
Big-brand impact. Tiny marketing budget. VP of Marketing at Freeletics, Ellie Hughes, shares the story of how she turned around a flatlining fitness brand in one of the most competitive categories in tech.In this episode of Your CMO Mentor, Ellie shares honest lessons on:- Why brand repositioning is a growth lever- Spotting the signals it’s time to pivot- How to win internal buy-in from numbers-obsessed stakeholders- Using emotion and data to make marketing that actually worksShe also opens up about leadership, mentorship, and what she wishes she knew at the start of her career.00:00 – Big marketing, small budgets00:25 – Meet your CMO Mentor00:36 – Takeaways from Ellie’s episode05:04 – Must-have skills for marketers08:06 – What great marketers do differently10:27 – Dream mentor (and why)14:00 – Advice to younger self20:26 – What does your role involve?21:57 – Signs it’s time to reposition27:00 – Bringing others on the journey30:50 – Balancing data and emotion34:52 – When the data says no36:58 – Going global, staying local40:34 – Ditching the polished ad speak48:03 – Repositioning when only ROI matters