Fractional CMO Karen McFarlane on Inclusive Marketing

On Brand with Nick Westergaard

Karen McFarlane is the founder and CMO of Kaye Media, a fractional marketing firm for startups to enterprises. With over 25 years of experience, Karen is renowned for her transformative purpose-driven brand strategies and has been recognized for her leadership and deep commitment to equity and belonging. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.

About Karen McFarlane

Karen McFarlane, the founder of Kaye Media, is a seasoned marketing executive with over 25 years of experience. Her expertise in shaping compelling brand narratives and strategies has guided businesses toward transformative growth and market clarity. Karen's role extends beyond her company, as evidenced by her impactful tenure as President of the New York chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), where she earned eight Chapter Excellence Awards and now champions equity as the Chair of DEI Innovation.

Additionally, Karen serves on the Board of the Hudson Valley Credit Union, New York's fifth-largest credit union. Her influence is also felt nationally as the President-Elect and DEI Co-Chair for the AMA’s Professional Chapters Council and through her work with Momentum and Value for People of Color, where she champions equitable opportunities for young people of color. Recognized as a thought leader, Karen frequently speaks on inclusive marketing and conflict resolution, and her contributions to the field have earned her recognition as one of the most notable figures in marketing and PR by Crain’s Business.

Karen's commitment to advancing racial and gender equity in Corporate America is evident through her passion project, Colossal Work, underscoring her dedication to driving meaningful and sustainable change.

Links from the Show

• Karen was recently President of the New York chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA).
• She also is the incoming chair of AMA’s Professional Chapters Council.
• Keep an eye on Karen's passion project Colossal Work (coming in January).

What brand has made Karen smile recently? Karen was our first fractional CMO guest and she was also the first guest to smile over her own brand. “I didn't want it to be about me. I wanted it to reflect me,” Karen shared of the new work done for her new brand Colossal Work coming in January.

Connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

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Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

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