The Marketing Hustle Lottie Unwin

"Our greatest asset in marketing is our happy customers…"

Welcome back to The Marketing Hustle, the podcast that breaks through the faff and hears from top marketers and Founders about what it takes to survive startup life.

This week, Lottie chats to Ben Parker, Co-Founder and Head Coach of Runna, the #1 rated running app in the world!

Runna’s journey began back in 2021 and whether you’re doing a couch to 5K or training for a marathon, their tailored training plans, world-class coaching and in-app community helps you to achieve those goals…

Tune in to discover the power of a great product, the misery of fundraising, the sacrifices of being a Founder and the simple (but not easy) formula for startup success. 

It’s time to dust those daps off… PLUS use code: MARKETINGHUSTLE to get 2 weeks free on the app!

AND if you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review! It helps more than you know. 



Chapters:

[00:30] Bridging the gap: From beginner to advanced runners

[05:11] Challenges & growth of Runna

[06:57] The importance of product development & customer satisfaction

[08:48] Harnessing the power of word of mouth marketing

[16:12] The challenges of raising investment

[24:20] Running a Startup: Challenges & rewards

[25:42] Continuous learning & self-improvement

[26:41] Taking risks & learning from mistakes

[28:21] Creating a positive company culture

[35:16] Managing finances as the company grows

[43:43] The power of feedback for product improvement



Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-parker-840459217/ 

Explore Runna: https://www.runna.com/



Follow your host, Lottie Unwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-unwin-she-her-7b577742/

Discover Up World + Brand Hackers: https://up-world.co/

“Founder life is really hard, but I would not change it for the world…”

Welcome back to The Marketing Hustle, the podcast that breaks through the faff and hears from top marketers and Founders about what it takes to survive startup life.

Did you know the deodorant industry produces over 15 million pounds of plastic waste each year? That’s enough to fill over 200 Boeing 747s.

This week, we sweat the small stuff (you love the puns, we know it!) with Matt Kennedy, CEO & Founder of Fussy, the sustainable deodorant moving the needle on plastic waste.

You may recognise the brand from Dragon’s Den, a product created to protect your pits AND the planet. Fussy is the UK's highest rated refillable natural deodorant with plastic-free refills and clean effective ingredients.

It was born in 2020 after Matt’s pregnant wife struggled to find a sustainable and safe solution to staying fresh… and to date they have sold a whopping couple million refills. 

It’s safe to say, as with all startup journeys, there've been some brilliant highs, painful lows and a whole lot of ‘who knows?!’… including becoming an armpit sponsor! 

Tune in to discover performance Vs brand marketing, the deep realities of balancing parenthood with Founder life, and how being dyslexic and having a range of jobs led him to where he is today.

It’s time to dish the dirt…

AND if you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review! It helps more than you know. 

Chapters:

[01:56] From DJ to Founder: Creative career insights

[06:46] How pregnancy highlighted a product opportunity 

[10:22] Using D2C as a route to market

[11:02] Taking the personal out of performance marketing

[14:42] Being a master of being a ‘jack of all trades’

[19:30] Founder resilience: on the brink of failure

[21:37] Becoming ‘The official armpit sponsor’ of footballers

[28:43] Nurturing and testing with TikTok 

[36:19] Marketing + ops = Growth

[42:29] Stop overcomplicating your marketing 

[44:20] Being aware (not obsessed) with competitors 

[51:53] The struggles of surviving Founder life

[59:26] Becoming a new dad post - Dragon’s Den 

[62:46] Female founders raising: how male Founders can help

Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattkennedy1986/ Explore Fussy: https://www.getfussy.com/

Follow your host, Lottie Unwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-unwin-she-her-7b577742/ Discover Up World: https://up-world.co/

“I feel like we’ve got our shit together, but at the same time I feel like we’re only just starting...”

Welcome back to The Marketing Hustle, the podcast that breaks through the faff and hears from top marketers and Founders about what it takes to survive start up life.

This week, we spill the tea with Emilie Holmes, Founder of Good & Proper. Good & Proper was created to offer tea-drinkers the same quality experience that coffee-junkie folk across the UK love.

They have a range of award-winning teas available online, delivered direct to your door… and you’ve probably sipped on their brews in a cute indie cafe somewhere.

