Over the past few years, I’ve seen too many smart, capable marketers step into senior roles only to burn out—or quietly opt out. Not because they lacked skill or drive, but because they were handed a title without the support, clarity, or authority to succeed.

I’ve lived it myself. And now, through Grounded Growth Studio, I work with founders who want to break that cycle and build something better.

In my latest article for Forbes, I unpack what’s really going wrong with modern marketing leadership—and how we fix it. From performance marketing’s influence on role design, to the pressure of revenue ownership without control, to the blurred lines between strategy and execution, this piece is a look at the bigger picture.

Creative work doesn’t happen without trust.

That’s true whether you’re shaping a brand, building a new campaign, or just trying to get a team to think beyond the backlog. When people don’t trust each other—or their leadership—they hold back. The energy shifts. The collaboration slows. And the work reflects it.

That’s why I was honored to contribute to this recent Forbes Communications Council feature: 20 Proven Ways To Build Trust Among Creative Teams

It’s a round-up of real-world ideas from creative and marketing leaders across industries—tactical ways to build team trust, encourage creative risk-taking, and strengthen culture. If you’re scaling a team, rebuilding one, or just want to create a more thoughtful rhythm of collaboration, this article is a great place to start.

Before you hire (or rehire) marketing leadership, ask yourself these 5 questions.
Because churn isn’t about bad talent, it’s about a misaligned setup. And fixing it starts at the top.

You’re back here again.

Staring down another marketing leadership search.
Wondering if this time it’ll finally work.
Maybe your last hire didn’t stick. Or maybe they stayed—but the results didn’t.
You thought you’d found someone great. Maybe they were great. But somewhere between the job description and the day-to-day, things went sideways.

You're not alone, but before you post that next job spec or bring someone new on board, take a breath. These five questions can help you shift the setup—so your next hire has the clarity, authority, and support they actually need to succeed.

Pumpkin-flavored everything is on the horizon. Budget season is creeping closer. And like clockwork, the business world is bracing for the usual fall frenzy — inboxes overflowing, calendars filling, pressure mounting.

But here’s the truth:
Your Q4 results? They’re already in motion.
The decisions you make right now, in the final stretch of summer, shape the traction you’ll feel when the market speeds back up.

That’s what makes this season so valuable. Even if you're still in motion, summer creates a different kind of rhythm. One that makes it just a little easier to step back, scan the horizon, and think about what needs to shift before the end-of-year push.

Internal comms is often the quiet engine of a healthy organization—but it rarely gets the time, tools, or headcount it deserves. In departments like HR or ops, where writing might not be a core skill, that challenge only grows.

That’s where AI is shifting the game.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other communications leaders to share tactical, creative ways teams are using AI to elevate internal messaging. The article, “How To Streamline Comms And Craft Better Internal Content: 20 AI Tips,” is full of quick wins for anyone trying to engage internal stakeholders without burning out their bandwidth.

Hiring creative talent is more than reviewing resumes or checking portfolios. It’s about spotting the spark—the instinct to push boundaries, solve real-world problems, and bring fresh energy to the work. In a world where marketing is changing daily, that spark matters more than ever.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other marketing leaders to share smart, practical strategies for identifying truly creative candidates. The full article is a toolkit for anyone building a high-impact team—whether you're hiring your first marketer or growing a full department.

I talk to a lot of founders who are rightly skeptical of automation. They don’t want robotic drip campaigns or soulless cold emails. They want real relationships, thoughtful outreach, and a brand that feels like them. I get it. I feel the same way.

But here’s the thing: the right automation doesn’t take the human out of marketing—it gives you time and headspace to be more human where it counts.

So if you're trying to scale without sacrificing authenticity, here are five things worth automating. Each of them is designed to help you show up with relevance and care, not just efficiency.

Being a founder can feel incredibly lonely, especially when it comes to growth.

You're expected to deliver results quickly, often without a clear roadmap, full team, or the right support. You might be leading sales and marketing by default, juggling investor expectations, and trying to figure out how to build real momentum without burning out.

And you’re not the only one.

What I hear over and over from founders is a familiar mix of hope, pressure, and uncertainty. You’ve got the vision. You’re building something valuable. But the growth side often feels like a puzzle no one gave you all the pieces to solve.

The Growth Circle is a new initiative from Grounded Growth Studio designed to support founders like you by creating space for honest storytelling and practical learning. It is a community-first effort built on the belief that we grow better when we learn from each other’s real experiences, not just highlight reels.

