What Startups Get Wrong About Positioning with Imke Dannhauser

Episode Summary

In this episode of South African Tech Marketers, Imke Dannhauser, co-founder of WS&O, shares her bold move from Google—where she led marketing for Search and AI in South Africa—to launching a startup focused on helping businesses crack their value propositions. Imke reflects on how milestone moments reshaped her career path, why startups fail without a clear “why us,” and what freedom and success mean when you step off the corporate track

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Topics Discussed

• Why Imke left Google to co-found WS&O

• How serendipity and a half-written business plan sparked a startup

• Why value propositions are the foundation of brand success

• Lessons from SAB, McKinsey, and Google that shaped her new venture

• The hidden costs of weak positioning in startups

• How remote and fractional work redefine career freedom

• Practical advice for marketers dreaming of going solo

• Redefining success beyond job titles and income

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 Key Takeaways

• Don’t do it alone. A strong founding team makes uncertainty manageable and growth more sustainable.

• Differentiate or die. Your value proposition must answer why customers should choose you—and keep choosing you.

• Over-reliance on performance marketing is a trap. Without brand and positioning, funnels collapse once ads stop.

• Big career moves are rarely linear. Serendipity and timing often play as big a role as planning.

• Redefine success. True freedom is money + time + energy to pursue a meaningful life.

• Remote and flexible work are building blocks for more intentional, fulfilling careers