In this exclusive we cover:

👉Franz’s week as a VC backed startup CMO and founder
👉The pros and cons of working client side vs agency side at the start of your career

2. Transitioning into work, what does a week look like for you?

I used to be routine-obsessed… very structured…military-esque… like everything is in my diary, it has its pros and cons because it allows you to be on top of things, the downside however is you do miss out on the beauty and colour of life. Which ultimately comprises your ability to learn and experience new things. Gotta have balance I guess. 

I met an incredible woman who revealed to me that sometimes, it’s good to be fluid in routine and not to be overly obsessed about it. Live and enjoy life a little. I’ve noticed that my life is more meaningful and purposeful. So my week now is quite balanced compared to what it was before where it was purely work.

I prioritise fitness and exercise in the morning, work during the day, walk my dog in the afternoon then get some down time. This is all underpinned by having my amazing partner by my side (either from a distance or together). I think it’s important to build an intimate relationship that can exist and thrive from afar. Okay, I’m going off track! This is meant to be a marketing interview haha, but this has a significant impact on our ability to work and perform so I think it’s important to shine light on it!

I acknowledge I definitely need to diversify my week in terms of socialising, spending time with other people as this will ultimately promote an even more rich and fulfilling life. This is something I’m working on and a top priority of mine.

3. What’s are some projects you’ve worked on in your current roles and how have you helped bring them to life?

Zolo Australia

I remember during Zolo’s infancy, we launched a campaign encouraging Australian households to declutter (old tech) for good. We then went to every single household in Sydney and collected their old tech. Not the most commercially viable approach as we operated on a loss, but it gave us the confidence that what we’re doing has interest and can get traction if executed under the right strategy. 

That’s when we transformed Zolo to a B2B service. And super proud to announce, after nearly 2 years of trading, we secured our first investor (Angel) this gives us the opportunity to scale and enhance the way we operate to ultimately fulfil our goals and mission as a company.

Oh! Jazz

This is a passion project of mine and it allowed me to purely hone on my marketing expertise and capacity. 

I was entrusted to build a brand that resonates with our core audience and at the same time, a brand that has personality, versatility, meaning and purpose to demonstrate our mission which is to empower (Jazz) musicians and artists to make a living doing what they love to do and create a global stage for them to shine. 

So I had to wear multiple hats to bring this to fruition (as with all early stage startups)… I was a Creative Director, Community manager, content manager, CMO. Definitely a great learning experience.

4. What do the entry level pathways into marketing look like?

I’d highly recommend securing a role agency-side. I started off at client-side (I was lured in by the money haha) and never had the opportunity to work at a creative agency — (I can definitely see the development gaps from my end now as a result).

I believe working at an ad or creative agency will nurture you and instil the fundamentals and at the same time learn from talented creatives. It will teach you to not only develop great strategies and ideas, but also execute them. 

Client-side teaches the business behind marketing. Commercial acumen etc. 

In my opinion the ideal career journey would be… work at agency-side, learn as much as you can and be a sponge then make the transition to client-side, build your reputation, experience the corporate life. Most importantly, build your personal brand on LinkedIn.

I’d create a LinkedIn account and reach out to CMOs, Head ofs and Marketing directors. Yes, they teach you the 4 Ps at university but mentorship is the absolute greatest tool one could ever attain.