Glow Up ✨ Translation: Be more awesome

At Stickybeak, we love marketers 💛 We believe marketing should be the growth driver behind every business, and we’re here to back the individuals in these roles, both on the job and off. That’s why we hosted Glow Up—an event designed to help marketers step back, reflect, and take control of their next move, whether it’s a bold career shift or a simple mindset tweak that makes all the difference.

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Why Glow Up?

Glow Up (verb): a positive transformation or change in appearance, confidence, or lifestyle over time. Translation? Be more awesome.

Marketing is fast-paced. Too often, we’re so focused on brand growth that we forget about our own. Glow Up was created to change that—to give marketers the space to think about their own potential, set personal goals, and walk away with both inspiration and practical actions to implement right away.

We teamed up with Devereux Clayton & Partners to bring together some incredible speakers:

• Natalie Fergusson (Co-Founder, Powrsuit) on micro actions that create real impact.
• James Mason (Founder, Merlin) on owning your narrative and building influence.
• Wendy Kerr (Executive Coach) on how bold, brave goals—BHAGs—can change everything.

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Big leaps vs. small steps - both matter

One of the biggest themes of the night was the balance between big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAGs) and small, consistent actions. Some moments in your career demand bold leaps—quitting the job that no longer serves you, stepping into a leadership role before you feel “ready,” or launching something of your own. Other times, it’s about the tiny, everyday shifts that compound over time.

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🌟 Micro Actions: The Power of Small Steps (Thanks, Nat!)
Natalie shared how tiny, consistent actions—like setting a micro-goal that takes less than three minutes—can be the difference between staying stuck and building momentum. Feeling overwhelmed by a big change? Break it down. Instead of “networking more,” start with a single LinkedIn comment. Instead of “journaling everyday”, just buy the journal. Think of your minimum viable action (MVA).

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🚀 Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs): Dreaming Bigger (Thanks, Wendy!)
Wendy encouraged us to think about our one magnificent life—not just the next job title, but the legacy we want to build. One way to bring clarity? Her Sliding Doors exercise: Write two letters to yourself, five years from now—one imagining you took the risk, the other if you played it safe. Which future excites you more? That’s your answer.

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📢 Own Your Story (Thanks, James!)
James reminded us that if you don’t own your narrative, someone else will. Your personal brand isn’t about self-promotion—it’s about sharing what you stand for, in a way that feels authentic. His tip? Start small. Share an insight, an experience, or a lesson learned. The more you show up, the more people start to see you as a leader in your space.

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From inspiration to action

Thinking about goals is one thing. Writing them down is what makes them real. That’s why we created Glow Up Goal Cards—simple prompts to help you define what’s next for you.

✔ A brave move 🚀
✔ A micro action that creates real impact ✨
✔ A mindset shift that changes your trajectory 💡

Want to use them for yourself or your team? We’d love to share them. Download them here and run a Glow Up session with your team. Because at Stickybeak, we believe in marketers—not just as professionals, but as people, making moves that matter.

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Recommended books, podcasts, and businesses 💛

📖 Books:

• Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker: A game-changer on the importance of sleep (but maybe not for parents with young kids!).
• Wolfpack – Abby Wambach: A powerful and easy read for anyone needing a confidence boost.

🎧 Podcasts:

• Enough – Dr. Mandy Lehto: A fresh take on burnout and how high-achievers can navigate it.
• Power Up – Powrsuit (Natalie’s podcast!): Insights on accelerating your career.
• How I Built This – Guy Raz: Deep dives into how founders built their companies, full of inspiring real-life stories.‍
• Brené Brown & Angela Duckworth on Grit: A conversation redefining grit as trying different things to find what you love.

💌 Businesses to follow:

• Powrsuit - Subscribe and follow Powrsuit's free newsletter and podcast - every week they deep dive into one self-leadership skill or challenge, complete with a 30-second action.
• Merlin - Merlin is an executive brand agency that works with leaders (you!) and their teams to supercharge their professional influence through LinkedIn.
• Devereux Clayton & Partners - Lara and Rachel are experts when it comes to helping with your next career move - their personalised approach means you land in the best role.