In this audio-only, self-edited mini, Chantel is fresh from a cinema screening and deep in her feels about modern showmanship, brand narrative and the pressure to “always be on.” Using Taylor-level launchcraft as a springboard, she breaks down how Easter-egg hype, narrative control and 360° strategy translate to founders, creators and anyone showing up online. Expect real talk on curated authenticity, parasocial expectations, and why you don’t owe the internet everything—plus practical ways to protect your energy, set realistic goals and still grow.

PS: It’s audio-only—tan marinating, hair up, zero fancy intro—just Chantel.

In this episode, I sit down with e-commerce and marketing strategist Jemma Fox to unpack the tough but exciting realities of scaling a brand in today’s fast-moving digital landscape. The people you work with, the culture you build, and the tech you use all matter.

We dive into the decisions that matter most when you’ve got early traction but limited resources, where do you invest first to build a foundation for long-term growth? Jemma shares her perspective from working with both established brands with solid stories and emerging ones still finding their voice, and we explore the pros and cons of each journey.

With technology evolving at lightning speed, from AI to new martech stacks, Jemma reveals how she helps brands cut through the noise, choose the right tools, and avoid expensive mistakes. She also highlights the underutilised tech start-ups should be leveraging right now to unlock efficiency and gain a competitive edge, along with real-world examples of when tech adoption accelerated growth, and when it slowed things down. Jemma and I explore what this mindset really looks like in the context of e-commerce start-ups, when breaking things can be a strategic advantage, and when it risks brand trust.

From bold campaigns to scrappy hacks, balancing speed with sustainability, praise kinks and the hardest decisions she’s made in her own career , Jemma offers a candid look into what it really takes to grow in 2025.

In this deeply personal and important conversation, I sit down with Sam Payne, co-founder of Pink Elephants, an organisation dedicated to supporting women and families through miscarriage and fertility challenges. Together, we open up about my own journey with miscarriage and fertility struggles, why Pink Elephants was created, and the crucial role it plays in offering compassion, community, and resources to those walking this path.

We also explore the practical changes workplaces can make to better support women experiencing pregnancy loss and fertility challenges, from policy to culture shifts that truly acknowledge and respect these experiences. This episode is about breaking the silence, fostering understanding, and advocating for better support systems for women everywhere.

Candid, a bit spicy, and very practical. Chantel unpacks why “influencer is dead” hot-takes miss the point, and lays out how to treat influencer as a channel with its own strategy, not a magic performance button. In this deep dive, Chantel breaks down the four influencer archetypes , when to pay for usage over posts, how to avoid discount-code fatigue, and the 2–3 month partnership structures that actually work. Plus a rapid Smash or Pass on what to invest in (and what to skip) this year. Data-sprinkled, brand-first, leaving the fluff behind.

What you’ll learn

• The four influencer archetypes As described by someone who is actively playing in the industry.

• Brand vs performance: Why influencer sits primarily in brand marketing, what performance signals are realistic, and why usage rights often matter more than an in-feed post.

• Discount codes (and fatigue): When to ditch them for prestige positioning, and how to measure impact without over-indexing on codes.

• Choosing talent: Red flags (60–70% sponsored feed), why origin stories matter, and balancing a clear brief with creator freedom.

• Winning plays for 2025: 2–3 month narrative partnerships, co-branded collabs, and engineered seeding moments that create real demand (only if the product is actually great).

In this episode of If You Know You Grow, I sit down with Jess Ruhfus, powerhouse entrepreneur, connector, and Co Founder of No.2, to unpack one of the most under-utilised but game-changing strategies in business today: partnerships.one of the most under-utilised but game-changing strategies in business today: partnerships.

Jess shares her journey from building (and selling) a collaboration marketing platform used by thousands of brands globally, to her latest venture, No.2, a disruptive D2C business proving that partnerships can fuel exponential growth. Together, we explore why traditional digital marketing is becoming increasingly costly and competitive, and how partnerships offer an alternative that can be up to 35x more profitable.

