Lois McKenzie

Up Club

In May, I’ll finally be opening the doors to a course which will be a live teaching & coaching of a curriculum I’ve been developing for, literally, 5 years (not one to rush things 🤣).

My deepest desire is that this will be the least wanky and most practical course you could ever possibly take for your writing. Yes, it will be a copywriting course. But more than that, I want to help you really rebuild your relationship to writing and the written word.

The curriculum has been developing for 5 years, yes. But it’s also based on an almost 17 year (!!) career flinging ink for everyone from Fortune 500s to best selling authors. From writing taglines for $500 hairbrushes to defining the most important thought leadership of industry-shifting personal brands. We going deep (we just will not be diving). 

We’re going to activate fresh thinking, cultivate your breakthrough ideas and learn how to express them, all through your writing.

Sweet Talk is an 8 week copywriting, messaging & writing course that will teach you how to write copy so good that brands, clients and customers will be tripping over themselves to sell their ideas TO YOU.

Because when you know how to write really, really good copy it feels less like selling people and more like offering an invitation into a world they already want to be a part of.

This course is perfect for you if

❤️‍🔥 You're a creative, entrepreneur, founder, service pro, coach, marketer who wants to master copywriting for your own business...

❤️‍🔥 You love writing but struggle with wrangling that creative energy for long enough to write copy that you really cannot wait to share.

I’m not claiming to be some gate-keeping, untold-secret-holding, answer-to-all-of-your-prayers, genius word guru (although that does have a ring to it). But I will teach you the tools I've learned to generate $10m in sales & $4m in capital as a top conversion copywriter over a decade.

Send me a DM if this tickles your fancy. Spaces are extremely limited.

Copy & Messaging Consultant & Copywriter

Elaina Ray International

Content Coach

Marketing Director

Do It Marketing

Sales Director

Copywriter

Various

I didn't always want to be a copywriter. I just wanted to write.

I would be nose-deep in books, fantasising about one day toiling away at a desk in dungarees with a pencil in my hair (I was an Enid Blyton fan, OK) and writing things that people would be utterly enamoured by. 

Life happened. 

And over the years, I heard things like, 'starving artist', 'nobody makes any money writing books anymore' and 'you can write, but you also need to make money'. 

So, I did what any self-respecting creative would do. I went into advertising 😬

I started writing headlines for a daily print news cycle, moved on to writing website copy for restaurants at a local 'digital marketing' agency, when nobody even really knew what that word meant. 

Then I started writing taglines and headlines and product names for startups for an agency in New York. From $500 hairbrushes to Beef Jerky, my job was making things sound good. 

I honestly thought I'd hit peak career and imagined myself moving to New York and swanning about in cafes, this time the vision was a little more refined. Perhaps a pencil behind the ear. 

But, life happened again. 

When I got pregnant with my daughter I knew I didn't want to live as a slave to fast-paced advertising agency life... so I set out on my own (lol why did nobody tell me that would be even worse).

Since then, I've ghostwritten two best-selling books, I've written sales pages that have sold 7 figures. I once wrote an email that got a 66.2% Click Through Rate and generated 6 figures in revenue overnight (true story).

In all of this time I've done everything possible to only work with brands who's values I can get behind. While, I am aware copywriting is hardly the Lord's work, I try to make an honest living. 

Now, I spend most of my time educating business owners on how to do these kinds of things with their own words. Through coaching & workshops, and now a new course I'm launching in May 2024.

If you read all of this, come say hi.

Freelance Writer

Bolt Digital Agency

From working with every possible different brand as a freelance writer to becoming the Head Copywriter at Bolt Digital Agency, my career evolved significantly over the years. 

With Bolt I had the pleasure of being back in real, fast-moving, digital agency life. It was exciting. Every brand something new and different. 

My role was to write high-converting stories for our high profile clients -- lots of VC backed start ups that secured multi-millions in funding after we were done: dating apps, luxury hotels, global fintech startups, and even granola bars. 

Each assignment was a masterclass in articulating unique brand messages, appealing to diverse audiences, and launching or scaling businesses effectively. 

As Head Copywriter at Bolt, I also hired and mentored other writers, and if you've ever taught a subject, you'll know that's the real key to deepening your expertise. Figuring out how to help someone else articulate something, and then letting go of the reins was a whole new education in copywriting. 

It was also amazing to be hiring writers from earlier on in my career -- I have such a good idea of the market on both sides of the coin that has helped me serve clients immensely.

