Marketing Meetup Podcast

In our latest session, we welcomed the brilliant Max Hopkinson — co-founder of The Keynote Club and former Head of Marketing at Iceland Foods. Max shared his deeply personal and practical journey to becoming a confident public speaker, after once having a panic attack during a presentation on... breaded chicken.Here’s what we covered:Max once believed public speaking “wasn’t for him.” After a panic attack at work, he quit his job.But he knew becoming a better speaker would unlock career opportunities, so he committed to learning.Fast forward: he’s now helping others do the same via The Keynote Club, aiming to support 1 million people.Max shared a framework to help anyone find their ideal speaking topic:Right to Speak: Do you have lived experience? Are you in the top 3-5 people in your network on the topic?Belly Energy: Do you have passion or fire in your belly for it?Audience Fit: Can you empathise with your audience? Are they genuinely interested?Attendees built a full draft of a talk using Max’s 6-box framework:Start – Grab attention (no polite intros!)Intro – Set expectations and show relevanceThree Chapters – A clear structure based on story or chronologyFull Circle – Come back to your start for emotional payoffCall to Action – What should the audience do next?Timings – Allocate time to each section (and always finish early!)Everyone has a story — Max encouraged participants to uncover theirs, even if they think they’re "boring."Speaking = Helping — Focus your talk on helping the audience first, not selling.Starts & Ends Matter Most — That’s where attention is won (or lost).Max even drafted a template email for attendees to send, asking to speak to a real audience. Because, as he says:“The talk you’ll regret most is the one you never give.”If you want to dive deeper, Max’s “High Stakes Speaking” course with The Keynote Club kicks off soon – with sessions designed to help you build talks, master nerves, and grow in confidence.Huge thanks to Max, and if you found the session valuable, do drop him a follow on LinkedIn (he’s just 70 shy of 10k... let’s fix that).Stay tuned for our next webinar with Tracksuit’s Matthew Herbert on how to measure brand marketing.🎤 Max’s Journey into Public Speaking🗺️ Discovering Your "Speaking Territory"🧱 A Simple Talk Structure (with Worksheets!)💡 Key Takeaways📬 Take Action

What happens when you combine a cereal brand, surreal humour, and a copywriter who isn’t afraid to admit when he’s just “crapped something out”? You get one of the most delightfully strange and insightful hours of marketing chat you'll ever hear.In this episode, we’re joined by John Thornton, the creative mind behind Surreal’s surreal tone of voice (and ex-Innocent word-wrangler). We chat about:Finding your brand’s voice—even if it’s a bit unhingedWhy humour, honesty, and even typos can win hearts (and views)How to stay weird and do your job as a marketerIt’s honest. It’s smart. It’s surreal in the best possible way. Come for the laughs, stay for the strategy.

In this week's podcast, we welcome Nishma Patel Robb, founder of Glittersphere and former Senior Director of Brand & Reputation at Google. Nishma shares her inspiring journey of stepping away from a high-profile corporate career to launch a startup dedicated to helping women achieve financial freedom through powerful personal branding.We dive deep into:Why Nishma left Google and the motivation behind creating GlittersphereKey lessons from corporate giants and what small businesses can learn (and do better)Practical tips on building authentic and impactful personal brandsThe core elements of strong brands and storytelling that truly connectsThis conversation is packed with insight, warmth, and actionable advice—perfect for marketers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to make their brand stand out.

Dave from Doodle Juice shares simple, actionable design principles anyone can use—even if you're not a designer. Learn how balance, contrast, hierarchy, repetition, white space, and alignment can instantly improve your visuals, helping your messages land better and your designs look professional.

Join Sarah Robb, co-founder of Rebrand Right with a rich background in brand leadership, and Rachel Fairley, also a co-founder and former chief brand officer at Hewlett Packard, as they tackle five widespread branding myths. They challenge conventional wisdom, arguing against starting with strategy and over-relying on experts. Instead, they promote a collective approach to brand development, stressing the importance of creativity over rigid guidelines. Discover how to build a confident brand that drives growth and avoids common pitfalls!

