In a world where traditional marketing often prioritizes profits over principles, we believe in growth— but not at any cost. It’s time to redefine success by transforming your marketing approach from manipulative tactics to a conscious, value-driven strategy. The Conscious Marketing Movement’s mission is to empower businesses to build authentic connections, create positive impact, and achieve sustainable growth while staying true to their values.
We asked Claudia Guerreiro about the Conscious Marketing Movement and what does it mean to her.
–Why did you start this movement, and how did you create the platform?
I started the Conscious Marketing Movement (CMM) because of my personal experience in the marketing industry. I’ve worked in marketing for several years, but over time, I began to feel that this industry wasn’t for me. The main reason was the common “growth at all costs” mentality, which didn’t match my values. I didn’t like using aggressive tactics or strategies that could hurt people just to increase sales.
At one point, I thought about quitting the industry. But instead of leaving, I decided to try to change it from within. I wanted to show that marketing could be done in a more compassionate and empathetic way, where we can connect with people on a deeper level and build trust.
In January 2023, I applied for The Break Fellowship with this idea in mind. The fellowship gave me the opportunity to develop the concept further and connect with an incredible network of women entrepreneurs and freelancers, including Zsidai Zsuzsanna, who has been very supportive.
After the fellowship ended in June 2023, I spent the next few months, from July to September, focusing on building the platform. By October and November 2023, I was able to turn those insights into action and create a team to bring it to life. Many of the team members came from The Break Fellowship, and others I met along the way. I’m proud to say my team is entirely made up of women, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have them by my side.
In December 2023, we started a pilot period, which lasted until March 2024. After testing the platform and refining it, we officially launched the community in March 2024. Now, in October 2024, it has been one year since I founded the business, and I’m very happy with the positive impact we’ve made.
Conscious Marketing is important to me because it aligns my work with my values, helps me connect with people, and brings more satisfaction to my career. It has shown that marketing can be done with kindness and empathy while still being effective.
–What does CMM mean to you?
I imagine a world where conscious marketing becomes the standard, not just something niche. That’s the vision we want to bring to life with the Conscious Marketing Movement. We have many ways to create an impact, like through our online community, co-living retreats, podcast, and much more. Our hope is to make marketing a force for good, where ethical and compassionate practices lead the way.
Video: https://youtu.be/m8OoSGPI-HE?feature=shared
–The latest research show that Z generation considers social responsibility and substainability seriously when choosing a brand or a product. Do you have similar experience? Who resonates more with CMM?
Yes, we see a similar trend. Our learners are a diverse group, including young professionals just starting their careers and experienced professionals looking to enhance their skills and connect with like-minded individuals. They work in various roles—full-time, part-time, freelance, as contractors or entrepreneurs for small and medium-sized companies. But what connects them is their passion for more ethical marketing practices. They want to be part of a community that values integrity and long-term positive change.
We are also proud to support diversity and inclusion with our DEI Membership. We welcome people from all backgrounds who want to adopt Conscious Marketing and contribute to a more sustainable and responsible business world.
–How does CMM community work?
The Conscious Marketing Movement online community is built on three core pillars: learn, connect, and grow. This structure is based on insights gathered from extensive market research, as well as continuous feedback from our members. We are committed to maintaining a growth mindset and evolving with the needs of our community.
To better understand how it all works, you can check out this short video:
– I’m here since the beginning of this journey and I’m so glad to see how many things did happen – just within a year! That is really incredible! The community is growing, you participate in international events where you talk about CMM. What do you think, what is the biggest mile stone you have achieved so far? What was the happiest moment and what was the most challaneging one?
Thank you so much, dear Zsidai Zsuzsanna, for being with me from the beginning. Your support means everything, and having you as a founding member and partner is truly special.
To answer your question, there have been many happy moments and some tough ones too. The happiest moments for me have been launching the movement, speaking at the Climate & Social Justice event in Lisbon in October 2024, organised by the Ethical Assembly, and connecting with our community members every Friday. On the other hand, we’ve faced challenges, like the scepticism around our work and the lack of financial support. Without my side job, it would be hard to keep CMM running. But I’m hopeful that next year, with the new projects we have in mind, things will improve.
–You are building amazing cooperations. What is your advise for SMEs, how to work and cooperate fairly?
I believe partnerships are a great way to grow consciously. Recently, I realised that the mission of the Conscious Marketing Movement had become so big that it was overwhelming to manage everything on my own. So, I chose to focus on what I do best and collaborate with organisations that are already excelling in their own fields.
But partnerships shouldn’t be rushed. One important thing I’ve learned is that building strong, fair partnerships takes time—trust isn’t built overnight. It’s about nurturing relationships and allowing them to grow naturally over time, rather than aiming for quick results.
When collaborating, it’s important to focus on shared values and long-term goals, not just short-term benefits. You should invest time in understanding each other’s strengths and vision. By doing this, you create a foundation of trust and mutual respect. True, fair partnerships develop gradually and become stronger as both parties contribute to a shared impact.
–What is your plan for the next 1 year?
As a startup and small business, we’re taking things step by step, but we have big and exciting plans for the next two years. Our focus is on growing the Conscious Marketing Movement slowly and steadily while keeping a strong emphasis on sustainable, purpose-driven growth. We’re careful not to get ahead of ourselves or overpromise and will continue to share our key milestones as they happen.
In the pipeline, we have some exciting initiatives, including our coliving retreat with AGAIA Coliving in October 2025, more episodes of our Conscious Marketing Movement podcast led by Daiva Dominyka, and new partnerships, among other surprises. We prefer to keep some details under wraps for now and let them unfold at the right time. Stay tuned!
