I asked my 15-year-old daughter the other day, "What makes a great brand?' Do you know what she said?  "Morality defined by action." Gen Z, which my daughter is a part of, is the generation making the decisions that will shape the future, and it's fascinating to see how they view this expanded role of brands and businesses. Her response is indicative of the fact that times have changed. Delivering on a brand promise, which used to be the singular focus for businesses, has become table stakes. Brands must keep their word about the products and services they provide and give back by doing good for society and the wider community. I've been very fortunate over the years to work with some of the world's best brands, Nike in particular, that focus on moving the world forward. In Nike's case, through sport. This brave risk-taking (standing by Colin Kaepernick against social inequality and police brutality) is a fantastic example of a brand taking bold action. Despite the fact that supporting Kaepernick and other Nike Athletes led to disgruntled consumers burning Nike shoes in the street and Trump – President at the time – openly criticising the brand, Nike stood firm.  As an employee during that time, I couldn't have been prouder, and more inspired to "Do the Right Thing" (a Nike Maxim). It's this strength of purpose, delivered with passion that, for me, is truly inspiring. What Role can risk taking play in acheieving success? Risk-taking is really important to achieving success in business, as calculated risk-taking often leads to opportunities for growth, innovation and advancement. Building a business requires a commitment of both time and money, risks in and of themselves. Balancing risk with caution and strategic planning is important to maximise the chances of achieving desired outcomes. Robust strategic planning – a clear vision, specific goals, and a mission grounded in purpose - can really help provide context and a filter for risk-taking.  Risk-taking also requires courage, confidence and a willingness to embrace uncertainty – on the part of the individual and the organisation. In a small business context, it involves making a decision on the basis of the information that you have today, choosing progress over perfection, BUT making sure that you have the flexibility to pivot in the future if you need to. Having set up a CBD business based on tinctures, but then seeing the commoditisation of hemp along with an ever-more crowded marketplace competing on price versus quality, led to me taking the decision to pivot with LUV Wellness into skincare.  During that journey, I also saw how popular CBD was becoming, and because of the research and development we were involved with, we chose to release a skin serum made with CBG. This ensured that we were at the cutting edge of innovation in the space and able to differentiate from the competition. What's important when seeking to foster a culture of innovation and creativity? Inclusivity and open dialogue – a culture where all ideas are welcome Diversity – in all its forms but especially fostering an environment that supports diversity of thought Sustainability – ways to create and innovate that have a positive impact on profits, people and planet Trust - the ability to trust your team Risk-taking – encouraging a team so that they are empowered to take risks Integration and route to market alignment - Understanding that a culture of innovation can and should impact all areas of the organisation, from product to brand to marketplace Flexibility – to identify when something isn't working and then pivot in a direction that is Humility – of leadership to take responsibility when things don't go to plan Collective wins – recognition of the wins and reward for progress felt throughout the organisation What is your personal success philosophy? And how do you use this to inspire and motivate those around you? Here are some ideas based on mine... I have a number of mantras (some borrowed from Nike) that make a difference in my success, both personally and professionally. Do the right thing Progress over Perfection Your job isn't done until the job's done Listen to the Voice of the Consumer - The Consumer Decides The best marketers focus religiously on one question: What does the customer need? The marketing experts I've worked with all have different styles and preferences, but all of them have a consumer-centric approach that puts the target market first. Because the truth is, it doesn't necessarily matter what you think or feel about something as a marketer. The voice you have to focus on is the consumer's, not yours. In every decision you make, big or small, you need to keep asking yourself: am I really focused on serving the consumer here? Is this what they want and need? Being able to answer these questions doesn't come overnight. It comes from spending time where they are, showing up consistently to find out their problems, learning their language and presenting your solution in a way that resonates. Ultimately the consumer's preference must be the marketer's compass, and if you find their true north, it won't be long before your business starts getting where it wants to go. Read my full interview to Enness Global and discover more here. Want help making your brand stand out? Don’t miss a free session with me. Sign up here.

