Meet Marc Iskandar

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marc Iskandar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Marc, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I developed my confidence and self-esteem by pursuing what I truly love and surrounding myself with people who believed in me. In college, I stumbled across Alan Watts’ lecture on choosing passion over money. His words stuck with me: “The only way to truly master something is to be with it fully. And then you’ll be able to get a good fee for whatever it is.”

That single idea reshaped my path. I pivoted from pre-law into entrepreneurship, launching a start-up with zero marketing experience but an obsession with learning how to tell stories and shape vision. The company eventually failed after Series A, but what I gained was invaluable: an education in business, creativity, and resilience. One mentor gave me advice I’ll never forget: “When you ask for money, you get advice. When you ask for advice, you get money.” That mindset—lead with curiosity, not entitlement—has guided me ever since.

Confidence for me has never been about pretending to have all the answers. It’s about being an eternal student, willing to take risks, fail forward, and seek out those who’ve walked the path before me. Over time, that humility became a strength.

The cornerstone of my confidence, though, comes from my wife and partner, Christina. She has always bet on me, even when I doubted myself. Her unwavering belief gave me the security to pursue the work I really wanted to do and the courage to grow into the role of full-stack marketer—and even into creative pursuits I never imagined for myself.

When we combined our skill sets to launch Nurture Productivity, we redefined what success meant. Not a headcount or a fancy office, but building a business on our own terms, taking smart risks, and trusting we’d grow through every outcome. Seeing that vision come to life has been the ultimate source of confidence. In just two years, without running a single ad, Christina doubled her former corporate salary. The results speak for themselves: confidence grows when you pursue what you love, with the right people beside you.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Marc Iskandar, Co-Founder of Nurture Productivity, where I work alongside my wife, Christina, to help boutique marketing agencies grow with clarity and confidence. I come from a background that blends entrepreneurship, full-stack marketing, and a deep focus on AI and automation.

My journey started in college when I pivoted away from a pre-law track to launch my first start-up. I had no formal training in marketing or design at the time, but I became obsessed with learning how to tell stories, connect with audiences, and build something from the ground up. That venture eventually failed after Series A funding, but it gave me a crash course in business, marketing, and resilience that I still carry with me. Since then, I’ve honed my craft as a full-stack marketer, leading teams, running campaigns, and developing the ability to create end-to-end strategies that tie directly to growth.

What excites me most today is how agencies can leverage technology, especially AI and automation, to reclaim time, strengthen client delivery, and scale sustainably. At Nurture, Christina and I combine our strengths: her expertise in systems and operations with a focus on marketing strategy and advanced tools like ClickUp and HubSpot and my Full Stack marketing and AI approach. It’s this pairing that allows us to design solutions that are both people-first and future-ready.

Recently, we reached an exciting milestone: advancing from HubSpot Providers to official HubSpot Solutions Partners. This opens the door for our clients to benefit from stronger integrations, faster implementations, and direct partner resources. For me, it’s not just about the tech itself (although, HubSpot is the best!), it’s about giving agency owners the freedom to focus on their creative strengths while knowing their systems can handle the pressure of growth.
At the end of the day, that’s what drives me: helping good people build businesses they love, with tools that support them instead of overwhelm them.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities have shaped my journey more than anything else: non-specialization, embracing change, and building strong relationships.

Non-specialization. Contrary to what most guidance counselors advised, not narrowing myself too early became a strength. I’ve always loved learning across disciplines—whether leading teams of over a hundred people or working in deeply independent roles. I make it a point to fully listen when others share their passions, and I’m almost always working through an audiobook. This cross-pollination of ideas gives me a unique problem-solving lens, allowing me to connect dots that others might not see. My advice: don’t be afraid to explore widely. The skills you pick up outside your “lane” often end up becoming your edge.

Embracing change. On a gut level, most of us resist change, but it’s the one constant in life and business. I still remember when a friend first introduced me to ChatGPT—my first reaction was half-joking, “Oh no, is it too late to shut down Skynet?” But when I slowed down, I remembered that every wave of change comes with opportunity for those willing to embrace it. People have been predicting the end of creative work for decades. The typewriter was supposed to kill layout designers. Photoshop was going to wipe out illustrators. Later, Canva was “the death of graphic design.” And yet, we’re still here. Tools evolve, but creativity endures.

I don’t believe ChatGPT will be running businesses any more than Microsoft Word ever did. What I do believe is that those who learn how to use new tools as they emerge gain a massive advantage over those who resist them. The winners aren’t the ones who fight change—they’re the ones who adapt quickly, get curious, and put new capabilities to work.

Relationships. More than any skill, relationships have shaped my career. I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who challenged me, supported me, and guided me through critical decisions. Their impact has been immeasurable. Whether you’re inside a company or building your own, relationships are the currency of growth. My advice: invest in them authentically. Be curious, give more than you take, and surround yourself with people who’ve walked the path you want to follow.

Together, these three qualities—breadth of learning, openness to change, and genuine relationships—have given me the confidence to navigate an unpredictable world. For those just starting out, cultivate them early. They’ll carry you further than any single skill ever could.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes! We’re always looking to connect with marketing agency owners who share our passion for building sustainable, fulfilling, and creatively-driven businesses. The people we collaborate best with are leaders who care as much about their team’s well-being as they do about growth, and who recognize that streamlined systems unlock better work, happier clients, and more freedom for creativity.

If you’re running an agency and feeling the strain of growth—maybe a key resignation has left you scrambling, or new client demand is stretching your capacity—we’d love to explore how we can help. Sometimes that looks like simplifying workflows, other times it’s leveraging automation and AI to take the pressure off. The common thread is creating clarity and space for your best work to shine.

One of our recent collaborations with a boutique agency resulted in a 27% lift in billable hours after we rebuilt their project management system. Results like that fuel us, because they show just how powerful the right systems can be.
If this resonates with you, the easiest way to start a conversation is to email me directly at [email protected] or visit nurtureproductivity.com. No pressure, no sales scripts—just a genuine conversation to see how we can support your vision.

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