Marketing a startup in today’s competitive landscape requires a lot more than just traditional advertising—it demands creativity, boldness, and resourcefulness. In the latest session of our Founder Fundamentals Winter 2025 series, we were excited to host Cassandra Drake, an experienced digital strategist and founder of The Vizion, who has helped thousands of founders take their ideas to market. This workshop focused on the power of Guerrilla Marketing—a low-cost, high-impact marketing approach designed for startups looking to make a splash without breaking the bank.
The Essence of Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla marketing is all about thinking outside the box, leveraging unconventional tactics to grab attention and create memorable brand experiences. Unlike traditional paid advertising, guerrilla marketing prioritizes creativity, resourcefulness, and direct audience engagement to generate buzz and drive brand awareness.
Cassandra redefined guerrilla marketing as Creative Marketing, emphasizing that at its core, this strategy is about being bold and innovative while working with limited resources. The most successful guerrilla campaigns leave a lasting impression by tapping into emotions, surprise, and relevance.
Key Takeaways from the Workshop
1. Know Your Audience and Be Where They Are
Understanding your target audience is crucial in any marketing strategy. Cassandra encouraged participants to visualize their ideal customer—where they spend time, what they value, and how they consume information. Effective guerrilla marketing campaigns meet customers where they are, whether that’s on social media, at events, or in unexpected public spaces.
2. Stand Out and Capture Attention
In a crowded market, attention is currency. Cassandra shared examples of bold, unconventional marketing tactics that successfully caught people’s eyes, from street art campaigns to interactive brand activations. The key? Be memorable. Whether through humor, shock value, or experiential engagement, the best guerrilla marketing tactics make people stop and take notice.
3. Build an Ecosystem, Not Just a Campaign
Guerrilla marketing isn’t just about one-off stunts—it works best when part of a larger marketing ecosystem. Cassandra introduced the Owned, Borrowed, and Earned Media framework:
- Owned Media: Your website, email list, and blog—platforms you control.
- Borrowed Media: Social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, where you engage but don’t own the audience.
- Earned Media: Word-of-mouth, PR coverage, and organic buzz generated from successful marketing initiatives.
Leveraging all three ensures sustainable brand growth beyond a single campaign.
4. Leverage Digital Strategies for Maximum Impact
While guerrilla marketing thrives on real-world engagement, digital tools amplify its reach. Cassandra shared practical tips on how startups can use content marketing, influencer collaborations, and retargeting ads to keep the momentum going after an initial campaign.
One of the most cost-effective strategies? Retargeting ads—serving ads to people who have already interacted with your website or social media, ensuring continued engagement without excessive spending.
Practical Applications: Bringing Guerrilla Marketing to Life
Cassandra walked attendees through real-world examples of guerrilla marketing, including:
- Pop-up brand activations that create unexpected engagement moments.
- Street-level advertising (such as posters, sidewalk chalk, and installations) to grab attention.
- User-generated content campaigns to encourage organic sharing.
- Surprise giveaways or flash mobs that create buzz-worthy moments.
The common thread? Authenticity and creativity. Guerrilla marketing succeeds when it aligns with the brand’s identity and speaks directly to its audience.
Final Takeaways
Following the session, Cassandra left us with a strong closing message to remember:
“Your budget doesn’t define your impact—your creativity does. The most effective marketing strategies aren’t always the ones with the biggest spend, but the ones that make people feel something.”
About Founder Fundamentals
Founder Fundamentals is a 12-week workshop series by YSpace and Markham Small Business Centre (MSBC), designed to equip you with essential entrepreneurial skills like business planning, bootstrapping, and Shopify setup. Attend 9+ workshops to earn a Certificate of Recognition and take the first step toward entrepreneurial success!
About the Speaker
Cassandra (she / her) is an ex-architect turned builder of impact-driven businesses, supporting visionaries in bringing their ideas to life.
For the past decade, Cass has been a Business Strategy + Digital Marketing Mentor for founders, creatives, & visionaries. As the founder of The Vizion, Cassandra mentors early-stage businesses via her signature business building method that turns ideas into impact + income, setting founders & their biz up for success.
As a digital strategist, Cassie has worked internationally both agency-side as well as internally for clients, and now consults for brands and marketing agencies. Her multi-national campaigns have been featured in publications such as VOGUE, Lonely Planet, VICE, and many local award-winning outlets. Cassandra has helped build 75 businesses to date, and taught to thousands of founders in bringing their innovative ideas to market.