Since 2013, they have made ‘doing things properly’ their brand ethos, from sourcing the best tea leaves to becoming a B-corp biz… Founder, Emilie has been on quite the journey!

Tune in to peel back the layers of start up life, from marketing on a budget to navigating difficult conversations, and of course… getting the best from your brew.



A slice of what you’ll discover:

- How Good & Proper grew as a sustainable business

- The importance of a strong team structure

- Shaking up the tea industry



There are plenty of mentorship gems to pick up in this chat, so let’s pop the kettle on and get stuck in…

AND if you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review! It helps more than you know.



Chapters:

[2:15] Start up story: Selling tea from a van

[5:55] The power of focussing on less

[11:23] Creating an appetite for good tea

[17:08] Bringing purpose to activations

[23:39] Anxieties around growing a team

[29:05] Investments and what’s gone wrong

[34:47] Reframing failure with Lottie

[40:30] Being realistic with your brand goals

[46:55] The problem with female empathy

[49:49] Discovering leadership styles

[52:11] Navigating mum and entrepreneur life

[58:16] A quest for bringing magic to marketing



Connect with Emilie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilieholmes/

Explore Good + Proper: https://www.goodandpropertea.com/



Follow your host, Lottie Unwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-unwin-she-her-7b577742/

Join the UpWorld community: https://up-world.co/

In this episode of The Marketing Hustle, Lottie interviews Lee Thompson, CMO and Founder of Flash Pack, an award-winning adventure travel company that brings together solo travelers in their 30s and 40s. They discuss the journey of Flash Pack, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they learned. They also talk about the marketing strategies they employed, the disruption they brought to the travel industry, and their plans for future growth. Lee shares his insights on leadership, hiring, and standing out in marketing. 

Takeaways:


Flash Pack was born out of a unique business idea and grew rapidly through innovative marketing strategies.


The journey of Flash Pack has been a roller coaster ride, with highs and lows, but they have learned valuable lessons along the way.


Marketing is not just the responsibility of the marketing team; it should be integrated into every aspect of the business.


Standing out and being different is crucial in marketing, and candidates should showcase their creativity and unique ideas during interviews.


Scaling a business in America can be challenging, and seeking advice and insights from others who have gone through a similar experience can be helpful



Chapters

00:00: Introduction and Background

01:00: The Birth of Flash Pack

03:22: The Journey and Getting Stuff Done

06:36: Marketing Challenges and Lessons

13:10; The Roller Coaster of Flash Pack

17:05: Marketing Strategy and Growth

19:00: Leadership and Hiring

22:11: Disrupting the Travel Industry

23:38: Challenges and Future of Flash Pack

25:46: Marketing in America

28:38: Future Growth and Hiring

29:08: Standing Out in Marketing

31:00: Vulnerability and Honesty in Interviews

32:54: Scaling a Business in America

Barney Mauleverer, Co-Founder of Fuel 10k, is sharing his years of knowledge on how you get a business off the ground. 



In this episode, Barney and Lottie discuss the importance of product-market fit, branding, and marketing at the point of purchase. Barney shares lessons learned from failures and the influence of becoming a B Corp. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenges and successes of entrepreneurship and the importance of strategic decision-making. 



Barney also talks about the process of stepping back and how his ego handled the journey. He shares his realisation of being a generalist and the importance of surrounding oneself with specialists. Also explaining the strategy of handing over to a slicker team and creating opportunities for wannabe entrepreneurs.



Takeaways




Building a successful business takes time and persistence.


Marketing at the point of purchase can be more effective than traditional advertising.
Learning from failures and being open to innovation are key to growth.
Becoming a B Corp can have internal and external benefits for a business. B Corp certification can have a positive influence on a brand and its industry.
Stepping back and letting go of control is an important part of the entrepreneurial journey.
Being a generalist and surrounding oneself with specialists can lead to success.


A strong team can multiply the founder's energy and contribute to the company's success.

Alex, the co-founder and CEO of Dash Drinks, provides insights into Dash's mission-driven approach, creative marketing strategies, and commitment to addressing food waste while also achieving commercial success.

From farming to tackling the government on mandatory food waste reporting for companies. Dash has evolved massively over time, from humble beginnings with basic products and minimum viable products to viral out-of-home campaigns that inadvertently gained attention due to a controversial image. 

Find out how Dash Drinks has made marketing and online sales work for them and helped a start-up go BIG.