In the June-August 2026 issue of NZ Marketing magazine, we asked agency founders to tell us the story behind why they started their agency, their favourite thing, what they’ve learned and their best advice.
Studio Moda
- Founder: Danelle Ayers
- Year founded: 2024
Tell us the story behind founding your agency.
I started Moda to create the kind of agency support I always wished I’d had when I was working in hotels. The kind that could plug in quickly, understand the pressure and instinctively get both the commercial goals and the creative opportunity.
I’d seen how much hotel marketing was missing storytelling, emotion and the kind of creative thinking that makes people really want to be part of a brand. Too much of it felt functional when hospitality should feel anything but. So Moda was born out of that gap – to help time-poor hoteliers bring more feeling, originality and brand love into their marketing, with a partner who truly understands the industry from the inside out.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own agency?
My favourite thing about running Moda is the freedom that comes with building something that’s completely my own.
I love being in charge of my own destiny and creating something from scratch, in a way that feels true to me. I also love the variety – getting to work across different brands, each with their own story, personality and potential, rather than being tied to the same thing all the time.
One of the most rewarding parts has been working with amazing clients and incredible collaborators, and building a team of brilliant humans around me who bring so much to the work.
For me, it’s that mix of freedom, flexibility, creativity and connection – being able to build beautiful, meaningful work with great people and shape the kind of business and life I genuinely want.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is to back yourself and the work. If you believe in what you’re building and commit to it fully, other people start to trust your vision too.
I’ve also learned that business is all about relationships and connection – trust matters enormously. And finally, to trust the process.
Things take time, but when you keep showing up, stay true to what you believe in and do good work, momentum builds. That’s when something small can turn into something quite powerful.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or given out?
As touched on in the previous question, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is to back yourself and back the work.
When you’re building something of your own, self-belief matters. If you believe in what you’re creating, stand behind it properly and keep showing up with consistency, other people start to believe in it too.
That doesn’t mean you won’t have doubts along the way, but I’ve learned how important it is to trust your instincts and trust your vision. For me, that mindset has been a big part of building Moda – having the confidence to believe in the value of the work, stay committed to it and trust that the right momentum will come.
Anything else we should know?
For me, building Moda has been about creating the kind of business I truly believe in – one grounded in creativity, strong relationships, meaningful work and a genuine understanding of hospitality.
A big part of that has also been learning how important it is to have great people on your team. Surrounding yourself with the right people – those who share your mindset, your passion and your standards – is incredibly powerful.
When the right team and collaborators come together with the same values, it creates a kind of energy and momentum that’s pretty inspiring. It means it doesn’t really feel like work at the end of the day.
That’s what I love the most.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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