Thinking about hiring a marketing agency? Running ads? Refreshing your website?

Before you invest another dollar, make sure you're solving the right problem.

In this practical masterclass, growth strategist Saskia Thornton will show you how to identify what's actually holding your business back, so you can invest your time and money where it will make the biggest difference.

Saskia is the founder of Mad Millie, co-founder of FTN Motion, and part of the team that grew Grainfather into a brand sold in more than 30 countries with $35M+ in revenue.

Who's it for?

This session is for business owners and managers who:

Are putting money into their brand and marketing but not seeing consistent results
Aren't sure whether poor performance is a messaging, channel, pricing, or product issue
Are considering ads, an agency, or outsourcing, but unsure if they're actually ready
Want a clearer picture before making their next move

If you've ever thought "we're doing all the right things but it's just not working," this session will help you understand exactly why - and what to do about it.

What will you gain?

You'll leave with:

Confidence about where to focus your growth efforts next.
A clear understanding of whether your biggest challenge is your market, offer, positioning or marketing.
A practical framework you can use whenever growth stalls.
Confidence to know whether it's time to invest in ads, an agency or other marketing support - or whether your money is better spent elsewhere.

Why attend?

Marketing that doesn't work isn't just frustrating, it's expensive. Every dollar spent chasing the wrong solution is a dollar that didn't move your business forward. This session won't tell you to post more. It will help you understand what's actually going on, so you can make smarter decisions and get more from every hour and dollar you put into growth.

Date: Wednesday 19 August 2026

Time: 10am - 12pm

Location: The Long Room, Wintec House, Hamilton

Cost: $49 per person

About the Speaker

Saskia Thornton is a growth strategist with 17 years of hands-on experience building and scaling product-based brands internationally. She's one of the founders behind Mad Millie (NZ's iconic DIY cheesemaking brand), helped create and launch Grainfather into 30+ countries generating $35M+ in revenue, and co-founded electric bike brand FTN Motion. Her work sits at the intersection of brand positioning, business model design, and go-to-market strategy - and she brings a diagnostic rigour to growth questions that most marketing conversations never get close to.

Contact the host of Business Masterclass | Why your Marketing isn't Working