Beyond The Now

Instant

A chat between two business leaders.

  1. 1D AGO

    Cuyana CMO Max Lishansky on AI, Brand Growth, & What Actually Works in Modern Marketing

    In this episode, Liam sits down with Max Lishansky, CMO at Cuyana, to talk about what actually drives growth for modern brands. Max has spent nearly a decade as a CMO across direct-to-consumer companies. Earlier in his career, Max shares insights on aggressive brand growth, how companies can stand out in a crowded DTC landscape, and why many marketing “best practices” no longer work. The discussion also dives into the role AI is beginning to play in marketing and why it’s powerful but not a silver bullet. Topics covered include: • How brands find their unique growth edge • Why breakout growth usually comes from 1–2 outlier tactics • The importance of brand storytelling and creative differentiation• How AI is changing marketing workflows and experimentation • Why marketing ultimately comes back to human psychology This is a rare behind-the-scenes look at how top CMOs are thinking about brand growth, marketing strategy, and the role AI will play in the future.

    46 min

  2. MAR 5

    How ANTA and Kyrie Irving Are Shaking Up the U.S. Sneaker Market

    ANTA is making waves in the U.S., and we go behind the scenes to show how. From signing NBA stars like Kyrie Irving to opening their first Beverly Hills store, ANTA is redefining sports marketing, community engagement, and global expansion. In this episode, hear from Christian Laursen, ANTA’s U.S. Head of Marketing, as he shares: * How ANTA went from 0 to 100 in just 90 days in the U.S. * The strategy behind celebrity partnerships and influencer engagement * Creating a loyal community that travels to events across cities * Innovative approaches to marketing, SMS, and AI for growth * Lessons from working with GOAT, Adidas, and iconic sports moments Whether you’re in sports, marketing, or business growth, this episode gives a blueprint for bold moves in competitive markets.

    34 min

  3. FEB 26

    AI Is Rewriting Retention Marketing (And Growth Teams Aren't Ready)

    Retention marketing is changing faster than most brands realize.In this episode, Liam sits down with Eli Weiss, VP of Retention Advocacy at Yotpo, to talk about how AI is reshaping the future of eCommerce growth. Eli shares why he believes “growth marketing is dead,” why brands may soon never need to log into Klaviyo again, and how AI is transforming personalization, experimentation, and customer loyalty. They also dive into Eli’s experience leading customer experience and retention at brands like Olipop and Jones Road, what actually drives repeat purchases, and why many retention strategies fail when the product itself isn’t strong. The conversation explores: -How AI is changing lifecycle marketing -Why personalization is finally becoming real -The future of automated retention systems -Why experimentation will define winning brands -What marketing teams will look like in an AI-native world

    40 min

  4. FEB 12

    Why You’re Already Behind if You’re Not Using AI in eCommerce

    In this episode, Liam sits down with Laura, former partner at Moustache Republic and one of the most influential voices in Australian eCommerce, to unpack what really drives growth for modern brands. Laura shares her journey from fashion design and eBay’s early marketplace days to scaling one of the region’s most respected Shopify agencies, and why she chose to step away to focus on advisory, board work, and a portfolio career. The conversation dives deep into marketplaces versus DTC, why Amazon is still critical for global expansion, and how Australian brands can successfully enter the US without waiting too long. They also explore the realities of AI in commerce. From bringing more capabilities in-house, to how agencies must evolve beyond execution, to the guardrails brands need when adopting AI at scale. Laura breaks down what the fastest-growing brands get right, the biggest mistakes retailers are making, and why so many businesses are stuck without a clear three-year plan.

