Disrupters focus on the target audience – what’s important,  their aspirations, their disappointments and most importantly how they connect and interact with the world.

The currency of marketing is no longer reach, exposure, influence, or even sales. It’s dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins.

It’s about emotions and connections and joy and self-worth. It’s about identity, belonging, and feeling valued, and when a brand can evoke those things, people will align themselves with that brand in a way that will transcend any fleeting promotions a competitor may mount.

As industry experts in sport and strategic engagement, The Disrupters have a clear understanding of sport’s ability to unite in a way that little else does.

It is this unique and important connection coupled with end-to-end management of partnerships, that ensures your objectives are met, empowering you to deliver an authentic, meaningful experience for your business and audience.

Whether it is a strategic plan, Community engagement strategy, developing a Multicultural, Diversity or Reconciliation Action Plan, influencer campaign or a longer-term partnership you are seeking, we take the time to understand your business needs. Ensuring smooth implementation, continuous collaboration, and clear direction in the management of projects and partnerships is what we do.

Martin and Michelle Taupau are life partners, business partners and co-founders of The Disrupters

After meeting over a decade ago, both working in Rugby League they finally worked out that theirs was more than just a working relationship but rather the beginning of something much bigger.

With both of them already having established, successful careers across sport, they have developed strong personal and professional brands and many powerful partnerships that have positively disrupted the status quo.

Michelle & Martin are mission-driven messengers and take pride in helping brands, athletes and people connect in order to grow their brands and achieve their goals through strategically aligned partnerships.

At home, they have a beautiful loving family of 6 plus 3 fur babies (who, let’s face it, are the ones really in charge!) which is the greatest accomplishment of all!

Michelle Taupau

Michelle Taupau is the Managing Director and co-founder of The Disrupters and brings more than 20 years of experience in partnership and stakeholder engagement and management success across the public and private sectors.

Michelle has led strategic community and commercial direction and campaign management across organisations, including the National Rugby League, the Business Australia and Wests Tigers Rugby League Club.

With extensive knowledge and adept ability delivering large government, commercial and community partnerships, Michelle brings a wealth of experience in effective stakeholder and community engagement, program design and delivery, along with demonstrated success in securing commercial outcomes.

Michelle is a proud Board Director of Share the Dignity, a cause and organisation she is passionate about. She strongly believes in the purpose and mission of Share the Dignity, which aligns deeply with her personal values.

Share the Dignity is an Australian charity bringing dignity to women and girls experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty through the distribution of sanitary items.

Martin Taupau

Martin is a co-founder of The Disrupters and a current professional athlete with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Martin has 25 International test appearances representing New Zealand Kiwis and Toa Samoa in Rugby League and has played more than 170 NRL games in his NRL career.

With interest in Business, he is currently studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in sports management at the University of Technology in Sydney. Martin blends his experience across the sporting and business fields to connect with fellow athletes and support them in aligning their personal brand and interests with successful business outcomes.

The Disrupters have successfully managed Martins’ commercial portfolio for over 3 years now, and know what it takes to build to a strong brand and develop meaningful partnerships that impact and deliver results.

He has played professional sports for over a decade and is passionate about sharing his insights to enhance athletes and businesses’ elite sporting experience.