“BY CREATING MY OWN PATH, MY MISSION IS TO INSPIRE OTHERS ALONG THE WAY TO DO THE SAME AND FOLLOW THEIR PASSION.”
DRIVEN BY CULTURE
I was born and raised in Germany and began my career in the U.S. with digital media and marketing at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Eventually, I transitioned to a Detroit and Los Angeles-based Artist Relations & Management firm and its independent record label, where I honed my skill set in the entertainment and music industry. While guiding these ventures from inception to growth, I also spearheaded Global Marketing and Operations Management efforts for five years where I developed, marketed, and managed Grammy-winning artists and their brands internationally.
As a culture and language enthusiast, I ran my first business with a small team, providing English and German business, language, and cultural services to global automotive expatriates in the metro Detroit area. In 2015, I decided to move back to Germany, where I pursued my International MBA in Management alongside a group of students and professionals from 11 different countries. The program was a reminder of my love for all things multicultural, both my passion personally and in the workplace. My proudest moment was when life came full circle, and I graduated with a new group of friends from Germany after I didn’t get the chance to do so when I left my hometown in 2005. During my time in Germany, I had the opportunity to do some project work with Deloitte and L’Oréal in Düsseldorf.
The inspiration for Blended Collective and my vision of enriching brands and experiences through culture was a result of my multicultural upbringing and international work experience. With the launch of Blended Collective came the introduction of my Speaker Event Series Blended that I curated, marketed, and hosted around multicultural marketing and diversity, equity and inclusion for two years.
Since then, I’ve worked with small businesses, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and government entities to develop and guide their marketing and brand efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I consulted and worked with 50+ businesses to help them pivot as they experienced various business and marketing disruptions. Besides my client engagements, I enjoy speaking about topics like marketing, brand love, personal branding and entrepreneurship. Additionally, I partner with organizations to educate companies on marketing and branding through 1:1 consulting sessions, workshops, and webinars. I also teach a digital marketing course at Lawrence Technological University.
In 2023, I published my first book Brand Love – Building Strong Consumer Brand Connections by Kogan Page, where I break down the process of building emotionally strong, long-lasting consumer-brand relationships. Offering insight into the use of emotional and rational “Brand Love Drivers,” I introduce “The Eight Brand Love Stages” model designed to inspire brand loyalty and advocacy, also featuring 100+ companies and brands, case studies, exclusive interviews with brands, and multicultural insights. I also share my journey of entrepreneurship while building and growing my own business. The book is available on Amazon and anywhere you can find books.
I enjoy being involved in the arts and culture community and am a member of the Board of Trustees at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Outside of work, I am passionate about interior design, eyewear and fashion, love to travel, explore new foods, cultures, and music. My favorite part about being a small business owner is connecting with different people while learning about their unique stories and cultures. I’m a big believer that we create the life we strive for and hope to inspire others to do the same. So, plant your seed and give it enough time to grow.