There is something undeniably, intrinsically relaxing about baths. Whether it’s a ten-minute post-workout soak in epsom salts, or a full-on self-care experience with music, candles and a glass of wine; for some reason, when your body is immersed in water, every muscle seems to sigh and let go. Taking a bath sometimes seems like a luxury (who has time for it these days?), but this simple self-care ritual has the potential to provide so many benefits to your physical and mental health. It might be more worth your time than you think. Baths are nothing new. Their use has been documented for millennia for both hygiene and therapeutic purposes. The ancient Greeks and Romans had a big thing for them, and legend has it that Cleopatra, the ultimate self-care queen, bathed daily in the milk of 700 donkeys to guard her complexion and keep her skin supple! More recently, the therapeutic use of hot and cold water has been studied, with the advent of hydrotherapy and its wide-ranging applications, such as relief from discomfort and for providing an overall wellness boost. In the realm of professional sports, many athletes take ice baths immediately after competing, or after a tough training session, to reduce inflammation and speed up muscle recovery. Thus far, evidence continues to point to baths being incredibly good for us. Increasingly, though, baths have become a luxury, an indulgence that we don’t have time for. But what if a bath was the best thing you could do for yourself in a day? Because that might just be the case. Here are 3 great reasons to bathe more, with some top tips to help you: 1. Start Sleeping Better In his excellent book ‘Why We Sleep,’ Matthew Walker includes taking a hot bath in his tips for healthy sleep. He explains that a drop in our core body temperature is needed to get ourselves ready for sleep, and as you leave the bath, the water evaporating from your body cools you down, which triggers sleepiness and can help you get ready for bed. Top tips: Lavender Oil: Add a few drops of lavender oil to your bedtime bath. Lavender oil is wonderful for inducing sleep and will help you to wind down. Disconnect From Your Tech: See if you can commit to putting your phone away for the night before your bath. Consider your bath as the first step in your bedtime routine: bath, brush teeth, bed. You’ll give your mind the chance to relax along with your body, without distracting yourself with what’s happening on social media or work emails. 2. Soothe Your Muscle Soreness Hot water can improve your circulation, which can help heal your muscles. However, we don’t recommend jumping in a hot bath right after a workout, because your body is going through an inflammatory response and hot water won’t help. However, a hot bath is great for relieving daily strain and tension. If you are on your feet all day, struggle with pain from being hunched over at your desk, or suffer from general muscle soreness after exercising, a hot bath works wonders. Top tips: Epsom Salts: If you haven’t used epsom salts in your bath yet, you’re missing out! Epsom salts break down into magnesium and sulfate in water and help ease muscle contractions.  They promote relaxation, and work as an incredible natural stress reliever. 3. Take Time to Slow Down Turning your bath into a ritual can make it a meditative experience that will help you unwind. We love adding little things that make a big difference like music, candles, or essential oils. Top tips: Multi-task with your favorite Face Mask: A bath is a great opportunity to apply your favorite detox or hydration mask.  Let it do the work, while you relax! Make It Meditative: As you lie in the water, bring your focus to each part of your body, starting with your feet. Working your way up slowly: feet, calves, thighs, chest, hands, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, neck. Notice how each part of your body feels in the water, and whether you’re holding onto any remaining tension. Ask your body to relax and imagine the stress leaving you. Focus on the Water: Notice how the water feels against your skin. Watch how the water ripples, feel the difference in temperature, let your arms move slowly back and forth. This gives your mind something else to focus on instead of all the internal chatter. All you have to do is enjoy the water. Just Breathe: The bath is a great place to reconnect with your breath. Take a few long, deep breaths and slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings. Close your eyes and let your breaths get deeper and slower each time. Ready to create your ultimate bath experience? I hope you’re inspired to make a little extra time for this special self-care ritual. I promise, it’ll be worth it.

