The Growth Equation

This episode of The Growth Equation features Chris Hogan, founder of MeMedia Marketing Agency, reflecting on over two decades of experience in the marketing industry. Chris shares a candid account of the realities that come with building and growing a business—ranging from the excitement of successful projects to the tough challenges of mental health struggles and burnout. He stresses the signific...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I sat down with Lex Stanley, the founder of Vastly Digital, to explore the real challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship in today’s digital marketing world. Lex’s journey is refreshingly honest—from launching her business during the uncertainty of COVID-19 to realising the limits off freelancing and pivoting to building a scalable agency. What stood out w...

In this insightful episode, Tristan engages with Adrian Stewart, co-founder of Scale Messaging, to explore his entrepreneurial journey—from freelancing in Berlin to building a company that significantly enhances e-commerce conversion rates. Adrian shares the challenges and triumphs of growing a business from the ground up, emphasising the importance of strategic planning, adaptability, and underst...

Andrew Hatfield built Deepstar Strategic after 30 years across Dell, Red Hat, NetApp, and Portworx—moving from infrastructure engineering to product marketing. He's helped clients achieve 289% ARR growth and Fortune 500 exits by connecting Market-Product-Model-Channel fit. In this episode, we cut through the GTM noise. Andrew breaks down why most B2B tech companies are stuck in feature-factory mod...

This week on The Growth Equation, I caught up with Josh Berg from Hedgehog Marketing for a really down-to-earth conversation about what it’s actually like to run a marketing business these days. Josh shares the ups and downs of starting out with his sister, juggling a growing team when they were barely out of their twenties, and what happened when the fast growth train started to hit some bumps. W...

Richard Chalmers from Tailored SEO brings a candid perspective on growing a digital agency far from the big-city marketing hubs. The journey started in music, swapped guitars for business books, and continued through agency roles and a pivotal move to Tasmania. With few marketing jobs available locally, Richard carved a niche—first as a side project, then as a full-time commitment when old options...

In this episode, I have a fascinating conversation with Steve Mills, founder of Mills Motion and High Production Practice. Steve shares his entrepreneurial journey from freelancing and broad marketing services to carving out a highly specialised niche in the dental and cosmetic industries. What really stood out to me was how Steve and his team pivoted to a webinar-based model during the challenges...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I had the pleasure of chatting with Sonya McIntyre-Reid, the driving force behind Linchpin Digital. Sonya’s journey is one of transformation and resilience — starting as a solo freelancer with a simple marketing concept called Kiss Marketing, then evolving her business through multiple rebrands into a dynamic, flexible agency that operates remotely across ci...

What really happens behind the shiny pitch decks and agency buzzwords? This episode lifts the lid on the world of media buying, exposing the tricks, traps, and triumphs that define today’s marketing landscape. Elise Hedley Dale, founder of Media Words, brings decades of hands-on experience—navigating the fast lanes of global agencies and building a thriving independent consultancy from the ground...

Ever wondered what it’s really like to run a digital agency from the ground up—while juggling family, shifting markets, and the daily chaos that comes with building something new? This episode peels back the curtain with Joanna Sharma, founder of Drum Digital, who joins me for a genuinely raw and inspiring chat about the tough stuff most entrepreneurs only whisper about. Joanna’s journey is packed...

Ever wondered why some brands stick in your memory long after a cold call or door knock? In this episode, I sit down with Danny Dimas, the driving force behind gig (Global Interactive Group)—a company built on the lost art (and surprising science) of face-to-face sales. Danny’s business keeps finding new ways to thrive while competitors fade into digital white noise. We get honest about the stigma...

