With Maryanne Smith, Noel Leeming
This event delivered exactly the kind of industry insight we all hoped for, thanks to a fantastic session with Maryanne Smith from Noel Leeming. It was instantly clear that Maryanne has ‘been there, tried that, and achieved the outcome’ — and she shared her experience in a down-to-earth, genuinely relatable way.
Despite leading in a high-pressure corporate role, Maryanne openly acknowledged the same work/life balance challenges many of us face. Hearing someone at her level place such importance on balance was both refreshing and encouraging.
A key theme of her talk was simple: think about your customer.
Maryanne reminded us to stay obsessed with understanding who our customer is and to ensure every action we take brings value to them. Her mantra, “Be bold, not stupid,” struck a chord — a reminder that creativity matters, but so does being commercially smart.
She also spoke honestly about internal barriers in marketing. While every business has them, she emphasised that avoiding them gets us nowhere. Instead, she encouraged open communication, challenging assumptions, learning from past failures, and creating healthy team dynamics. It’s this approach that allows Noel Leeming Group to constantly review, innovate, and design strategies that keep the customer experience front and centre.
Maryanne also touched on building a meaningful customer journey using a simple framework: Feel. Think. Do. First, connect emotionally. Then equip customers with the information they need. Finally, motivate them to take action.
One standout moment was her passion for ‘purpose above profit,’ illustrated through the bold example of US retailer REI. It was a powerful reminder that meaningful values resonate — with both customers and teams.
Maryanne left us all thinking harder about our customers, our culture, and the stories we choose to tell.