Head Copywriter

Blackpool Gazette, Johnston Press

As a fresh-faced 17 year old who had life-long dreams of becoming a writer, a decidedly green idea of what that might actually take but filled with ambition, I found my start at the Blackpool Gazette as a junior advertising copywriter. 

I caught two buses to get to their head office and asked to speak to the editor -- if I could go back and speak to myself now! The receptionist was a little amused and didn't expect her to let me in. But, for some reason, she did. She appreciated my tenacity and instead of giving me some spicy hot story to get out and report on (which is how I'd imagined it would go in my head) she suggested I join the advertising team writing headlines. 

It wasn't quite my Vogue fantasy, but it was a start. So I took it and jumped in. 

Turns out coming up with headlines under 10 words for high-pressure advertising sales reps is a good education – a proper crash course in advertising and copywriting and I was fortunately quite good at it. 

Learning the art of writing sticky 10-word headlines for high-stake clients, I discovered the heart-thumping pressure and invaluable advertising lessons of a daily print news cycle. These experiences sparked my lifelong love for concise, persuasive copy that remains both my arch nemesis and my best friend.

Junior advertising copywriter

Million-dollar verbal carpentry | Copywriting & messaging strategy that has earned our clients $8M+ in sales and $4M+ in capital.

Growing up my Mum had books everywhere.

All over the house.

Instead of a bedside table she had a leaning tower of books.

Cups of half-drunk tea perched perilously on the edge of whichever one had landed on top.

One slight wrong move or sharp turn with the bedcovers, and cold, long-forgotten tea would spill everywhere.

Which, of course, happened often.

Because she was always lost in one of three or four or five books she was reading at any given moment (she likes to start a few at once, so "you never finish one too soon").

We had two huge bookshelves that still weren’t even enough to house all of the books

-- and of all of the furniture we bought and sold and lost and broke over the years, those two, gargantuan wooden beasts survived until the day she moved to live on a boat (that’s a whole other story but thankfully the Kindle was invented).

There were piles of books on top of the shelves, beside the shelves, next to the couch.

Even in the kitchen.

My childhood friends still to this day remember our book-furniture house.

This all-consuming love-of-stories is something I got from her. I never realised it at the time. But, this is one of the greatest gifts my Mum ever gave me.

We didn’t have loads of money growing up. But we had stories.

We had whole other worlds to escape to.

The perfect medicine for any kind of affliction of the soul.

And this is what stories do.

This is what good narrative has the power to do. They are medicine. A literary apothecary.

You can transform someone's life, heartache, dreams.
You can help people change their mind about love, about pain, about money, about potential.

All with a well told story.

How does the world ever change?
How do you get people to pay attention?
How do you connect with the right people?

It starts with stories. It always starts with stories.

Storytelling has become such a huge part of my life and my work and my way of thinking. I've helped people & brands make millions of dollars telling stories.

No matter what your business is, if you can get better at one thing -- let it be telling stories. Let the most important conversations you were put here to lead be the thing that everyone loves about you.

If you need help, I can do that in 3 ways:

🔥 1:1 copy coaching
🔥 Hire me to write your web copy
🔥 Copy Club: like a private members lounge for creative founders & storytellers
🔥 Sweet Talk: a copywriting course that will teach you to write in a way that feels like art and sells like hot cakes

If you love stories as much as I do, drop me a DM and share one with me :)

Founder

We’re known for creating content that looks, feels and sounds like you. Content that builds authority, brings more eyes to your work and shines a light on your mission. Content that positions you as the expert that you are and gives you the platform you need to drive change.

In short: content that positions you as the obvious choice.
 
We're the secret ingredient to leveraging your expertise so that you can increase your impact, visibility and authority without needing to increase the time you spend online.
 
...and without your message losing its authenticity and integrity.

What we do: ghostwritten authority and thought leadership content, web copy, copywriting & strategy and LinkedIn VIP days.

Marco Andre 🤖

Global Head of Employee Experience

Novartis

I’m currently an AI coach and advisor to senior executive leadership teams across Novartis.
I'm also leading the design of marketing programs to empower Novartis teams to remain at the cutting edge of marketing trends and practices - in the age of AI.

Executive Director - Global Marketing & AI Excellence

Brought marketing to the HR function at Novartis, leading Employee Experience globally for 110.000 associates across 46 countries.

Executive Director - Global Employee Experience

Spearheaded Marketing and Digital Transformation for Sandoz Region International (Latin America, Asia,  Middle East & Africa).

Executive Director - Head of Digital

MarcoAndre

Content Creator | Keynote Speaker | Marketing & AI Coach

LinkedIn

My Linkedin Nano Course,  “Nano Tips for understanding AI’s impact in Business”,  is a series of short-form videos, with 7 minutes of practical tips on how to start applying AI TODAY - link below.

