About this Event
Most business owners are putting real time, money, and energy into marketing, and many aren't seeing consistent results.
Leads feel unpredictable. Sales are up and down. You're active across multiple channels but nothing seems to stick. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you're wondering whether you're spending on the wrong things entirely.
This PowerUp Masterclass, facilitated by Saskia Thornton, gives you a clear and practical way to identify the real issue behind underperforming marketing, before you spend another dollar trying to fix the wrong thing.
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, 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?
By the end of the session, you will:
- Understand why so many marketing efforts fail to gain traction, and why it's rarely a channel problem
- Learn Saskia’s simple method for identifying whether your growth issue sits in your market, offer, positioning, or delivery.
- Apply a practical framework to map your business’s symptoms to the underlying issue, so you can clearly prioritise what to focus on, and what to stop.
- Have a clear way to assess when it actually makes sense to invest in agencies, ads, or outsourced support.
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.
About Saskia Thornton
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.
Event details
Date: Thursday 28 May
Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
Venue: The Devon Hotel, New Plymouth
Ticket price: $25 per person
Spaces are limited to keep the session practical and interactive.
About PowerUp Masterclasses
Proudly delivered by Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, PowerUp Masterclasses support Taranaki business owners and leaders to build capability, strengthen their businesses, and respond to challenges and opportunities as they arise. Each session brings practical insights from experienced operators and industry experts, with a focus on real-world application.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Devon Hotel, 390 Devon Street East, New Plymouth, New Zealand
NZD 25.00
