Grounded: The Rise of Stax. from Humble Beginnings to Cult Status with Matilda Robertson

From packing orders in a spare room to building one of Australia’s most cult-loved activewear brands, this episode of Core and Commerce goes behind the scenes of Stax. with co-founder and Director of PR, Matilda Robertson. A brand personally favorited by host Perry Howell’s pilates and wellness community, this highly requested episode delivers. Before viral drops, celebrity co-signs from Jennifer Lopez, and sold-out seamless collections, Stax. was scrappy—think storage units without electricity, Wi-Fi borrowed from the pavement, and photoshoots with bedsheets pinned to walls. Matilda didn’t inherit a polished business; she built it alongside her husband from the ground up, learning in real time how to navigate risk, resilience, and the realities of working with your life partner. In this episode, Matilda shares the unfiltered journey—from dropping out of school and working in beauty therapy to accidentally pioneering influencer marketing in Australia. She opens up about balancing structure with instinct, handling customer feedback at scale, and why inclusivity isn’t a marketing strategy at Stax.—it’s a non-negotiable.   We also dive into: - The early hustle that turned community into currency - Building a brand that makes women feel confident—at any size - The highs (hello, J.Lo) and the hard lessons behind rapid growth - Why scaling back can sometimes be the smartest move forward And how Matilda and her husband make business and marriage work This is a conversation about more than activewear—it’s about intuition, grit, and creating a brand people genuinely feel part of. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to build a modern consumer brand—or how to trust your path when it doesn’t look like anyone else’s—this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Stax 01:31 Matilda Origins 04:33 Safe Jobs to Risk 06:35 Beauty to Confidence 08:43 Body Image Culture 12:25 Community Feedback Loop 16:06 Scrappy Startup Days 21:14 Influencer Playbook 23:27 JLo Paparazzi Lesson 25:37 Celebrity Spotting Wins 26:21 Pause Before You Post 27:50 Inclusivity In Every Size 30:56 Retail Expansion Reality Check 34:14 Marriage As Co-Founders 39:45 Leading As Good Cop Bad Cop 41:07 Rapid Fire Favorites 44:28 Health Habits And Treats 46:18 Mantras And Unsexy Work 47:51 Legacy And Next Year Vision   Core & Commerce is the space where ambition meets wellbeing. Hosted by Perry Howell, marketing leader, wellness founder, and media powerhouse - and inspired by her own journey of redefining success, balance, and health. Bringing realness to wellness, each episode goes deep in honest, unfiltered conversations with the founders, creators, and innovators moving the wellness world forward. If you enjoy the show, subscribing, rating, and leaving a review makes a real difference. It helps the podcast reach new listeners and allows me to keep creating intentional conversations like this one.   Subscribe to Core & Commerce on all platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCV1IYtabu3mc3SGxRDc5EiA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/core-commerce/id1858299411 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VO0pBexqGMMCNM3kXnafC?si=6Uk3WZRaSMy-s2wa2l5F4Q   Follow Core & Commerce: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreandcomm/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coreandcomm   Follow Perry Howell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perryhowell/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrymhowell/ Website: https://www.perryhowell.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@perryhowell_ ShopMy Episode Look: https://shopmy.us/shop/perryhowell Amazon Picks: https://www.amazon.com.au/shop/perryhowell?ref_=hype_hm_sf_e   Follow Matilda Robertson: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matilda_murray_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matildamurray__   Explore Stax.: Web: https://stax.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staxofficial_/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@staxofficial_