From Startup to IPO: Amanda Patterson on Scaling with Strategy and Customer Truth

In this episode of Uncomplicate It, I sit down with Amanda Patterson — seasoned tech marketing executive, former Head of Marketing at Mindbody, and co-founder of Rocket Fuel Labs. Amanda has seen it all: scaling Mindbody from $30M to $200M, growing leads by 300% in a single year, building a marketing team 5x larger, launching the consumer app, and creating the BOLD Conference with speakers like Michelle Obama and Magic Johnson.

Today, through Rocket Fuel Labs, she helps early and growth-stage companies build strategies that blend brand, demand, and culture for lasting growth.

We cover:

• Why growth is built detail by detail — not through one silver bullet
• How to diversify channels and avoid over-reliance on one platform
• Why listening to your customers matters more than your assumptions
• Balancing long-term brand building with short-term ROI
• Using creativity and offsite brainstorming to solve growth challenges
• How to approach partnerships strategically, even as a young company
• What it really takes to prepare for IPO — discipline, tracking, and cross-team alignment
• Where AI adds value — and why human insight is still irreplaceable

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Growth comes from hundreds of small optimizations, not one big unlock.
• Branding and performance marketing are inseparable — you need both.
• Customers hold the truth about your positioning — ask them directly.
• Creativity is as essential as analytics in solving marketing challenges.
• Scaling culture requires strong leadership at every layer, not just the founder.

🔗 Connect with Amanda:

• Rocket Fuel Labs Website
  
• Rocket Fuel Labs on Facebook
  
• Amanda Patterson on LinkedIn
  
• Rocket Fuel Labs on Instagram

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