Confidence doesn’t come from reading the right materials or waiting until you feel ready.It comes from showing up, asking better questions, and staying in the room when it’s uncomfortable.

PPC practitioner and community builder Charley Brennand shares how she broke into marketing without a traditional route, ran head-first into gatekeeping, got fired early on, and kept going anyway.

We talk about:

- why “soft skills” aren’t soft at all

- what actually builds confidence over time

- learning by proximity rather than permission

- why being turned away can become fuel rather than a stop sign

Subscribe to get the Extended Cut, where we go deeper on how Charley reframed rejection, built credibility without the traditional track record, and learned to find her voice by showing up when it would have been easier not to.

Too many marketers still think GTM means picking channels and launching campaigns. But that’s just the end of the process.

Luis Clark, EMEA go-to-market lead at Monday.com breaks down what GTM actually means inside a complex, multi-product, global business. We talk about how sales, product and marketing should pull together, why storytelling alone won’t land your proposition, and how to stop mistaking marketing execution for commercial strategy.

You’ll hear:

- how Luis reinvented himself from radio DJ to SaaS GTM lead

- what really causes GTM confusion (and how to fix it)

- why standing still is the riskiest option of all

- and how to build confidence in a job you feel underqualified for

Some smart, straight-talking advice for anyone trying to connect marketing to business impact - or make their own leap into a more strategic role.

What does it actually mean to become more strategic as a marketer? And how do you hold your nerve when the numbers dip and everyone wants a quick fix?

We discuss why so many capable marketers get stuck in the operator role, how commercial context changes how your work is judged, and what to do when performance wobbles without throwing the strategy in the bin.

We cover:

• why activity is often mistaken for strategy

• how marketers build strategic credibility over time

• what KPI dips are really telling you

• how to slow the room down when pressure ramps up

• the difference between fixing tactics and fixing the real problem

Subscribe to get the Extended Cut, where we go deeper on how Bethan built her strategic viewpoint, how marketers develop commercial judgement over time, and how to navigate KPI wobbles without losing credibility or binning the strategy.

What does it actually take to build a high-performing team - that stands up for years to come?

In this episode ,I’m joined by Mick Rigby, founder and CEO of Yodel Mobile, to talk about what it really takes to build and keep a team together over the long term.

Mick has grown people from interns into leaders, retained a senior team for close to a decade, and adapted his leadership style through start-up life, scaling, and acquisition - without losing the culture that made it work in the first place.

We talk about:

• why loyalty is built slowly, not incentivised
• how leaders need to change as organisations grow
• the role empathy plays in high-performing teams
• how neurodivergent thinking shapes better leadership
• what skills will still matter as AI reshapes marketing

Lizi started out cold-calling journalists from a pitch pod and faxing press releases for London agencies. Today she’s co-founder of Songue PR, helping deep-tech clients stay visible in a world where AI tools surface trusted sources - not ads.

This episode covers:

• how she landed her first PR role on her 64th application

• the reality of learning pitchcraft from the ground up

• why pitching isn’t a prompt you throw at ChatGPT

• and how earned media is becoming essential again in the AI age

Subscribe to get the Extended Cut, where we go deeper on how she built her agency, what UK brands get wrong in the US, and how AI visibility audits are changing comms strategy.

Ever landed a role you didn’t quite feel ready for - and had to get good, fast?

Brandt Bodamer knows the feeling.

He took on a digital marketing role overseas with little more than curiosity, hustle, and a copy of Digital Marketing for Dummies in his bag. That leap became the foundation of a career that’s since taken him into agency leadership and founding Adduro.io - a growing adtech firm helping brands show up across streaming and audio platforms.

But this isn’t just a startup story.

We get into:

• How to earn credibility without faking it
• What it really takes to grow fast when you feel out of your depth
• Making the shift from capable doer to credible leader
• What building a business without investor cash actually looks like

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

Getting the title is one thing. Getting taken seriously as a leader is another.

Louise Thompson knows that gap well. She spent years as a comms director before moving into coaching, and she’s worked with plenty of smart marketers who’ve found the step up tougher than expected.

We get into:

• why outputs don’t cut it at senior level - it’s all about outcomes
• the behind-the-scenes groundwork that makes meetings easier
• how to stop micromanaging without losing standards
• finding a leadership style that feels like you, not a copy-and-paste

If you’ve just stepped up to head-of or director, or want to position yourself as ready for the next big leap, there's plenty here for you.

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

Ever felt like you didn’t have the right background to make it in marketing?

Brooke didn’t go to uni. She didn’t have a head start or a polished CV. What she did have was persistence, a lot of self-awareness, and someone willing to throw down a challenge - in the form of a sales book and a second chance.

Today she’s Managing Director at Broadley Speaking - a sales and marketing consultancy that helps businesses find and convert high-value opportunities.

In this episode, we talk about:

• how she broke into the industry with zero formal experience
• the moment a single interview nearly derailed everything
• what rejection taught her about leadership and listening
• why she hires for attitude, not academics
• and what resilience actually looks like when you’re living it - not just posting about it

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