High-impact marketing on a budget: ROI strategies for growing brands | Haly Berni

Search is changing, and the way customers find your business is evolving fast. So the question is: are you still showing up?In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how shifting search behaviour is reshaping visibility for growing businesses, and what scale-ups need to do to stay discoverable in an increasingly fragmented landscape.Joining us is Rick Talbot, Director of Digital at Totally Digital. Rick works across marketing, product and engineering teams to help organisations navigate complex changes in SEO, content and digital discovery, to help B2B and B2C businesses grow through search.We break down how customer expectations have evolved, from AI-generated answers and zero-click searches to people using social channels as search engines. We discuss where businesses are most at risk of quietly losing visibility, why relying too heavily on paid channels can be risky and how scale-ups can rethink their approach to search to support sustainable growth.This conversation is packed with practical advice on building a search strategy that adapts.● Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/● Follow Rick Talbot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-talbot-47525b53/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore another fascinating Scale-Up Story, delving deep into the realities of scaling an AI-driven business. Joining us is Chandini Jain, co-founder and CEO of Auquan, a fintech company that creates autonomous AI agents designed to automate complex, knowledge-intensive workflows in financial services.Chandini shares how she identified a widespread industry problem, validated what customers truly needed and navigated the challenges of selling into highly regulated environments. She also tells us more about the evolution of Auquan’s product, from early search-based tools to fully orchestrated AI agents, and what it really takes to stay competitive in today’s fast-moving AI market.● Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/● Follow Chandini Jain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandinijain/ Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we dive into our first ever Scale-Up Story, exploring the real journey of building, growing and leading a business through the highs, lows and pivotal turning points that only experience can teach.Joining us is Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, a tech-enabled home care platform that raised millions in funding and scaled rapidly in the UK’s growing elderly care sector.She shares the early signals that can tell you whether your business is actually working, the unexpected challenges of transitioning from founder to CEO of a listed company, and the leadership lessons learned through some of the toughest moments in her career.If you’d like to find out more about Cynergy Bank’s Business Births & Deaths Index discussed in this episode, you can find the full research here: https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/the-indexFollow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Devika Wood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devikawood/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how growing businesses can protect and strengthen their customer experience as they scale. From spotting early warning signs, to fixing the right problems first, this conversation is packed with practical strategies to ensure growth doesn’t come at the expense of satisfaction or trust.Joining us is Louise Coles, Director of Operations & Service Transformation at Cynergy Bank. Louise specialises in designing and evolving operating models so they continue to deliver great service. Her work focuses on aligning people, processes, and technology to create consistently strong customer experiences.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Louise Coles on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-coles-ba94939/ Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

PR is changing, and getting attention is harder than ever. With newsrooms shrinking and competition growing, how do you cut through the noise and get the right people to care about what you’re building?In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how growing businesses can use PR as a powerful growth lever — building trust, credibility and visibility in increasingly crowded markets. From understanding what journalists actually want, to choosing the right media placements and turning coverage into real commercial impact, this conversation is packed with practical advice for scaling brands.Joining us is Matt McKenna, Head of Communications and Content at Finder, where he leads the UK PR strategy and helps translate complex topics into compelling stories that resonate with millions of consumers.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Matt McKenna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmckenna2/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.ukThis episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Is discomfort a sign that you’re failing or growing?In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how founders can build resilience, empower their teams, and create a culture of transparency and psychological safety that drives high performance. From reframing discomfort to giving honest feedback without breaking trust, this conversation is packed with practical strategies for scaling under pressure.Joining us is Tom Emery, leadership coach and performance specialist who works with founders and executive teams to build resilience and high-performing cultures.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Tom Emery on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-emery-b8809818/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Can you grow your brand without blowing your budget?In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we dive into how scaling businesses can make every marketing pound count. From prioritising the right channels to proving ROI and adapting when budgets shrink - this conversation is packed with actionable advice that your business can put into practice right away .Joining us is Haly Berni (formerly Haly Brill), Head of Marketing at Here East, who helps businesses maximise impact through smart, data-driven marketing strategies.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Haly Berni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haly-berni-bbbab7123/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Is your company’s purpose just words on a wall, or is it actively driving business growth, performance, and real-world impact?In this episode of Scale Up Sessions, we're joined by Becky Willan, co-founder and CEO of Given, the agency for purpose-driven businesses. Becky works with ambitious brands to define and activate purpose across their organisation, moving it beyond statements and into everyday decisions that create value for both business and society.we explore how leaders can embed purpose into business strategy so it genuinely shapes decision-making, engages teams, and fuels sustainable growth as organisations scale.You’ll learn why so many growing companies fall into the “purpose gap”, the disconnect between what businesses say their purpose is and what employees actually experience day to day and what leaders can do to close it. We discuss how purpose-led companies outperform, why purpose must be inspiring, credible, and actionable, and how to hard-wire it into governance, culture, investment, and people decisions.This conversation is packed with practical guidance for founders, CEOs, and leadership teams, including:How to use purpose as a decision filter, not a marketing statementWhy purpose often breaks down as businesses scale and how to prevent itHow to get genuine buy-in from teams and boards, not just surface-level alignmentThe role of leadership in turning purpose into daily actionHow embedded purpose drives employee engagement, retention, innovation, and long-term performanceIf you’re leading a scale-up or growing organisation and want to understand how purpose can become a competitive advantage, this episode offers clear, actionable insight you can start using immediately.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Becky Willan on LinkedIn:https://uk.linkedin.com/in/becky-willan-5887a88The Purpose Gap | Anthesis GlobalScale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Is AI the ultimate growth hack, or a shortcut to costly mistakes? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how businesses can harness AI to boost efficiency without risking compliance or customer trust. From identifying the right processes to automate, to setting guardrails and keeping humans in the loop - this is your roadmap to safe, smart AI adoption. Joining us is Rana Bhattacharya, Chief Digital Information Officer at Cynergy Bank, who leads the Bank’s digital strategy and AI innovation.Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Rana Bhattacharya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-bhattacharya-585b85/ Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Is burnout the hidden cost of rapid growth?In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how fast-growing businesses can maintain momentum without exhausting their teams or damaging their bottom line. You’ll learn why constant high performance is a myth, how to anticipate pressure points, and the simple shifts that help to create sustainable growth. Joining us is Leanne Spencer, workplace well-being and resilience expert, bestselling author and keynote speaker.Follow Martin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/Follow Leanne Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannespencerkeynote/Leanne’s 12 Stages of Burnout Framework - https://leannespencer.co.uk/the-12-stages-of-burnout/Cadence Model for Sustainable Performance - https://leannespencer.co.uk/category/cadence-approach/Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk