TMC Presents: The Marketing Clubhouse

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 episodeHow to balance credibility and aspiration when storytelling for founders, investors, and scale-upsWhy retention and community marketing are critical—and what CMOs can learn from ecosystem-led brandsThe role of copywriting across the full funnel, from first touch to long-term engagementHelping startups evolve from product-led pitches to purpose-driven brands without losing commercial focusThe difference between ecosystem marketing and product marketing and how to avoid diluted messagingWhich marketing metrics actually matter when scaling platforms, communities, and modern SaaS brandsYou should listen if you're a marketer, startup founder, or brand leader looking to scale your impact through storytelling, strategy, and community.

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 episodeThe reality of being an early startup hire and how it differs from the “startup glamour” narrativeTransitioning from corporate marketing into a startup and what surprises most marketersGrowing with the business: lessons from moving from early hire to Chief Customer OfficerWhy trust—not funds or features—is Kernel’s most important productTackling money shame and deeply ingrained financial myths in New ZealandFinding creative marketing opportunities in a tightly regulated fintech environmentIf 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.

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 brandScaling a global brand across NZ, Australia, the UK and the US - without losing Kiwi authenticityBlending 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 wayWhen tactical activations like DOOH and weather-triggered ads work - and when they don’tThe role AI plays in modern marketing teams, from creative experimentation to efficiency gainsThis 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.

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 timeHow to structure just 4 hours a week of marketing for maximum impactThe biggest time and money mistakes small businesses are makingThe only metrics that actually matter when you’re on a shoestringHow to test and scale ideas quickly without wasting moneyPlus, 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.

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.

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 outcomesWhat Cassie learned moving from big-brand leadership roles to building her own consultancyHow bringing your whole self elevates brand buildingThe real difference between campaigns that hit and those that feel emptyWhere AI fits in human-first storytellingAnd how to build brand momentum that outlasts platforms, trends, and algorithmsPlus, 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.