TMC Presents: The Marketing Clubhouse

Play it Safe and You Will Disappear with Duncan Shand

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:43:47 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Duncan Shand, CEO of independent creative agency YoungShand and one of New Zealand’s strongest voices on brave, challenger-brand marketing.

Duncan doesn’t believe in playing it safe - in fact, he thinks it’s the fastest way to disappear.

We unpack why so many brands fall into “safe” marketing, how the industry became addicted to short-term promotions, and what it actually takes to create work that sticks emotionally and commercially.

From defining the line between bold and reckless, to building teams and clients that back brave ideas, this conversation is a call-out (and a call-up) for marketers who know there’s a better way than discount-led growth.

What we cover in this episode

What “playing it safe” actually looks like in modern marketing
Why brands get hooked on the “drug of promotion” — and the long-term cost
The difference between bold ideas and reckless ones
How challenger brands can stand out without massive budgets
A real example of a campaign that felt risky — and what happened next
Where brands should start if they want to shift from short-term to long-term thinking
How to build team and client cultures that support brave creative

You should listen if you're tired of discount-driven marketing and short-term thinking, you’re working on a challenger brand and need to stand out without a huge budget, or you’re trying to push for braver ideas in a room that defaults to “safe.”

This episode will challenge your thinking and give you the confidence to back work that actually cuts through.

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.

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.

Feedback is Fuel with Anna Henwood

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak and former CMO of Les Mills International.

Anna is on a mission to make feedback a core part of the marketing process - not an expensive afterthought.

We unpack why traditional research slows marketers down, how testing with real consumers changes the speed and confidence of decision-making, and why Anna believes you should “test the ingredients, not the cake.”

This episode is a practical playbook for one-person marketers and small teams who want to move faster, waste less budget, and build marketing that actually resonates.

What we cover in this episode:

• Where feedback fits in the marketing cycle - and when to push for it

• Why traditional research can produce jaded responses

• The difference between testing in artificial environments vs real scroll contexts

• What it means to “test the ingredients, not the cake”

• How to build a living feedback loop as a solo marketer or small team

• The key metrics small teams should watch weekly without drowning in data

You should listen if… You’re a one-person marketer juggling everything, you’ve launched campaigns that “felt right” but didn’t land, or you want to move faster without blowing your budget.

This episode gives you a simple, realistic framework for using feedback as a growth tool - not a blocker.

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.

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.

Clicks Don't Pay the Bills with Kim Voon

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:16:17 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Kim Voon, founder of Insight Online, who has spent over a decade helping New Zealand SMEs stop wasting money on digital marketing that looks good in reports but doesn’t drive sales.

We unpack the most common mistakes small businesses make online - from “set and forget” websites to chasing shiny new platforms without fixing the basics.

Kim shares what actually matters, which metrics owners should watch weekly, and how SMEs can hold agencies accountable for real commercial results. If you’ve ever looked at a marketing report full of clicks and impressions and thought, “But where are the sales?” - this episode is for you.

What we cover in this episode

• The top three digital marketing mistakes SMEs consistently make

• Why “set and forget” marketing quietly kills growth

• The fundamentals businesses should fix before spending another dollar on ads

• The disconnect between agency reports and actual revenue

• The key metrics SME owners should track weekly (and why most don’t)

• What small businesses really need to know about the future of digital advertising

You should listen if… You’re a small business owner tired of marketing that feels busy but not profitable. You’re working with an agency and not sure what “good” actually looks like. Or you’re a marketer who wants to focus less on vanity metrics and more on commercial impact.

This episode cuts through the noise and brings digital marketing back to what it should be about - sustainable sales.

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.

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.

Being Seen Isn't Enough with Lara Acosta

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:27:23 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we sit down with Lara Acosta - LinkedIn-first personal brand strategist and one of the platform’s fastest-growing creators.

Lara went from unknown student to industry authority by treating content like a long-term asset, not a side hustle.

We talk about the difference between visibility and memorability, why personal branding in 2025 is less about influence and more about leverage, and how to build something sustainable without pretending to be someone you’re not.

This conversation is equal parts mindset and mechanics - from why most people start for the wrong reasons to what “day one” actually looks like depending on where you are in your career.

What we cover in this episode

The shift that made Lara realise personal branding could change her life

Why chasing visibility without clarity leads to being forgotten

The real risk of not building a personal brand in 2025 (even if you love your job)

How to know if you’re building a brand for the wrong reasons Lara’s SLAY framework - and how to apply it when you think you have nothing interesting to say

What consistency actually looks like when you’re busy, tired, and doubting yourself

How to decide what parts of your story to share - and what to keep private

You should listen if… You’ve thought about building a personal brand but feel behind. You’re visible but not memorable. Or you secretly know your story could open doors, but you’re still hiding behind a logo.