    39 min

  5. FEB 5

    Why Brand Still Wins in eCom (Despite our Metrics Obsession)

    In this episode, we’re joined by Mal Chia, fractional CMO and co-founder of Ecom Nation, to unpack why brand still wins in eCommerce, even in a world obsessed with metrics. After years in the trenches scaling seven-figure ecom brands, Mal breaks down what the fastest-growing companies actually get right: operational discipline, deep customer understanding, and clear brand foundations that guide every decision. We dive into why paid ads alone are a dangerous growth strategy, how brands get stuck chasing short-term performance, and why creativity and experimentation matter more than ever in a crowded market. Mal also shares the metrics that actually matter (and the ones to stop obsessing over), how to think about customer acquisition vs. retention, and where AI helps or hurts modern eCommerce teams. If you’re a founder or marketer trying to build a durable eCommerce brand, this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 – Why Brand Is More Than What You SellSetting the tone on purpose, emotion, and why brand matters from day one 03:58 – Mal’s Path Into MarketingFrom DJing and events to digital marketing and scaling eCommerce brands 08:41 – What the Fastest-Growing Brands Have in CommonOperational discipline, focus, and knowing exactly who you are for 13:52 – Brand Foundations: Purpose, Promise, PrinciplesThe triangle framework and why most brands skip the emotional why 19:37 – The Danger of Metrics ObsessionWhy not everything that matters can be measured and how ROAS distracts teams 24:45 – Why Most Ecom Creative Looks the SameThe copycat problem, experimentation, and standing out in crowded feeds 29:56 – Paid Media Is Not a Growth StrategyWhy ads alone are unsustainable and how to think about the full funnel 34:48 – Is AI Actually Ready for Creative?Where AI helps today, where it falls short, and why originality still needs humans 39:32 – Preparing Your Brand for AI-Driven ShoppingProduct visibility, AI recommendations, and what brands should do now 43:58 – Profitability, Black Friday, and Sustainable GrowthWhy over-relying on peak periods hurts long-term performance 47:46 – The Metrics That Actually MatterAOV, conversion rate, sessions, and focusing on revenue drivers 50:32 – Final Advice for Building a Durable BrandWhat founders and marketers should prioritize heading into 2026

    52 min

  6. JAN 5

    Customers Are The New Influencers: Carmel Zein’s Bold New Strategy

    Founders rarely talk honestly about the emotional grind, the pressure, and the strange mix of resilience and chaos required to survive in ecommerce. In this episode, Carmel breaks down the real story of building community, experimenting without fear and navigating rapid industry shifts while staying anchored to personal values. Listeners learn how to build relationships that genuinely matter, how to adapt to technology without losing authenticity and how to make decisions based on customers rather than trends. Carmel, a respected strategist and community builder who has worked across events, tech, agency and brand roles, shares the behind the scenes story of how Humble Brags became one of the most connected founder networks in Australia and beyond. She dives into the moments that shaped her career, the failures that taught her the most and the mindset that helped her create a movement rooted in honesty and wellbeing. The episode explores experimentation, loyalty, founder wellbeing, Black Friday strategy and the future of AI driven marketing, giving listeners practical and human centred takeaways they can apply immediately. Key Takeaways: I realised that community grows fastest when I stop thinking about the brand and start thinking about the humans behind it.I learned that experimentation beats perfection every single time, especially when the industry moves this quickly.I understood that being a founder means blending personal wellbeing with business decisions because the two never separate. Timestamps: [00:00:00] Why Carmel hates being on the other side of the interview [00:01:02] How her varied career shaped her approach to community and marketing [00:03:14] The truth about finding your people in the industry [00:04:52] Advice for new founders entering a tight knit space [00:06:10] Carmel on rejection, fear and developing resilience [00:08:56] The accidental beginning of Humble Brags [00:11:42] Why founder vulnerability matters more than strategy [00:15:02] Feeling out of depth and faking confidence in new roles [00:18:44] The future of ecommerce and the rise of lean, agile teams [00:26:12] What Aussie brands can learn from US experimentation [00:29:32] Black Friday, loyalty and retention beyond discounts [00:33:48] How AI will reshape measurement and brand building [00:36:12] Why website copy matters more than ever [00:37:10] What is coming next for Humble Brags in Australia and the US Links Carmel Zein’s LinkedInHumble BragsInstant websiteLiam Millward's LinkedIn