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

OpenAI

Selected for OpenAI’s invitation-only global network of AI experts and thought leaders, contributing to high-level discussions on AI application to business and executive leadership.

Open-AI Forum Member

Sabbatical

After 16 years of work and 10 at Google, it was time to stop and reflect on how the next 16 years would look like. Unable to fulfill my travel plans, I spent this precious time like many others - dealing with a global pandemic. But I also had time to connect with incredibly wise people, do some volunteering & marketing advisory, and build enough LEGO sets to occupy half my flat.

Google

Led YouTube’s Global partnerships team for YouTube Spaces across EMEA, APAC and Americas. Delivered 850 YouTube marketing programs across YouTube Influencers and Advertisers, while growing advertiser spend by 120% YoY.

Global Head of Creator & Advertiser Partnerships - YouTube

Managed Google's global relationship with Procter & Gamble, advising C-Level marketing execs on Digital Transformation for brands such as Pampers, Head& Shoulders, Ariel and Gillette (40B$ consumer sales).

Global Client Director

Managed a multi-million EMEA marketing budget, delivering brand campaigns across 18 markets.

Brand Marketing Director - Europe, Middle East & Africa

Launched Country Marketing for Google’s brand and products in Portugal,  managing a P&L and scaling business and team 4x in 2 years.

Marketing Director - Google Portugal

Procter & Gamble

Managed Haircare Operations for a  98M$ sales portfolio, working with clients such as Mercadona, SONAE and Carrefour.

Operations Manager

YDreams

Launched YDreams’ Product Management division to support its international market growth, working with clients such as Vodafone, Santander, Toyota, Adidas, L’Oreal,  Coca-Cola and Nike.

Product Management Lead

Keynote Speaker & AI Executive │ Harvard, Google, P&G Alum │ Global Marketing & Gen AI @ Novartis │ Published Author - Imperfect Stories │ Dog Dad 🐶 │ Views are my own

Navigating AI as a business and marketing leader? You're not alone.

From diving into generative AI online to coaching senior executives, I've transformed my AI curiosity into actionable leadership expertise. My journey has led to building a community of 21,000+ engaged followers and delivering impactful AI keynotes and workshops to 5,000+ leaders globally.

Drawing on 20+ years of senior leadership experience at global companies like Google, YouTube, Procter & Gamble, and Novartis, I now help leaders in medium and large organizations turn AI from a buzzword into a business accelerator.


-- Views and opinions expressed are my own and do not represent the views of my current or past employers --

Global Head of Marketing & Gen AI Excellence

I’m currently a Generative AI coach and advisor to senior executive leadership teams across Novartis.
Leading the design of marketing programs to empower Novartis teams to remain at the cutting edge of marketing trends and practices.

What if you looked back down instead of up this Monday?
Imagine...

If only we remembered to look down as often as we look up.
If only we paused before thinking about the next thing.
If only we realized that where we are is good enough.
If only we accepted imperfection to be the summit.
If only we did all all of these, just once.
If only, just for today. Starting today. 
If only, just for a moment.
If only, just now.
If only.

We don't forget to grow. We just forget to notice.
It's Monday. Give it a try. Look back down.
See how far you come. Strike that i̶f̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶.̶
Just for a breath. Just for a sec.


Credit: Illustration by Liz Fosslien

Marco Andre

Vice-President, AI Literacy @ Johnson & Johnson • Linkedin Top Voice • Marketing & AI Executive • TEDx & Keynote Speaker • Views are my own

Using AI tools at work is lazy. 
You know what else is lazy?

Using Google Maps instead of a paper map.
Using PowerPoint instead of drawing flip charts.
Using online banking instead of visiting a branch.
Googling something instead of heading to the library.
Letting a calculator do math instead of paper & pencil.
Using a voice assistant instead of typing a search query.
Using a printing press instead of copying books by hand.

At every step in history, we called new tools lazy.
We made fun of them. Resisted them. 
Claimed they would make us worse.

And then? 
We couldn’t live without them.

AI tools aren’t about avoiding effort.
They’re about focusing effort where it matters.

So, is there stigma? Yes. 
Will it persist? Probably.
Should that stop you? 
Not a chance.

This is The Way. 🚀

taplio

The Battle

Lois McKenzie

Marco Andre 🤖

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The Battle

Lois McKenzie

Marco Andre 🤖

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Marco Andre 🤖's LinkedIn Performance

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