Why does brand consistency matter, and how can you get your entire team on board? In this lively and insightful session, Joe chats with two brilliant branding minds: Digge Zetterberg Ohd from Frontify and Patrick Kampff from Siegel+Gale. Together, they unpack why brand consistency isn't just a marketing detail—it's vital for business success. From inspiring teams through storytelling and internal training to shifting mindsets from policing to empowering, Digge and Patrick share practical advice and real-world examples that will help your brand resonate internally and externally. Whether you're managing stubborn stakeholders or struggling to communicate your brand’s "vibe," this episode offers actionable insights to elevate your approach and build lasting brand credibility.

In this episode of The Marketing Meetup Podcast, Joe is joined by AI expert Ash Stern to break down the world of AI agents—what they are, how they work, and whether businesses truly need them. AI can often feel like an overwhelming, jargon-filled space, but Ash simplifies it beautifully, comparing AI agents to digital employees that can automate and enhance marketing workflows.Key takeaways from the conversation:What AI Agents Actually Are – Understanding the difference between AI agents, traditional chatbots, and custom GPTs.When & Why to Use AI Agents – How they go beyond basic automations, making independent decisions and streamlining complex marketing tasks.Practical Use Cases – From repurposing content at scale to automating sales research, Ash shares real-life applications of AI agents in marketing.Challenges & Misconceptions – The learning curve involved, common pitfalls, and why AI agents aren't just a plug-and-play solution.Ash also shares her own journey from a non-technical background to mastering AI automation and highlights some of the most innovative AI-driven marketing strategies she’s seen.If you’ve been curious about AI agents but unsure where to start, this episode is packed with actionable insights and honest advice on navigating the AI hype.🎧 Tune in to learn how to harness AI for smarter, more efficient marketing!

In this episode, we’re joined by Ash Jones and Claudia Cardinali of Great Influence to break down the realities of personal branding—without the cringe. They challenge the myths around personal branding, showing that it’s not about vanity metrics or fame but about building your network and reputation to unlock real opportunities.In this part, we take the community's personal branding questions. Tune in for an insightful, no-nonsense discussion on how to grow your personal brand with intention, creativity, and a long-term mindset.

In this episode, we’re joined by Ash Jones and Claudia Cardinali of Great Influence to break down the realities of personal branding—without the cringe. They challenge the myths around personal branding, showing that it’s not about vanity metrics or fame but about building your network and reputation to unlock real opportunities.From overcoming confidence barriers to finding your unique approach, Ash and Claudia provide a practical, step-by-step guide to making personal branding work for you. Whether you’re a founder, freelancer, or employee, this conversation will help you position yourself in a way that creates meaningful career and business opportunities.🔹 How to approach personal branding in a way that feels authentic🔹 The different types of personal brands and how to find yours🔹 Why confidence—not strategy—is often the biggest hurdle🔹 How to build visibility and influence in your industryTune in for an insightful, no-nonsense discussion on how to grow your personal brand with intention, creativity, and a long-term mindset.

How to Stop Overthinking and Finally Take Action – Live TMM Workshop with Kirsty HulseIn this special live workshop, confidence coach and founder of Confidence Live,Kirsty Hulse, takes us through practical steps to overcome overthinking and start taking meaningful action.What you'll learn:How to recognise when your mind is jumping to worst-case thinkingThe difference between gut instinct and worry – and how to trust yourself morePractical tools to reframe self-doubt into problem-solvingThe role of play and joy in reducing overthinkingA powerful exercise to rewrite the lies we tell ourselvesThis session is interactive, insightful, and packed with real-life stories and techniques to help you build confidence and clarity in both work and life.🚀Join us for this inspiring conversation and take a step towards trusting yourself more.