    40 min

  7. 12/15/2025

    Stop Relying on Meta: Chantel Brayley Reveals the 360° Strategy You Need

    With 17 years in e-commerce, Chantel shares her journey from blogging and early influencer campaigns to leading growth at brands like Petal & Pup and Naked Harvest. Chantel dives into what draws her to work with certain brands—purpose-driven, scrappy, and mission-focused companies that value agility and community. She shares her approach to building teams, aligning leadership, and creating culture, emphasizing the importance of ownership mentality, trust, and genuine engagement with employees and customers alike. From tackling operational nightmares like 3PL go-lives to pivoting brand strategies during COVID, Chantel explains how challenges have shaped her approach to scaling brands. She also highlights the importance of creative storytelling, data ownership, and a multi-channel 360 strategy as the keys to winning in today’s competitive landscape. Key Takeaways: Most brands think they have a marketing issue but almost always have a synergy issue. The biggest unlock is alignment between ops, marketing, product and leadership. Without it, no channel can perform.Creative storytelling, community involvement and multi channel execution outperform any single silver bullet. Viral stunts, employee generated content, in person events and genuine brand love create long term attention.Retention is the true engine of profitable e commerce and most brands severely under invest in it. Without strong retention, every acquisition dollar becomes more expensive and overall marketing becomes inefficient. Timestamps: [00:00:00] Intro. [00:03:12] Chantel explains her 17 years in e commerce and current work across Naked Harvest and consulting. [00:06:48] Her early career in blogging, PR, influencer seeding and the beginnings of digital marketing. [00:10:34] What draws her to certain founder led brands. Purpose, mission and scrappy origins. [00:14:27] How companies lose agility as they grow. The north star problem and team misalignment. [00:18:51] Why brands believe they have a marketing issue when the real issue is synergy and cross team friction. [00:23:19] How Chantel audits teams, uses surveys, identifies blind spots and builds trust with founders. [00:28:56] Biggest challenges. 3PL failure, 62 hour work sprint and building Petal and Pup during COVID. [00:33:41] The viral US trip stunt, creative strategy, community engagement and rebrand storytelling. [00:38:22] Future trends. In house micro influencers, the decline of SMS and the rise of retention first brands. Links: Chantel Brayley on InstagramNaked Harvest SupplementsInstant websiteLiam Millward's LinkedIn

    41 min

  8. 12/09/2025

    Why 99% of Founders Get Rejected: Max Meyer on "Wild Heart" Ambition

    This episode dives into the messy middle of building a startup, the sharp experiments, the tough board conversations and the moment a team chooses revenue over runway. Listeners learn how early product choices, tiny outbound tweaks and tight hiring decisions work together to create momentum that actually scales, along with practical steps to reduce churn when growth gets chaotic. Max explains how Blackbird evaluates founders, the risks facing todays AI startups, and the behaviours that separate resilient founders from fragile ones. Key Takeaways: Momentum is not luck and is built through tight focus, small experiments and ruthless prioritisation.Product must keep pace with growth and customer success alone cannot fix weak product decisions.The strongest founders mix deep kindness with a fierce drive to win because that combination scales culture. Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction and how we first met[00:03:12] Teenage hustle and the Quick to Instant story[00:07:05] Finding momentum through River City Labs[00:11:48] How to evaluate founders who execute fast[00:15:23] Product versus distribution and what actually wins[00:18:56] The real role of AI and what it automates[00:23:09] Churn concerns in AI products and early warning signs[00:27:34] The raise or revenue lunch that changed everything[00:33:10] Audience pivot, product hires and the growth turning point[00:39:42] Founder traits, culture and closing insights Links Max Meyer’s LinkedInBlackbirdInstant websiteLiam Millward's LinkedIn

    41 min
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About

A chat between two business leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    Instant
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Instant
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Now