In today’s world, reputations move at the speed of social—and one misstep can trigger a full-blown PR crisis. But the best crisis response starts long before there’s ever a headline.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other communications leaders to share one simple rule we each follow to help companies prevent PR crises before they start.

After historic floods devastated parts of Central Texas, including the destruction of Camp Mystic, I'm reflecting on the heartbreak so many families are facing. As a Central Texas native and mother of four, this tragedy hits especially close to home. To support the recovery, I’m donating 5% of all new Grounded Growth Studio contracts through the end of July to the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN), which is providing direct aid to those impacted.

In B2B, trust is the real currency—and it starts long before a contract is signed. In this Forbes feature, I joined 19 other leaders to share how companies can build credibility from the very first touchpoint. My take? Lead with insight, not a pitch. Because people don’t buy from logos—they buy from brands that understand them.

Starting July 10, 2025, Instagram will begin allowing Google and other search engines to index public posts from professional accounts, including photos, videos, and Reels.

That means your Instagram content could soon show up in Google search results, right alongside traditional web pages, blog posts, and news articles. It’s a big shift—and one that savvy marketers should take seriously.

As someone who started in PR and advertising before moving deep into marketing strategy, I’ve seen firsthand how fast the field is evolving. And with AI moving into nearly every corner of communications—from media monitoring to crisis response—the pace isn’t slowing down.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 16 other communications leaders to share how AI is shaping the future of public relations. The full piece, 17 Ways AI Is Shaping The PR Industry Of Tomorrow, explores the role of automation, ethics, and what still needs a human touch.

It feels impossible some days to write something “business-related,” to hit publish on a post, to care about marketing metrics while the world reels.

When the headlines carry actions and decisions that ripple across borders, it’s more than a passing discomfort - it can feel like grief. Like helplessness. Like something heavy landing right in the middle of your Monday morning to-do list.

How do we stay grounded in business when everything around us feels anything but?

When a new CEO joins an organization, internal communications becomes the heartbeat of the transition. It’s a rare moment where tone, timing, and transparency can either build momentum—or fuel confusion.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other communications leaders to share how companies can navigate this critical change with clarity, consistency, and connection. The advice spans from activating listening tours to designing high-trust messaging rollouts that bring employees along, not leave them behind.

If it feels like LinkedIn’s algorithm is changing constantly, you’re not imagining it.

Over the past year, organic reach has become less predictable. Engagement patterns shift week to week. And advice on what works often feels contradictory.

If you're a B2B founder using LinkedIn for thought leadership, it’s easy to feel like you’re chasing invisible rules. This post breaks down what’s currently effective and what to avoid, using a simple true-or-false format.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other marketing leaders to share smart, proven strategies for cutting through the noise in crowded markets. From simplifying complexity to turning proprietary data into thought leadership, each tip is designed to help B2B brands show up with clarity, relevance, and impact.

For the past several years, B2B marketing has been obsessed with performance. Attribution. Conversion. Lead gen. If it couldn’t be tracked in a dashboard, it didn’t make the budget. But in the race for measurable outcomes, something got left behind: the brand.

Now, we’re seeing a shift. A quiet but powerful resurgence of brand awareness as a key growth driver—especially for startups and scaling companies that can’t afford to blend in. Because performance can get you seen, but brand is what makes people care.

And that’s where inclusion comes in.

If your brand still looks like it’s stuck in the prehistoric era—uniform headshots, predictable personas, tone-deaf messaging—it’s time for an evolution. Not just for Pride Month, but for the long-term health of your brand.

Creative burnout is real, and it doesn’t go away by pushing harder.

In my latest Forbes feature, I joined 19 other marketing and creative leaders to share real-world strategies for beating burnout and reigniting fresh thinking. The common thread? Stepping away from the usual grind to make space for something new.

Every June, LinkedIn lights up with rainbow-colored logos and well-meaning messages of support. But in B2B, where relationships run deep and buying cycles are long, inclusive marketing has to be more than a temporary show of solidarity. It has to be built into the foundation of your brand.

Inclusive marketing isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about building a business that reflects, respects, and resonates with the real people you serve.

In B2C, representation often takes center stage. But in B2B, the impact of inclusive marketing lives deeper—inside your values, your hiring practices, your product roadmap, and your go-to-market strategy. When done well, it helps your brand feel more human, more relevant, and more trustworthy.

So what does it really look like?