About this event
Introduction: Building Momentum is the Hardest Part
You’ve launched your startup—or you're getting close. But finding traction, growing your audience, and turning attention into revenue? That’s where most startups stall. Without clear marketing direction, early-stage founders risk burning through budget and time chasing tactics that don’t scale.
This webinar gives you a startup-specific framework to build traction intelligently, using lean, proven growth techniques.
Insight: Startup Marketing Isn’t About Awareness—It’s About Survival
You don’t need likes. You need leads. You don’t need ads. You need automation. Startups must be smart with every marketing decision because every decision impacts run rate, investor confidence, and product-market fit.
Based on our work with early-stage ventures and growth-stage startups, we’ll show you how to build a system that drives real-world growth, even with limited time and budget.
What You’ll Learn
- Why chasing social media followers and fans is a distraction that doesn’t drive real business growth
- How to approach marketing as a small business or startup—from mindset to structure
- What a data-driven marketing strategy looks like at each stage of growth
- How much you should budget for marketing and advertising—and how to allocate it smartly
- How to build an end-to-end marketing and sales funnel using automation tools
- Why automating your funnel is essential for scaling without hiring a large team When to pivot, double down, or kill a campaign—using data, not gut feel
Bonus for Registrants: Free Startup Marketing Support
As part of your registration, we’ll assess whether your business qualifies for the HubSpot for Startups Programme, which could offer you up to 75% off HubSpot software—exclusively through our partnership with HubSpot.
In addition, we’ll provide custom marketing guidance tailored to your growth stage and sector, helping you understand how to build your CRM, content, and ad strategies for long-term traction.
Who Should Attend
This webinar is designed for:
- Startups and small businesses with annual turnover between R0 and R50 million
- Founders and co-founders of early- to mid-stage startups
- Founders and co-founders of early- to mid-stage startups
- Startup marketing leads or first hires
- Incubators, accelerators, and startup advisors
- Venture studios building new brands from the ground up
If you’re wearing five hats and trying to scale, this webinar will help you work smarter—not just harder.
Why This Matters Now
The startup ecosystem is more competitive than ever—and investors want traction before they’ll write a cheque. Whether you're bootstrapping or seed-funded, getting your growth strategy right early can mean the difference between scaling and stalling.
About the Host
Mike Saunders is the CEO of Digitlab, one of South Africa’s leading startup marketing consultancies. He is the author of The Five Year Mark, a personal and practical guide for startup founders navigating their early years. Mike also recently contributed to Doers and Dreamers, a book featuring insights from over 150 global entrepreneurs including Seth Godin, Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist), and Tim Ferris.
A TEDx speaker and recognised as one of the Top Global Digital Marketing Experts, Mike is known for connecting growth strategy with real-world execution. His team has helped scale strategies for companies in tech, retail, and finance—always with a focus on human connection and measurable results.one of South Africa’s leading startup marketing consultancies. From SaaS to fintech, e-commerce to wellness brands, Digitlab has helped launch and scale dozens of startups with lean, practical marketing strategies. Mike is a TEDx speaker and recognised as one of the Top Global Digital Marketing Experts, known for connecting growth strategy with real-world execution
Digitlab
Our data-driven marketing builds your business.Digitlab is a full-service digital agency specializing in customer engagement and value propositions at the intersection of people and technology.
