ACCELERATING ACTION: An interview with Natasha McKenzie, CEO of Talisman Sparro

Own your space – be clear on your value, your expertise, and what differentiates you

This International Women’s Day 2025, our Emerging Companies team is highlighting the gender funding gap. Burges Salmon is proud to be connected with a number of inspirational women and will be sharing a series of articles and interviews (see our previous interviews with Jane Pearce, CEO of Rookwood Operations Ltd, and Cristina Diez Santos, CEO of Open Hydro) to inspire the next generation of female entrepreneurs, and demonstrate the potential and impact of investing in female innovators and female-led businesses.

Our next spotlight is on Natasha McKenzie, CEO and co-founder of Talisman Sparro, an innovative brand consultancy delivering the full spectrum of strategy and marketing services to drive business growth by helping companies to articulate their value, align their teams, and position themselves effectively for investment, scale, and transformation. Natasha leverages her vast experience to help companies of all shapes and sizes, and has helped many exciting companies to scale.

Natasha kindly shared her insights and experiences as a female entrepreneur, business owner and of working with other entrepreneurs. 

What inspired you to start your company?

Talisman Sparro was born out of a vision to bridge the gap between brand strategy and commercial growth. Having worked in global agencies and management consultancy, I saw first-hand how many businesses, particularly high-growth tech companies, struggle to articulate their value, align their teams, and position themselves effectively for investment, scale, or transformation. I wanted to create a firm that truly partnered with leadership teams at critical inflection points, helping them navigate growth with clarity, creativity, and commercial impact.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in the early stages, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges was defining our proposition in a way that stood out in a crowded market. We knew we brought something unique - deep strategic insight combined with commercial acumen, but articulating that in a way that resonated with our audience took time. We overcame this by doing for ourselves what we do for our clients: refining our positioning, focusing on where we add the most value, and leaning into our network. Our early clients came through referrals, which reinforced that trust and credibility were at the heart of what we do.

What are the key factors that have contributed to your company's success?

1. Partnership-driven – we embed ourselves in our clients' businesses, working as an extension of their leadership teams rather than an external agency.
2. Commercial and creative – we combine brand strategy with commercial acumen, ensuring that branding isn’t just about aesthetics but drives tangible business outcomes.
3. Deep sector expertise – our work with tech scale-ups, VC/PE-backed firms, and sustainability-focused businesses means we understand the nuances of these industries.
4. A strong network – our relationships with investors, founders, and strategic partners have been instrumental in our growth.
5. A brilliant team – we operate an associate model, bringing together best-in-class talent to suit the specific needs of each project.

What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs looking to start a business?

• Own your space – be clear on your value, your expertise, and what differentiates you.
• Surround yourself with the right people – build a strong support network of mentors, peers, and champions who will lift you up.
• Don’t wait for perfection – get started, test, iterate, and refine as you go. Listen and keep learning.
• Back yourself – and build your tribe.

How do you balance work and personal life as an entrepreneur?

Balance is an ongoing challenge, but I’ve learned that integration works better than separation. Instead of striving for a perfect work-life balance, I focus on setting priorities and boundaries. I also believe in designing a business that works for the life you want - not the other way around. Some practical things that help:

• Protecting time for family, exercise, and downtime.
• No one does this alone – don’t be scared to ask for help.
• Sometimes stepping away is the most productive thing you can do. 

Ultimately, balance is about being intentional – choosing where to invest your time and energy to create a business and life that align with your values.

We would like to thank Natasha for taking the time to share her experiences and insights!

If you would like to discuss any of the points raised in this article, please get in touch with your Burges Salmon contact or the Emerging Companies Team on [email protected]. In addition to providing legal advice generally to start-ups, scale-ups, founders, and investors, we deliver legal advice to early-stage companies through the firm’s legal accelerator: BScale, with the aim of supporting early-stage businesses in scaling up their operations by providing corporate, regulatory, tax, employment, IP and commercial advice.

Written by Eleanor Furlong and Joanna Gray