Expect an open and practical conversation that cuts through the buzzwords. Jess and I break down:

• The real economics behind partnership marketing vs digital ads.

• Why brand collaborations outperform even the smartest paid campaigns.

• How small and growing brands can use partnerships to punch above their weight.

• Stories of unexpected collaborations that unlocked new audiences and massive ROI.

If you’re tired of pouring money into ads that aren’t moving the needle, this conversation will change the way you look at growth. Sometimes, the key to growing faster isn’t shouting louder, it’s teaming up with the right people.

When was the last time someone called you resilient? On the surface, it sounds like a compliment—proof of your strength and ability to withstand whatever life throws your way. But in today’s episode, I’m asking the uncomfortable question: Are we getting resilience wrong?

Through a deeply personal story from my own life, I share why I’ve started to resist being labelled as “resilient.” While the word is often meant to empower, it can sometimes feel like a backhanded compliment, a subtle way of saying, “You’ve suffered, you’ve endured”

In this candid and unfiltered conversation, I sit down with Jess Ruhfus, founder of No.2, to talk about what it really takes to launch and scale a direct-to-consumer brand when you’re a team of one.

From navigating the messy middle of entrepreneurship to owning your mistakes, Jess shares the raw lessons she’s learning in her first D2C venture. We dive into:

• The unglamorous side of businesswhy mistakes are inevitable and how to turn them into your best teachers.

• Being a solo founder the challenges of wearing every hat and the surprising freedoms it brings.

• The D2C learning curve what Jess wishes she knew before jumping into the world of eCommerce and consumer goods.

If you’ve ever wondered what scaling looks like when you’re building from scratch (and sometimes from the bathroom floor), this episode will give you the honesty, humour, and hard-won insights you need to keep going.

In this bite-sized episode of If You Know You Grow- we're focusing on a few controversial thoughts, I’m challenging two of the most popular narratives in the business and creative space, that you must build a community and that going viral is the ultimate goal. These are the ideas everyone seems to agree on, but do they really hold up? I told you I might get a little "unhinged".

In this episode, Chantel sits down with Georgie Stevenson, founder of Nu Harvest Supplements Supplements and Rise & Conquer, to dive deep into what it truly takes to lead a fast-growing brand while staying grounded in your vision.

Georgie shares her unique perspective on managing a business in rapid growth mode, the mindset practices that have kept her anchored, and how she has learned to embrace the inevitable chaos that comes with entrepreneurship. From reframing challenges into opportunities to staying connected to her “why,” Georgie offers practical wisdom for anyone wanting to build a business and a life that feels aligned, empowered, and unapologetically authentic.

If you are ready for insights on resilience, leadership, and creating success on your own terms, this conversation will leave you motivated to Rise & Conquer in your own world.

If You Know You Grow is the podcast for anyone ready to build a life and business that feels as good as it looks. Hosted by Chantel Brayley, a seasoned marketing and business leader known for her honest take on growth, this show dives deep into the lessons, mindset shifts, and conversations that help you level up without losing yourself in the process.

These aren’t just fluffy quotes for your vision board they’re real, actionable principles:

• Don’t overthink it or over-engineer it growth comes from taking imperfect action, not waiting for everything to be flawless.

• The exception cannot be the example it’s time to stop comparing yourself to the outliers and start building your own path.

• You can’t pour from an empty cup because burnout is the ultimate creativity killer, and success means nothing if you’re too depleted to enjoy it.

• Don’t let ego fuel your choices lead with purpose, not pride, to create something that actually lasts.

• You are the sum of your five closest people and who you surround yourself with will make or break your growth journey.

From candid founder stories to solo episodes packed with honest advice, If You Know You Grow gives you the tools and inspiration to thrive in business and in life without burning out, giving in to comparison, or losing sight of what truly matters.