Melina Polly
Marketing & Brand Consultant
at self
I build brands that drive business and shape culture. Over the past two decades, I’ve helped shape some of the most iconic names in tech and consumer — Apple, Airbnb, Adidas, and Headspace — and co-founded a purpose-led DTC startup from the ground up.
I’ve led marketing and creative organizations from startup to scale, teams from 2–350 people, managed global P&Ls, launched integrated campaigns, managed cross-functional teams, and guided companies through high-stakes moments including IPO. I’ve also built in-house agency models for Apple and Airbnb — bridging brand vision with operational execution and global delivery.
Career highlights include:
- Building and leading Apple’s international advertising through the iPhone and App Store era, creating a global agency network and leading all campaigns
- Leading Airbnb’s post-IPO brand transformation and scaling global marketing
- Co-founding Henry Rose, the first EWG and Cradle to Cradle certified fragrance brand (DTC/omnichannel)
- Repositioning Headspace to bring meditation into the cultural mainstream
Operating Expert Rating
Articles by Melina Polly
Unblocking Startup Growth: Best Practices for Sales Discovery & Qualification with Richard Harris
Startups are in a constant race against time and resources, navigating complex sales environments with lean teams and limited margins for error. In a recent session from the Mucker Growth...
The LinkedIn Playbook: How Startup Founders Can Stand Out & Scale
This LinkedIn Playbook is based on insights from a recent one-time Mucker Growth Session webinar featuring LinkedIn growth experts Alec Paul (Founder of SalesBrand) and Kyle Williams (Founder of Brickstack)....
DeepSeek vs OpenAI: Comparison Breakdown and What It Means For Your Tech Startup With Dan Cleary
In this recent webinar of our Mucker Growth Series, we discussed the evolving AI landscape with Dan Cleary, founder of PromptHub. He provided an in-depth breakdown of DeepSeek vs. OpenAI,...
Building Product Without Knowing Code With Adam New Waterson
In a deep dive into AI-driven product development, Adam New-Waterson, a former CMO turned Chief Product Officer and now solopreneur, shared how non-technical founders can harness the power of AI...
How To Build An Automated Sales Outreach Engine For Startups with ColdIQ
Many B2B startups (and even larger organizations) are unable to be successful with their outbound sales strategy because they take a lazy, “batch-and-blast” approach. In a recent Mucker Growth Series...
Navigating the AI Sales Tools Landscape To Grow Your Startup With Blue Bowen
We had the privilege of hosting, Eugene “Blue” Bowen, Research Principal from G2, one of the leading software marketplaces and review sites that cover a broad range of B2B solutions....
