🥁 From the Drum Kit to the Boardroom: Michael Marckx on Building Brands, Careers, and a Life Well-Lived

Michael Marckx’s career doesn’t read like a straight ladder climb—it’s a masterclass in following curiosity, saying yes to unexpected detours, and bringing your whole self (athlete, musician, strategist, dad, leader) to the work you do.

From his early days as a marathon-running, surf-obsessed econ major at UC Irvine to leading brand turnarounds at Surfing Magazine, Ocean Pacific, Spy, Globe, and beyond, Michael has built a career at the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce. He’s the founder of Monuments of Cycling and creator of the Belgian Waffle Ride—now the largest gravel race series in the world—and has collaborated with icons from DEVO to Metallica to The Clash.

In this conversation, Michael shares the stories (and the lessons) behind the big moments—and the quiet ones—that shaped his path. We talk about turning warehouse jobs into career springboards, using music as a marketing teacher, building brands from the ground up, leading with consistency, and redefining what “winning” looks like after life-changing setbacks.

🔍What We Cover:

• How curiosity, breadth of experience, and saying “yes” to sideways opportunities built Michael’s creative toolkit
• The brand-building playbook: vision, mission, values, and why most companies skip the basics
• Why reliability often beats raw talent (in music, business, and beyond)
• Lessons from brand turnarounds at OP, Spy, and more
• The throughline between drumming in a band and leading creative teams
• Surfrider, sustainability, and aligning your work with your values
• Career advice for early-stage professionals: consistency, relationships, and asking better questions in interviews
• How accidents, setbacks, and even fraud shaped his resilience and perspective
  
  

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“You do a good job. Other people notice it. They ask, ‘Who did that?’”

“Find mentors within the building that can help fashion your career.”

“It was a super fun turnaround story and it only could have happened by a legion of people all believing the same thing and making magic happen.”

🎧 Listen if you are:

• A leader looking to reset, transform, or re-energize your brand
• An aspiring or early-career marketer, creative, or brand builder
• Someone navigating a career pivot or recovering from a professional setback
• A fan of action sports, endurance events, or music—and curious how they intersect with business strategy

📌 Links to Know About:

About Michael:
Michael Marckx is a Brand Leader, Creative Marketing Strategist, Event Producer, Keynote Speaker, and Lecturer. He’s the founder of Monuments of Cycling and creator of the Belgian Waffle Ride. He’s led brand and marketing strategy at adidas, Nixon, Billabong, OP, Spy, Globe, and Surfing Magazine, and has served as Chairman of the Board for the Surfrider Foundation. More about Michael at linkedin.com/in/ibemmx. 

Watch a great TEDx talk that he gave here. 

Check out Monuments of Cycling.

Show music by Lidérc.