I’m kind of a big deal.
Actually, I just needed a headline for my About page, and this felt like a punchy way to start us off.
In short: I love this work. And Blistex. (If you’ve got a car chapstick and a desk chapstick and a nightstand chapstick…you’re my people.)
I love taking a chaotic house of brands and constructing a branded house that increases web traffic by 304% six months after launch.
Building a campaign focused on conversion that increases leads by 708% is my definition of fun.
I’ve worked in spaces that are thought of as challenging: waste, logistics, architecture, healthcare. These aren’t sexy industries that people and prospects are chomping at the bit to hear from.
But that’s why they’re my favorite spaces to work in. It’s where you just gotta dig in, test creative ideas (hello, Waste Management Tech Trends Report), and see what builds traction and pipeline. It’s a puzzle I like to solve, and fighting my way to a 523% increase in organic social impressions makes it all worth it.
And that means more than creating campaigns or playbooks: it requires understanding how people choose a company to solve their problem. When I build marketing roles and departments, I focus on that above all else.
I've managed multi-million-dollar acquisition budgets. I've also worked with budgets so small I wouldn’t even describe them as a budget. And I’ve generated results in both experiences.
But here’s what I’ve learned from them: the best marketing leaders aren't the ones with the deepest pockets. They're marketing architects who know how to create momentum where there is none.
I’ve done this throughout my career. And I’m ready to do it again. Just gotta grab my Blistex first…
The Eras Tour: Whitney’s Version
The career path that began with a local symphony’s marketing department and is now somehow worthy of documenting on a Squarespace website. Here’s the backstory of how I became the B2B growth marketing architect with a timeline of my eras. (And yes, proud Swifty. Two Eras tours under my belt, baby.)
The Intern Era
The experience that started it all. Was lucky enough to participate in a high school internship program where I tested out two careers for six weeks each. First stop: a radio station where they told me I just didn’t have a voice for radio. (Dearest reader: they were not wrong.) Then worked with the local symphony’s marketing department during their concert series and, while I was at a concert stamping passports for season ticket holders to secure a prize for attending, I remember thinking, “THIS is what I want to do.” Majored in business administration with a focus in marketing and never looked back. Doubled down with an MBA in 2008.
1999
The Disney Era
Summer 2001
The experience that started my love affair with exploring the world. Interviewed on Murray State’s campus for the Walt Disney World College Program. It was the last time the program ever offered the program for just the summer - lucky duck indeed. Was one of three interviewees who made the cut. Lived in a 3-bedroom house with six girls from across the country and spent my time playing on the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Playground and watching the Hunchback of Notre Dame show 478 times as an attractions hostess. May have come back home with a matching tattoo with a girl I had met 10 weeks earlier and a skydiving experience under my belt. Learned about attention to detail and delivering out-of-this-world customer service. I still point with two fingers. iykyk
The Enterprise Era
2003
Post-Disney I was looking for more experiences. Signed up for the National Student Exchange Program and spent a semester at the University of Nevada Las Vegas studying hospitality management. Stayed for a summer internship with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Won the $1,000 scholarship for pitching a loyalty program, which didn’t exist at the time. Learned about working long hours, showing up professionally, and handling disgruntled customers. Had a VP at Enterprise headquarters take my call when I wanted to ask questions about the lack of a loyalty program — learned a role with a big title doesn’t mean being too busy to help others.
The Euro Era
Summer 2004
More adventures were had. Spent three weeks in Europe with an international business program. Visited some of the largest corporate headquarters in Europe and explored Italy, Austria, Germany, France and England. Fell in love with branding at Swarovski’s offices, was mystified by the craftsmanship at Gucci, and was overwhelmed by the product technicalities at Oracle. Stayed another three weeks to explore, tried smoking because the Parisians looked cool doing it, ran out of money, and learned a new meaning to the word “budget.”
The Sales Enablement Era
2005-2008
First big girl job. Assisting sales pros at a cable advertising company with their marketing needs. Learned how to target customers on the right channels, how to write 30-second scripts, and how to create a killer slide deck. Got promoted to work in invoicing and somehow became the resident auditing expert in the post-Enron/Sarbanes-Oxley Act season. Enjoyed the hell out of the work perks of free concert tickets.
The Oklahoma Era
2008-2012
My first experience pioneering a role. Was the first marketing hire with an additional focus on business development at an architectural firm specializing in historical restoration in Oklahoma. Took a business development workshop and learned networking isn’t selfish - it’s about being genuinely open to learning about people’s roles and how you can help them. Spent a lot of time at events and writing RFPs - one time driving 5 hours round trip to drop off a physical copy to ensure we made the bid deadline. Won the local chamber’s Small Business of the Year award.
The Double Act Era
2012-2015
Became a mom and moved to Nashville. Transitioned to part-time work. Helped set up a medical practice’s marketing engine. Learned about referral marketing and how to get past the front desk. Had another baby and strictly focused on snuggling my two towheads for a year.
The Photography & Event Era
2015-2020
Then I picked up a camera. And couldn’t put it down. Completed a Project 365, where I shot, edited, and posted a photo every day for a year. Launched a small photography business, ending up booking celebrity clients. Was accepted to Click Pro and had work published in magazines. Met a ton of online photography friends. Decided I wanted to meet those photo friends in person: co-founded a photography retreat that brought together photography (what we now know as) influencers with people who wanted to learn from them. Sold out in 24 hours in its second year. Learned how to sell sponsorships (grew that funding by 25% YoY) and how to manage creatives (like herding cats).
The Agency Era
2020-2022
Then COVID hit. And those photography gigs and events weren’t happening anymore, and I needed to pivot. Picked up the book Comeback Careers and was inspired to return to marketing. Realized I used a lot of my marketing chops during my photography days. Found a 10-hour gig at a California-based digital marketing agency, earned full-time hours within two months. Became a DMI Certified Digital Marketing Professional & AMA Professional Certified Marketer to ensure my marketing skills were up-to-date in the new marketing landscape. Learned how to write strong social copy with each client’s voice, how to show up in search rankings, and how to get leads with Google.
The Digital Marketing Era
2022-2023
Knew I was ready for a bigger role. Landed the first digital marketing manager role at a late-stage logistics startup. Worked for an awesome team that showed me the ropes in RevOps, Sales Enablement, and Product Marketing. Enjoyed all the tools an enterprise budget allows: 6sense, Salesforce, Gartner reports, sales enablement & gifting platforms. Got to use my photography editing skills when I took over ad graphics when the team lost our graphic designer. Learned about corporate culture, writing ad copy that converts, how to allocate and attribute a 7-figure marketing budget, and the importance of everyone being on board with following the brand guide and tone of voice.
The Director Era
2023-2026
Learned the gamble of working at a startup - job security. Was laid off from the logistics startup with ~100 co-workers and most of the marketing team. Landed another pioneering role as the first marketing hire at a SaaS company in the waste industry. Spent two and a half years building the marketing function from scratch: restructuring the brand presentation, establishing a brand voice and industry POV, developing product marketing intel, building attribution models, creating sales enablement material, building a team, launching campaigns, and learning how to be creative with lean resources. Launched a rebrand, a new website, new social channels, a field marketing motion, an industry event, a podcast…just to name a few. Was a part of the leadership team that grew the business 31% YoY.
Next Era Loading…
Summer 2026
And now I’m ready to do it all again! I am actively looking for a Senior Director or VP role at a B2B business that’s ready to grow. Is this something you’re looking for? Hit me up.
Let’s Chat!
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