Jenny Knighting: Startup Growth Strategies for Founders | Nutcracker Agency

The Nuterview: Driving scalable growth for founders – An Interview with Jenny Knighting

Having worked with a number of ambitious start-ups, leading commercial strategy and making bold business growth plans a reality, Jenny has a wealth of experience in media, manufacturing, services and events. As founder and CEO of Nutcracker Agency, she has led the team to win multiple awards, including finalist in the Best New Business at The National Business Awards and, since launching the company in 2014, Nutcracker has grown year on year.

Helping countless clients in a wide range of industries to fulfil their vision through targeted, exciting and results-driven digital marketing, Jenny brings a unique creativity and perspective to every launch, scale and strategy. In this exclusive interview, we hear more about her incredible role heading up the business and her entrepreneurial spirit.

The interview is carried out by Maia Cook, Account Manager at Nutcracker Agency.

Maia Cook: Jenny, you've worked with numerous startups. What's the most significant value Nutcracker Agency brings to early-stage or scaling businesses looking for aggressive growth?

Jenny Knighting: Our core value is converting vision into measurable, accelerated growth. For founders, time and budget are critical, so we cut through the noise and focus on what genuinely moves the needle. For instance, we recently partnered with a data management consultancy that needed aggressive growth for acquisition.

By implementing a strategic marketing framework focusing on lead generation and brand authority, we helped them achieve 300% year-on-year growth at one point and significantly expand their client roster to include numerous household names, ultimately leading to a successful acquisition by a larger firm. That kind of tangible impact and exit readiness is our priority. You can learn more about this success story in our Q&A with Sam Goss, President of Amplifi Europe, which acquired the consultancy.

Building scalable marketing engines on any budget

Maia Cook: Many founders have big visions but often face limited resources. How do you approach building a marketing engine from scratch that can scale effectively, even with a constrained budget?

Jenny Knighting: That's a common challenge we thrive on. Our approach isn't about throwing money at problems; it's about strategic efficiency. We begin by deeply understanding their specific industry pain points and customer needs, then work backward from their desired revenue or user acquisition targets. We then prioritise channels with the highest potential for immediate ROI and scalability.

For example, for a B2B software company with a lean marketing budget, we focused on highly targeted LinkedIn outreach combined with thought leadership content, leading to a 3x increase in qualified sales opportunities within 9 months – without extensive ad spend. We continuously A/B test and optimise, ensuring every pound spent contributes directly to growth.

Innovative strategies for markets stand-out

Maia Cook: You mentioned "daring to stand out" in marketing. Can you share a specific, unconventional growth strategy you've implemented for a client that yielded significant results?

Jenny Knighting: Absolutely. While fundamentals are crucial, true growth often comes from bold moves. For one e-commerce client in a highly saturated market, their initial strategy was conventional paid ads. We advised a pivot to leveraging micro-influencers and building authentic community engagement on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, combined with exclusive, time-sensitive product drops. This wasn't just about visibility; it was about building genuine buzz.

The result? They saw a 400% increase in direct-to-consumer sales and significantly enhanced brand loyalty within a year, attracting a younger demographic they hadn't previously reached effectively. It was about creating a movement, not just a campaign.

Strategic partnership for fundraising & business objectives

Maia Cook: Founders are looking for strategic partners, not just executors. What's your philosophy on truly partnering with a founder to help them achieve their overarching business objectives and even prepare for future funding rounds?

Jenny Knighting: We see ourselves as an extension of their leadership team. It's not just about marketing tactics; it's about aligning marketing strategy with overall business objectives and even fundraising milestones. We actively engage in discussions around market fit, competitive differentiation, and long-term vision.

For founders aiming for a Series A or B, we don't just optimise for leads; we optimise for investor-appealing metrics like customer lifetime value (LTV), reduced customer acquisition cost (CAC), and clear unit economics. Our reports are designed to be easily translated into investor decks, showcasing a clear path to scalable and sustainable growth. We aim to de-risk their marketing efforts, making them more attractive to potential investors.

Balancing quick wins with long-term brand building

Maia Cook: Many founders struggle with balancing quick wins for immediate lead generation with the longer-term imperative of brand building. How do you navigate that tension?

Jenny Knighting: This is a crucial balance, especially for startups. Our approach is integrated. While we focus on performance marketing for immediate lead generation and sales, we simultaneously weave in elements that build brand equity.

For example, the same content that drives immediate leads through SEO or social media can also serve as valuable thought leadership, enhancing brand authority. We might dedicate a portion of the budget to high-impact PR or unique brand activations that, while not directly trackable to a sale today, build the trust and recognition essential for long-term customer loyalty and higher conversion rates down the line. It's about smart orchestration, ensuring short-term gains don't compromise long-term sustainability.

Partnering with visionary founders for impact

Maia Cook: What kind of founder or business truly excites you to partner with?

Jenny Knighting: My ideal partners are founders with audacious visions who are committed to understanding their customers deeply and are ready to invest strategically in growth. They don't necessarily need an "adequate budget" from day one, but they must have a clear understanding that smart, data-driven marketing is an investment, not an expense. We love working with founders who are agile, open to experimentation, and want to build something truly impactful.

For us, it's about seeing that spark, that drive to innovate and scale, and knowing we can provide the proven strategies and execution to turn their ambitious dreams into demonstrable market success, just as we helped a data consultancy achieve significant growth leading to a successful acquisition. If a founder is looking for a partner to meticulously build out their growth strategy, implement it with precision, and continuously optimise for tangible results, they should get in touch.

Source of Client Success Example

The example regarding the data management consultancy and its acquisition is inspired by the success story of Comma, which was acquired by Amplifi. You can read the full Q&A here: A Q&A with Sam Goss, president of Amplifi Europe

Why partner with Nutcracker Agency?

At Nutcracker Agency, our unique Nx3 methodology is specifically designed for businesses like yours, those seeking not just marketing activity, but a robust, cohesive growth engine. Nx3 isn't just a campaign; it's an integrated, data-driven strategy that seamlessly aligns all your marketing efforts, from social media and SEO to PPC and email marketing. We optimise every touchpoint to guide your audience from initial awareness right through to conversion and becoming a loyal, long-term customer.

This dynamic, adaptable approach ensures that every marketing investment directly contributes to your commercial objectives, driving the measurable results and sustained growth that founders need. If you're a founder ready to implement a strategic, agile, and results-focused marketing program, explore how our Nx3 approach can unlock your business's full potential for scale and market dominance. Learn more about Nx3 and our approach to integrated growth here: Nutcracker Agency Nx3.

Who's the author and interviewer?

The interview is carried out by

, an Account Manager at Nutcracker Agency. Maia Cook is an experienced marketing specialist, with a Digital Marketing MA and extensive experience working within an award-winning B2B marketing agency across social media management, content creation, content writing, email marketing, reporting and strategy creation.