25 years of CMO-level marketing leadership — from dial-up internet and the early days of e-commerce to leading AI-era brand strategy. Now available to the brands that are ready to move.
I've been a working marketing executive through every major digital era — from building one of the first hotel websites in 1995, to marketing Wi-Fi to consumers who'd never heard of it, to launching a brand's first social media presence before anyone had a social media playbook.
What I've seen is a pattern. Every new wave of technology creates a window of extraordinary opportunity — for the brands that move with intention, not panic. AI is that wave, right now. And I'm here to help challenger brands navigate it without losing what makes them matter.
My work is operator-first. I don't consult from the sidelines — I've built teams, run campaigns, managed agencies, restructured marketing orgs, and held the P&L. That's what you're getting.
Full resume available upon request — kelly@cmointhewild.com
Engagements are structured around your real situation — not a packaged retainer that doesn't fit. Most clients start with a strategy sprint and move into ongoing partnership.
For brands that feel unclear about who they are, who they're for, or why anyone should choose them. We get that right before we spend a dollar on marketing.
Not a deck that collects dust. A plan that accounts for budget reality, team capacity, and the channels that actually move your specific customer.
Based on The Orchestrated Marketing Org framework — a blueprint for how marketing teams need to restructure for AI. Built from real operator experience, not theory.
Ongoing strategic leadership without the full-time headcount. I become your marketing lead — attending leadership meetings, managing vendors, setting strategy, and keeping the team moving.
Kencko arrived with a product people loved and a DTC model that had found its footing — but the next stage of growth required a fundamentally different playbook. The brand needed to break into major retail chains, win shelf space in a competitive wellness category, and build the marketing infrastructure to sustain it. There was no retail team, no trade framework, and no channel strategy for what was about to become a 10,000-door expansion.
Magic Leap had spent years in stealth mode building spatial computing technology that few people outside the company had seen. The pivot from a consumer-facing mystery to a credible B2B enterprise platform required rebuilding the brand from the ground up — repositioning for a developer and enterprise buyer who needed proof, not promise. The company had a $2B valuation and almost no public-facing marketing infrastructure.
This company was ranked #12 globally in the toy industry when I joined. The mandate was aggressive: accelerate into top-tier status through licensing, new IP, and international expansion — while managing $500M+ P&Ls across a portfolio that included some of the world's most recognized brands. Within two years, the company had moved to #4. The challenge wasn't just growth. It was building the marketing architecture to sustain it across 20+ international markets simultaneously.
When I joined Cartoon Network, the marketing org still thought in terms of TV schedules and print. Social media didn't exist as a marketing discipline. Mobile apps weren't a strategy. Digital gaming was an experiment. I built the frameworks — and the teams — that turned one of the world's most beloved entertainment brands into a digital-first global operation, establishing practices that became standard across the industry.
Kelly knows how to mobilize a team, set clear goals, and drive real results across all spectrums of marketing. She is a dangerous triple-threat — technology savvy, C-Suite caliber leadership, and Fortune 500 consumer brand experience.
Kelly can walk into a project with limited structure and figure things out while still delivering. Analytical mind, creative approach, deep understanding of brand. We quickly became a leader in this space thanks to her work.
Her intuition in marketing and ability to predict trends provided incredible focus — resulting in effective campaigns and strategies. Kelly brings the best out of everyone and leads by example. Any organization would be lucky to have her.
Whip smart, creative, and strategic — and genuinely fun to work with. Kelly gives great direction without being prescriptive, and adds value with every interaction. Work with her if you get the chance. You will not regret it.
Alongside the consulting practice, I publish content for marketers, founders, and SMB owners who want to understand what AI actually means for their work — without the hype, without the jargon. One practical insight at a time.
No pitch decks. No intake forms. Just a real conversation about where your brand is and where you want it to go.
kelly@cmointhewild.com