Whether you’re a student, mid-career marketer, or senior leader who’s never posted, this episode breaks down how to start strategically - without becoming an influencer caricature.

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.

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.

From Invisible to Influential with Kathryn Sandford

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:42:42 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Kathryn Sanford, a personal brand coach for senior women professionals who helps her clients move from feeling invisible to being influential. Kathryn works with women who’ve built decades of experience - yet quietly question their relevance, confidence, or visibility.

We unpack why confidence can shrink as experience grows, what’s happening in our brains when we start to reframe how we see ourselves, and why personal branding feels so uncomfortable (especially if you’ve been a long-time LinkedIn lurker).

Kathryn shares practical rewires for self-doubt, how to show up authentically without turning into a “tech bro thought leader,” and why believing your story privately matters before telling it publicly.

What we cover in this episode

• Why many women redefine themselves by titles - and the first mindset shift required before posting online

• The neuroscience behind self-reframing and how it changes how we show up

• Why personal branding feels “icky” and the mental effort required to push through

• How to handle workplace self-doubt when colleagues notice your visibility

• The risk of outsourcing your story — and what we lose when we do

• Patterns Kathryn sees in women who successfully reinvent themselves mid-career

You should listen if… You’re a senior professional who feels like your experience isn’t translating into visibility, you’ve thought about showing up on LinkedIn but keep hesitating, or you’ve quietly wondered, “Who am I to talk about this?”

This episode is a powerful reminder that confidence isn’t about volume - it’s about belief. And that it’s never too late to reclaim your voice.

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.

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.

Outdoor isn't Old School with Tom Horton

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:48:40 GMT

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Tom Horton, Marketing Manager at Phantom Billstickers - New Zealand’s street poster powerhouse.

While most brands chase screens and scrolls, Phantom Billstickers is doubling down on large-scale wall takeovers, tactile media, and creative activations that stop people in their tracks.

We unpack why OOH still delivers unique value in a digital-saturated world, how sustainability is shaping Phantom’s positioning, and how physical campaigns can spark online momentum. This is a conversation about creative constraint, brand storytelling in public spaces, and why offline media might be more powerful than ever.

What we cover in this episode

Why OOH and street posters are seeing a resurgence in a digital-first era
What types of campaigns work best in physical public spaces
How Phantom communicates sustainability credentials without sounding performative
Designing poster campaigns that spark UGC and social momentum
Turning creative constraints into bold activation ideas
How to measure ROI and impact in outdoor media
Balancing national scale with hyper-local cultural relevance

You should listen if you’re a marketer who lives in dashboards and performance metrics and want to rethink the role of physical media, or you’re curious about how offline can amplify digital - not compete with it.

This episode is a reminder that not everything powerful lives behind a screen.

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.

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.

Turning Strategy & Storytelling into Scale with Michaela Egbers

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMT

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.

What we cover in this episode

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.

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.

Marketing Trust in a High-Stakes Category with Catherine Emerson

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:45:10 GMT

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.

What we cover in this episode

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.

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.

How To Build An Aspirational Brand In An Unexpected Category with Fiona Cortis

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:49:21 GMT

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.

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.

How To Market When You're Broke And Busy with Stu Lees

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:31:02 GMT

This week on The Marketing Clubhouse, we’re joined by Stu Lees - better known as The Shoestring Marketer. Stu shares how founders and small business owners can market effectively with almost no budget and very little time. From how to spend just four hours a week on marketing, to real-world week-by-week plans for tradies and market stall owners, this episode is packed with practical frameworks you can actually use.

He covers:

How to market effectively with almost no budget and very limited time
How to structure just 4 hours a week of marketing for maximum impact
The biggest time and money mistakes small businesses are making
The only metrics that actually matter when you’re on a shoestring
How to test and scale ideas quickly without wasting money

Plus, Stu takes on The Brief and our classic Elevator Drop 0 where he’s challenged to turn a Te reo Māori daily planner into the next big thing in 60 seconds.

If you’re a founder, solo operator, or marketer trying to do more with less, this episode is for you.

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.

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.

How To Think Like A Journalist And Build Like A Founder with Simon Pound

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:28:31 GMT

Welcome back! In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse we sit down with Simon Pound, Managing Partner at Previously Unavailable, the creative venture studio behind some of New Zealand’s most distinctive and enduring brands.

With a background that spans journalism, storytelling, investing, and building companies from scratch, Simon has a rare ability to turn big, bold ideas into brands people genuinely care about. If you think brand is just “a logo and some colours,” Simon will be the first to tell you you’re missing the point.