This episode is a deep dive into purpose-driven storytelling with Tiff Ng, the founder and chief storyteller behind The Social Story. Over seven years, Tiff has transformed what began as a freelance passion project into a thriving social enterprise agency that champions impact and authenticity in social media marketing. We unpack the raw realities of building a business that’s not just about profi...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I’m joined by Alex Lau, founder of Seesharp Group and an accomplished investor managing a family office alongside running a marketing consultancy. Alex shares his fascinating journey from launching a technical production business to evolving into a fractional CMO consulting firm focused on strategic marketing and business growth. We dive deep into how his ma...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I’m joined by Leah Grinter, founder of Brindle, an agency that evolved from a sole trader marketing consultancy to an omnichannel media performance powerhouse. Leah shares her unique journey from being a CMO licensing her own loyalty program to launching and growing her own boutique agency in a competitive, ever-changing media landscape. We dive deep into ho...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I had the pleasure of speaking with Catherine Toms, co-founder of Marketing Growth Academy and recently AI Growth Academy. Catherine shares a compelling journey of transformation, pivoting their business from traditional corporate marketing training to an innovative public AI education offering. She dives into the real challenges and rewards of running a fam...

In this episode of The Growth Equation, I sit down with Robin Hunuki, the founder of RH Media, to unpack how genuine connection and adaptability can outpace the biggest ad budgets. Robin shares how his journey from tech-savvy sports hopeful to business owner saw him discover that building strong relationships delivers more results than relying solely on campaigns or automation. We dig into why sma...

Some people dream of working from anywhere. Hanna Groves lives it—and built Divergent Media so she could run business on her terms, whether that's from a coffee shop in Medellín or a park in Brisbane. When Hanna and I finally connected (after everything from hammer drills to hurricanes tried to throw us off), I realised her story was more than a playbook—it’s a full-on invitation for business owne...

This episode spotlights Joe Romeo’s inspiring evolution from uncertain job hunts in Adelaide to helming Melbourne’s award-winning Aperitif Agency. Joe’s story unpacks the true grit required to transition from early agency gigs and client-side challenges into building his own fast-growing business, all while juggling leadership and family life. You will also discover how Joe used hard-won lessons f...

In this episode, you’ll hear firsthand from Nathan Farmer, partner at One Picture—a firm that’s navigated over two decades of market turbulence without losing its human edge. Nathan’s story isn’t just about riding the highs of business. It’s about weathering life’s curveballs—capital crunches, shifting markets, and the kind of partnership dramas you never see on LinkedIn. We pull back the curtain...

This episode is a ripper for anyone riding the entrepreneurial rollercoaster. Tristan gets real with Steven Gringlas, founder of Picos Media, about what it takes to build, break, and rebuild a thriving marketing agency in today’s e-commerce game. Steven kicks things off, recounting his humble beginnings: launching the agency from his dad’s spare office, turning café trips with his charismatic dog...

Ever wondered what it looks like to genuinely rebuild from scratch and come out stronger, even after a curveball or two? In this episode of The Growth Equation, I dive deep with Ben Jones, the brain behind Titan Marketer.  Ben’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but ordinary: from buying and growing 34 online businesses (and flipping a fair few of them) to surviving seismic Google algorithm...

You don't need a big city to build a big vision. I sat down with Phil Robinson, founder of Back 9 Creative, who is proving just that from his home base in Invercargill. His story is a masterclass in what happens when you decide to back yourself, no matter your zip code. He proves you can build something meaningful far from the city skyline. We cut the fluff and get straight to the lessons. In this...

Justin Meadows built a 25-person remote team in the Philippines. He's the only non-Filipino on the roster. How did he do it? In this episode, he shares his exact playbook for building and managing a high-performing offshore team from the ground up. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ The Hiring Blueprint: The step-by-step process to find, test, and onboard A-players. ✅ Attitude > Skill: How to screen...

On this episode of The Growth Equation, I sit down with Steve Jaenke from Digimark to talk about what it really takes to push past your comfort zone. His journey is a powerful one—he started in nursing before realizing his true passion was in building websites, which led him to found a successful SEO agency. But it wasn't easy. Steve gets real about the challenges, from battling low-cost freelance...

Ever heard a story that just stops you in your tracks? This is one of them. I sat down with Dan Nikas of Elite Brands. His journey is anything but ordinary. Imagine spending 17 years in policing, over a decade as a homicide detective. Then, at just 36, you're medically retired. For many, that's the end of a chapter. For Dan, it was the start of a new one. He turned to digital marketing and discove...