Can a career in marketing lead to becoming a CEO? And if that’s your ambition, what skills do you need to develop beyond marketing?

In this episode of Your Career Journey, I’m joined by Natalie Mactier, whose own route to CEO started with an unexpected detour. After struggling to land the FMCG marketing roles she wanted, she spent a decade in sales, an experience that ultimately gave her a much stronger understanding of commercial outcomes, customers and how marketing and sales need to work together.

We talk about her move from SEEK into the startup world at Kidspot, how working in smaller businesses helped her become a better problem-solver, and the transition from marketing into her first CEO role.

Natalie also shares what being a CEO actually looks like behind the title: making decisions when you don’t have all the answers, constantly learning, and leading people through uncertainty and change.

And, inevitably, we talk about AI. Natalie shares how VIVVI is approaching AI across the business, what she’s learning about successful adoption, and why she believes AI has the potential to positively disrupt education.

If you’re building a marketing career, considering your path into senior leadership, or thinking about the skills you’ll need to stay relevant as the world of work changes, there’s plenty in Natalie’s career journey to learn from.

To connect with Natalie:
linkedin.com/in/nataliemactier

Can you also find episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaGrahamCareerCoach/videos

Your host, Emma Graham, Career Coach and ex-recruiter, is here to help you with:

💡 Gain clarity on what’s important to you
💡 Confidently communicate your value
💡 Build a personal brand and a strong network
💡 Take a strategic approach to your next move
💡 Navigate the job market effectively
💡 Build career confidence with a repeatable success blueprint

🌐 Explore my coaching programs and free resources:
Website: https://www.egconsulting.au/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/emmajgraham
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagrahamcareercoach/

🎁 Free Resources:
📄 CV Development Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/cv-advice
📄 LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Guide: https://www.egconsulting.au/linkedin-profile-guide

📅 Book Your FREE Career Strategy Discovery Call:
https://calendly.com/emmagrahamconsulting/discovery-call