We unpack:

Why brand is strategy - and why so many businesses still treat it like decoration
What marketers can steal from a journalist’s toolkit to sharpen stories and shape strategy
How to navigate the messy middle where creativity meets budgets, stakeholders, and commercial reality
The unique strengths (and blind spots) of New Zealand’s brand-building mindset
When trends like collabs become powerful tools, and when they’re just noise
The real role AI will play in shaping originality and future brands
What timeless brand principles still matter, no matter how fast everything moves
And the one repeatable habit every in-house marketer should start tomorrow

And of course, Simon takes on The Brief before jumping into The Elevator Drop, pitching a campaign for… a glow-in-the-dark coffee machine.

Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.

If you want smart, grounded, commercially savvy brand thinking from one of Aotearoa’s top creative minds, this episode’s for you.

🎧 Tune in and take notes, because Simon’s serving up clarity, conviction, and brand-building principles you can put to work tomorrow.

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.

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.

The Human Advantage: Kindness, Storytelling & the Future of Marketing

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:12:26 GMT

Could kindness be the sharpest tool in your marketing strategy?

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse we sit down with Cassie Roma, a global thought leader in creative ideation, brand strategy, and digital innovation. She’s also the founder of First Movers Media; celebrated for her work with Air New Zealand, ANZ, NZME and more; and one of the most in-demand speakers, coaches, and storytelling powerhouses in the game.

Cassie’s the first to tell you: if marketing is just eyeballs and algorithms, it’s missing its soul. She builds brands that matter, not just trends.

We unpack:

Why kindness is a competitive advantage (and what changes when teams lead with it)
How to marry storytelling and strategy so brand narratives actually drive outcomes
What Cassie learned moving from big-brand leadership roles to building her own consultancy
How bringing your whole self elevates brand building
The real difference between campaigns that hit and those that feel empty
Where AI fits in human-first storytelling
And how to build brand momentum that outlasts platforms, trends, and algorithms

Plus, Cassie takes on The Brief and wraps up with The Elevator Drop, pitching a viral campaign for… a self-destructing phone that implodes if you’ve spent too long on social media. (Could you imagine?)

If you want grounded, creative, heart-forward advice from one of Aotearoa’s most influential storytellers, this episode’s a must-listen.

🎧 Tune in and take notes, because Cassie’s handing out clarity, courage, and high-impact marketing moves you can start using tomorrow.

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.

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.

Human to Human Marketing with Julian Thompson

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:38:05 GMT

What if your social media metrics don’t actually matter?

In this episode of The Marketing Clubhouse, we sit down with Julian Thomson, Partner & Head of Strategy at Mosh - the social agency famous for cutting the fluff and focusing on results that sell. Julian’s known for calling it how it is: if “engagement” isn’t paying the bills, it’s not working.

We unpack:

Why marketing isn’t B2B or B2C anymore - it’s human to human
How to turn that mindset into a content strategy that actually drives sales
The real role social media plays in brand-building (and how big its slice of the marketing pie should be)
The first 90 days every solo in-house marketer should focus on
Whether giveaways are genius or lazy marketing
And where AI fits into the future of social — friend or foe?

Plus, Julian takes on The Brief — our five rapid-fire questions — and ends with The Elevator Drop, pitching a viral campaign for a children’s storybook about robots.

If you want honest, practical advice from one of New Zealand’s top social strategists (and a few laughs along the way), this episode’s for you.

🎧 Tune in and take notes — because Julian’s giving you no-fluff, proof-driven marketing steps you can use tomorrow.

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.

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.

How A Lonely Marketer Built A Movement with Chanel Clark

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:36:30 GMT

From a solo marketer with no blueprint to leading a 14,000-strong community across Australia and New Zealand - this is the story behind The Marketing Club.

In this special episode, our host John turns the mic on Chanel Clark, founder of The Marketing Club and full-time marketing consultant. Off the back of running marketing at Arepa and almost suffering burnout, Chanel took mental health and jumped into the world launching her own business, while building TMC in the background. She's shared honestly about her journey - you’ve probably seen on your LinkedIn feed (daily) - and now she's here to tell the story.

Chanel shares how an idea born from isolation became a thriving movement connecting marketers of all ages and stages.

We cover:

The gap in the marketing world that sparked The Marketing Club
The moment it clicked - when Chanel knew the idea was working
What building a 14K+ community has taught her about marketers in AU/NZ
Why now was the right time to launch The Marketing Clubhouse podcast
The kinds of stories and voices this show will amplify - and why they matter

Plus, Chanel steps into The Brief for some rapid-fire marketing fun.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a community from the ground up - or you’re just curious what really happens behind those viral LinkedIn posts - this is the episode to start with.

🎧 Tune in to hear the origin story, lessons learned, and vision driving The Marketing Club

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.

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.