zealand.

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marketing-club-au-nz

Follow us on Instagram: @themarketingclub_aunz

Find your membership options and subscribe to our newsletter at www.themarketingclub.com or get in touch at contact@themarketingclub.org

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In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we sit down with Fiona Cortis, Head of Marketing at Blunt Umbrellas, to unpack how one of the most functional product categories has been transformed into a globally aspirational brand.

From leading Blunt’s bold 2023 rebrand to balancing long-term brand equity with performance marketing, Fiona shares practical lessons from building a Kiwi brand on the world stage. The conversation dives into metrics, creativity, AI, and the habits that help marketers build brands that actually last.

We unpack:

• How Blunt redefined umbrellas from a purely practical product into a stylish, emotionally driven brand
• Scaling a global brand across NZ, Australia, the UK and the US - without losing Kiwi authenticity
• Blending long-term brand building with short-term performance marketing (and why you need both)
• Using metrics to track brand health and digital performance in a data-led, realistic way
• When tactical activations like DOOH and weather-triggered ads work - and when they don’t
• The role AI plays in modern marketing teams, from creative experimentation to efficiency gains

This episode is for marketers who want to build brands that stand out in unexpected categories - without losing sight of performance.

If you’re navigating the tension between long-term brand building and short-term results, scaling a brand internationally, or trying to make “boring” products feel desirable, Fiona’s insights are practical, honest, and immediately useful.

You’ll walk away with clear thinking on how to balance creativity with data, experiment without gimmicks, and build resilient brands that last beyond the latest trend.

Become part of a community built for career progression, industry connections, real-world learning and all the marketing vibes!

Our members get access to educational events, social networking events, dinner club events, webinars, exclusive perks, and a private Slack network of marketers across Australia & New Zealand.

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marketing-club-au-nz

Follow us on Instagram: @themarketingclub_aunz

Find your membership options and subscribe to our newsletter at www.themarketingclub.com or get in touch at contact@themarketingclub.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.