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

What happens when the career you’ve spent decades building suddenly ends, and you realise just how much of your identity was tied to it?

Geoff Curtis spent nearly 30 years building a successful career in communications, including reaching Chief Communications Officer level. But when an acquisition led to redundancy, he didn’t just lose his job. He lost the title, structure and sense of relevance that had shaped much of his adult life.

In our conversation, Geoff talks openly about what came next: the emotional impact of redundancy, his tendency to use busyness as a way of avoiding difficult emotions, and the challenge of figuring out who you are when the professional identity you’ve relied on is no longer there.

We talk about navigating career transition after decades of professional success, the fear of becoming irrelevant, starting again without having a perfectly formed plan, and Geoff’s experience of writing vulnerably about the patterns he began to recognise in his own life.

We also explore how his definition of success is changing, from achievement, status and professional recognition towards values, joy and being more present.

If you’ve experienced redundancy, reached a career crossroads, or simply found yourself questioning how much of your identity and self-worth is wrapped up in what you do, this is a thoughtful and refreshingly honest conversation about what happens when the old measures of career success no longer quite work.

To connect with Geoff:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreycurtis/

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

Isabel Thomson-Officer didn't follow a carefully mapped-out career plan. She built her career by creating opportunities that didn't exist, asking for chances others wouldn't, and backing herself long before she felt completely ready.

What stands out throughout this conversation isn't just the career moves, it's the mindset behind them. Isabel talks honestly about persistence, taking calculated risks, hearing "no" more times than she'd like, and why some of the biggest opportunities in her career only happened because she was willing to ask.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Creating opportunities instead of waiting for the perfect role
• How Isabel built her first PR role while still studying
• Taking the leap to New York and what hustle culture really teaches you
• Building a career in marketing and communications across multiple industries
• Why persistence matters more than having the perfect plan
• Networking in Melbourne and building genuine professional relationships
• Practical advice for reaching out to people and creating your own opportunities
• Mentoring, giving back and growing your professional network
• Why vulnerability has become one of Isabel's greatest leadership strengths
• The importance of backing yourself before you feel completely ready

Whether you're just starting out, considering a career move, or looking for a fresh perspective on leadership and career growth, Isabel's story is a reminder that careers are rarely linear and that some of the biggest opportunities begin with simply asking.

To connect with Isabel:

linkedin.com/in/isabel-thomson-officer

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