There is no way to prepare for a cancer diagnosis, and it often takes time to understand where your diagnosis is on the spectrum—anywhere from a mildly inconvenient detour to a horribly painful death sentence. Believe me, your mind goes to the darkest place very quickly. In May 2015, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Stage 3 breast cancer, and my prognosis was somewhere in the middle. My treatment began with four months of intense chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy. The support from my family, friends and colleagues during those early weeks shaped how I approached treatment, and how I wanted to live, whatever time I might have left. Some of those interactions were more helpful than others, and often in unpredictable ways. Shortly after my diagnosis, I asked a co-worker (I worked at Nike at the time) to go play golf. He said he thought I “wouldn’t be doing that sort of thing anymore.” It was not the response I was hoping for, but it was the response I needed. I used it as motivation to say: Fuck you, and fuck cancer. I’m going to play as much golf as I want. At that moment, golf became more than something I did for the challenge and fresh air. It became a refuge and an incentive to continue living my life while I battled the disease that threatened it. Golf gave me a reason to get up, get out and keep moving. For every round of chemo, I played one round of golf (well, sometimes two or three). After several rounds of chemo, I realized that the lessons I had learned playing golf for more than 10 years were applicable in my fight against cancer. Here are nine that have had a positive effect on my life and might have value for you. You can read the original article written by me for Golf Digest (November 2019) here.

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Consulting As an award-winning Marketeer (Nike, Chanel) and Strategic Advisor I've worked across large global corporations, as well as founded, run and sold my own CBD beauty start up. Whether it’s a fractional CMO role, Board Member, Leadership Mentor or Project Consultant, I’m happy to discuss how I can best help your business and brand go from strength to strength. From Health & Wellness, to Fitness, Luxury, Beauty and FMCG, innovation is always at the core of how I approach each new challenge. Whether that’s innovation across product, brand or marketplace, I work with you to create a winning strategy that drives brand and business growth for a strong, sustainable future. book a free CONSULTATION: First name Last name Email Write a message Submit Thanks for submitting!

About Emma WELCOME As an award-winning Marketeer (Nike, Chanel), Founder, Advisor, and Cancer Coach, I've had the pleasure of working with successful entrepreneurs, global executives, international athletes, celebrities, and royalty for over 20 years across six continents. In my spare time, I’ve sailed the Pacific, dived in Sipadan, and driven across Africa. CONSULTING LEARN MORE COACHING LEARN MORE SPEAKING LEARN MORE about live brave Diagnosed at 39, with Stage 3 triple negative breast cancer, whilst working in a high-profile stressful role at Nike, I was the healthiest person I knew... a bit stressed, juggling corporate life with two young daughters, but healthy and fit nonetheless. Having had time to reflect on my journey since then, I've become aware that everyone talks about what cancer takes away from you, but not what it gives you. Cancer taught me how to move through illness. Some of the lessons I learnt are the ones you often hear people talk about - humility, perseverance, compassion. But for me, the education was even bigger. Cancer transformed the way I live, work, play, and love. It gave me the insight, drive and ambition to create the LIVE BRAVE platform and community. The mission of LIVE BRAVE is to change the way the world views cancer and cancer fighters everywhere, to create a new way of living with cancer and talking about cancer. To bring light where there is darkness, through a committed community and engaging content. To create space and the opportunity for those with cancer to define a personal way of moving through the world with cancer, emboldened by an approach that gives you strength, power and resilience. LIVE BRAVE is much more than an anti-cancer brand, it’s a platform for cancer fighters everywhere (if you have a body, you are a cancer fighter!). Engage. Inform. Inspire. LIVE BRAVE! CONQUER CANCER, CLAIM YOUR POWER Find strength in vulnerability as you navigate the tumultuous journey of cancer. Unearth practical tactics and heartfelt guidance to transform fear into fortitude, uncertainty into action, and reclaim your power amidst life's toughest challenge. DISCOVER MORE COMING SOON.