In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis sits down with Kayla Medica, CMO of Mehdeeka, to discuss her unique journey from translating Japanese marketing materials to becoming a fractional CMO for tech startups. Kayla shares how her early experiences with Japan’s demanding work culture helped shape her marketing expertise, particularly in translating complex technical messages for different audiences. Now focused on scaling growth for B2B SaaSThe term SaaS stands for Software as a Service. SaaS is an evolution of an application that runs on the... businesses, she also authors the Mehdeeka newsletter, where she provides insights into the challenges of product marketing for startups.
Kayla reflects on her transition from translating marketing materials to a broader consulting role, helping businesses effectively communicate their value. She compares working with tech startup founders to collaborating with chefs, highlighting the passion and strong opinions that both groups share. Early in her career, Kayla gained valuable experience by offering affordable services to startups, although she admits that this often led to undervaluing her work. Her journey eventually led to a full-time position at a startup, where she gained structured business knowledge and marketing experience.
As her career progressed, Kayla took on key roles in product marketing, working with founders, investors, and building frameworks for growing businesses. She touches on her time at Willow and Perkbox, where she navigated international expansion and challenging environments. After Willow, Kayla shifted back to freelancing, this time focusing on tasks she enjoys and leveraging her diverse experience to help her clients grow. She emphasises her preference for product marketing over more traditional roles like social media management.
Throughout the episode, Kayla stresses the importance of simplifying marketing messages to avoid overwhelming audiences with technical jargon. She encourages founders to gather market feedback early on and avoid waiting for perfection before sharing their products. Additionally, Kayla discusses the need for clear communication between founders and marketers, especially in setting expectations for feedback and understanding the iterative nature of marketing. The conversation also touches on the growing demand for fractional product marketers, reflecting the increasing complexity of modern marketing strategies.
Topics Covered
- Kayla’s career journey
- Challenges with the Japanese work culture
- Working with tech startups
- Simplifying marketing messages
- Balancing marketing strategies
- Freelancing vs. working full-time
- Demand for fractional product marketers
- Iterative marketing processes
Important Time Stamps
- How Translating Japanese Marketing Led Kayla to Tech Startups (0:07 – 4:21)
- Why Startups Need to Simplify Their Message—Kayla Medica on Marketing (4:22 – 6:12)
- Undervaluing Yourself? Kayla Medica’s Early Career Lessons (6:13 – 10:18)
- Building Brands from Scratch: Lessons from Kayla Medica’s Journey (10:19 – 16:55)
- Keep It Simple: Why Less Is More in Marketing (16:56 – 25:07)
- Why You Should Outsource What You Don’t Love Doing! (25:08 – 32:28)
- Perfection Doesn’t Come in the First Draft: Lessons for Startups (32:29 – 37:22)
- Marketing 101: Talk to Your Audience, Not Just Your Marketer! (37:23 – 40:45)
