From Beauty to B2B: How Mikayla Hopkins Is Redefining Marketing Leadership

With a career spanning beauty, tech and SaaS, Mikayla Hopkins, Tracksuit’s Head of Marketing, is redefining marketing leadership. In this ADMA Member Spotlight, she shares what it takes to scale a brand globally, the shift back to brand marketing and why creativity is making a comeback.

To start off, can you tell us a little about your career to date?

Marketing has always been about two things for me: understanding people and telling great stories. My career has moved from beer to beauty to B2B SaaS.

My marketing leadership journey started in the world of luxury cosmedicine when I took on the CMO role at The Face Place, where we built an industry-leading brand. From there, I founded Her Career, a digital network empowering women across APAC.

Then, in what felt like a serendipitous moment, I joined Tracksuit as the third employee, helping build a company that’s changing how brands measure their impact. Now, we’re one of ANZ’s fastest growing tech startups, scaling globally, and I’m loving every second of it.

I’m also particularly enjoying my role on the board of Aglow, the SaaS platform revolutionising beauty memberships.

What have been a few of your professional highlights along the journey?

One of my biggest highlights has been scaling Tracksuit from an idea into a global brand that marketers love. Watching marketers light up when they realise they finally have an affordable and reliable way to prove the impact of brand marketing is absolute magic. As a marketer surrounded by other marketers, it feels like we’re building something that’s saving our profession. But what makes this experience truly unique is how much I’ve had to evolve along the way.

Every six months, I’ve had to rethink how I lead, how I give feedback, where I apply my focus and who I need around me. What got me here won’t get me to the next stage, so I’m constantly trying to adapt - shifting from being in the trenches to setting the vision, from executing to empowering, from solving problems to creating space for others to do their best work. It’s a role I know I’ll look back on and think, wow, that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Brand representation at the board level matters - yet marketers are still underrepresented. Serving as a Director on Aglow’s Board has reinforced my belief that brand growth is business growth, a principle that also drives everything we do at Tracksuit.

How important is maintaining and growing your marketing skill set in today’s marketing environment? How do you approach this for you and your team?

Marketing is constantly evolving - new channels, new technologies, new consumer behaviours - so staying engaged is critical. At Tracksuit, we foster a culture of continuous learning. Every team member has a mentor (I’m lucky to work with Emily Kramer from MKT1), we invest in courses like the Masters of Advertising Effectiveness by James Hurman, and we surround ourselves with brilliant marketers and creatives. ADMA offers a similar network for those looking to connect and grow.

Find your people, ask questions, and always give more than you take. Some of the best insights I’ve ever received came from small, trusted WhatsApp groups where it’s safe to share, unpack, and move forward.

What is the one thing you wish you’d learned earlier in your career?

How to fight for investment in brand marketing. The best marketers can clearly articulate its commercial impact - especially to non-marketing stakeholders. If you can connect the dots between brand building and business growth, you’ll be unstoppable!

What is going to have the biggest impact on marketing over the next few years? How are you preparing for those changes?

Marketing is shifting back towards creativity and effectiveness - this time with measurement. The pendulum swung towards short-term performance marketing, but brands are now recognising that long-term brand building is what truly drives sustainable growth.

The other big shift? AI and automation. I know people are tired of hearing about it, but it’s happening. The key is remembering that great marketing still comes down to human connection, creativity, and storytelling. AI will supercharge execution, process, and ideation, but the best brands will be the ones that deeply understand their customers and craft narratives that resonate.

What do you think are the biggest challenges confronting marketers today?

What gets measured gets managed, yet most companies focus on short-term digital metrics while neglecting brand impact and long-term growth. As a result, teams are stuck optimising for the short term, reinforcing a cycle of short-termism that ultimately weakens business performance. ROI on performance marketing channels like search is declining and CAC is rising - $1 in no longer guarantees $1.50 out, making it harder to win executive buy-in.

Brand versus performance is a false dichotomy. Marketers need to invest in both and measure them accordingly.

What’s the best piece of advice you would give to a university graduate starting their first role in marketing?

I have three pieces of advice, and you can’t go wrong with them. First, say ‘yes’ to everything. Ask questions. Be insatiably curious. Marketing is one of the most dynamic, exciting careers, but the best marketers don’t just know marketing - they understand psychology, business, culture and technology.

Second, read ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’. It’s a classic for a reason.

And finally, separate who you are from what you do. There’s more to life than marketing.

Why are organisations like ADMA so important for the wider media and marketing industry?

Marketing is both an art and a science, and organisations like ADMA help marketers stay ahead with best practices, data-driven insights and industry shifts. Plus, they foster a community of brilliant people I’d happily grab a drink with or have a great marketing chat with.

Is there an example of a really well executed data-driven campaign (or partnership) that you admire? What made it stand out for you?

Spotify Wrapped is one of the best examples of a well-executed data-driven campaign. It transforms raw user data into a personalised, shareable and emotional experience.

At its core, it’s a masterclass in first-party data storytelling. Instead of simply using listening behaviour for recommendations behind the scenes, Spotify turns it into a cultural moment. It’s also a brilliant behavioural reinforcement tool - seeing your music habits reflected back deepens your connection to Spotify and makes you want to use it even more.

We all want to feel relevant and validated through our music taste, and this campaign taps into that perfectly. I know I share mine with my team on Slack, on my Instagram story and in my family chats - it’s a ‘Look at me’ moment and I’m fine with admitting that!

Last of all, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I’ve just moved to NYC, and it feels like I’m reinventing myself through new hobbies. Honestly, I’m still figuring out how to separate who I am from what I do. Right now, that mostly means spending too much time (and money) in vintage shops, restaurants and Ubers.

If you’re ever in West Village, go straight to Mama Too’s for pizza. Trust me - it's to die for!