Kimberly Arnold, CEO of Escalate Solutions, gave a guest lecture on entrepreneurial marketing. She discussed how strategic planning remains essential for companies pursuing aggressive growth, and how life cycles and tactics must address both internal and external considerations. Arnold also emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary balance and expertise for leaders to effectively manage unexpected challenges that arise during periods of rapid growth.

1. Entrepreneurial
Marketing
Business School
The University of Colorado Denver
Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship
Guest Lecturer | Kimberly Arnold | CEO, Escalate Solutions | March 29. 2016
Escalate Solutions
Observations on

2. Kimberly Arnold.
@EscalateAdvisor
 CEO/Founder, Escalate Solutions
 3-time business owner
 Growth strategy expert, specialist helping rapidly scaling and diversifying
organizations
 Entrepreneur committed to work life balance
 Experience in sectors including gaming, entertainment, hospitality,
tourism, leisure, healthcare, education, architecture, construction,
technology, sustainable energy, development, social media, market
research, non-profits and government
 Board member (compensated and non-profits)
 Speaker, author, conference producer
 Community champion, charity advocate, philanthropist

3. Mission, Vision & Value Proposition.
 Assist companies in their request to grow, scale and achieve sustainability utilizing strategic and deliberate practices.
 Support the advancement of pioneering organizations with exceptional vision and that recognize the importance of
innovation, creativity, deliberate growth, culture, values, philanthropy and business ethics as cornerstones of their
mission.
 Transform emerging, growing and transitioning entities - from startups and growth hackers to non-profits and
diversifying corporations - that need cross-disciplinary support across all departments and functions within their
infrastructure to solidify, achieve and maintain aggressive growth goals.
 Guide emerging organization utilizing the four pillars/tactics of strategy, alignment, implementation and optimization.
 Leverage non-traditional, personal, culture and intangible business considerations.
 Develop thought leadership for business, entrepreneurship, strategy, diversification and growth.
It’s a Niche to be a Generalist…Supporting Growth Across Disciplines

4. OBSERVATIONS.

5.  Evolving definitions, characteristics and perceptions of EM
o Practices, methodologies and techniques being adopted beyond startups
 Beyond tangibles
 Amplified importance of strategic planning
 Progressions in external life cycles and internal growth tactics
 The death (i.e., irrelevancy) of the single-minded business leader
 Stuff happens
6 ES OBSERVATIONS FROM PERSONAL & CLIENT EXPERIENCES
ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING

6. DEFINITIONS.

7.  Limited resources
 Unorthodox toolkits and solutions
 “Anything & everything” mentality to produce campaigns and results
 Adapted processes to address emerging disciplines/schools of thought
 Emphasis on analytics, assessment, refinement, optimization
resulting from advancements in technology
CHARACTERISTICS
ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING

8. DEFINITIONS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING
 Its not about strategy but more about spirit. *
(www.marketing-schools.org)
 Marketing with an entrepreneurial mindset; the organizational function of
marketing by taking into account innovativeness, risk taking, proactiveness and
the pursuit of opportunities without regard for the resources currently controlled.
(S. Kraus, R. Harms and M. Fink)
 Behavior shown by any individual and/or organization that attempts to establish
and promote market ideas, while developing new ones in order to create value.
(Bäckbrö and Nyström)

9. ES DEFINITION
ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING
 Entrepreneurial + Visionary + Strategic + Structured + Pivot-Capable + Flexible +
Passionate + Dedicated + Resource Limited + Impactful + Innovative + Experimental +
Imitative + Perceptive + Tech-Savvy + Analytical + Risk-Tolerant + Fearless + Cross-
Disciplined + Balanced + Customer-Focused + Value Generating + Imaginative +
Inquisitive + Networked + Social + Time Intensive + Energetic + People-Centric +
Personal + Involved + Philanthropic
(K. Arnold…Me!)

10. INTANGIBLE FACTORS.

11.  Value more difficult to define
(intangible)
o Contributing to a greater good
o Emotions, happiness, well-being
o Social status, comfort
o Convenience, efficiency, productivity,
performance
o Nostalgia
THE VALUE OF GOODS & SERVICES IN MARKETING
TANGIBLE VS. INTANGIBLE
 Value known at outset (tangible)
o Product – good or service – is understood
o Uses and benefits are clear
o Can be tested in person or experienced with
the senses
o Appearance translates to reality
 Value perceptions drive marketing strategies
 Advanced intangible-factors for EM stemming from liabilities of “smallness”, “newness”
 Attracting and retaining customers even more challenging

12. STRATEGIC PLANNING.

13. “Anyone who tries to assert that
strategic planning is dead doesn’t
understand the methodology or
core principles of what it is.
If the pillars of Strategy, Alignment,
Execution and Optimization are
applied and revisited as intended – all
which encourage assessment, analysis
and pivoting as needed- the practice
inherently can never be irrelevant.”
“STRATEGIC PLANNING IS DEAD”
MYTHS ABOUT PLANNING
TRUTH

14. “Don't get so caught up in the idea
of short-term results that you forget
about scaling for the long-term.
Whether a bootstrapper, VC seeker,
growth hacker, or more traditional firm
seeking diversification and aggressive
growth…the common EM tie is that
being strategic and deliberate is what
makes entrepreneurs successful and
sustainable.”
“TECHNOLOGY CHANGES DICTATE FOCUS ON TODAY”
MYTHS ABOUT PLANNING
TRUTH

15. “It is erroneous to assert that
pioneering implementation tactics
associated with models such as
entrepreneurial, passion, viral, buzz,
guerrilla marketing and growth hacking
can’t co-exist with strategic planning.
To the contrary, the more aggressive
and out-of-the-box the scheme, the
more the guiding framework of strategy
is needed.”
“PLANNING & AGGRESSIVE GROWTH CAN’T CO-EXIST”
MYTHS ABOUT PLANNING
TRUTH

16. An investment in a dynamic, ongoing,
evolving and flexible strategic planning
exercise is the most beneficial
investment
that an entrepreneur can make.
STRATEGIC PLANNING IS EM’S MOST VALUABLE ASSET
KEY TAKEWAY
TRUTH

17. LIFE CYCLES & TACTICS.

18. INTERNAL & EXTERNAL CONSIDERATIONS
LIFE CYCLES & GROWTH TACTICS

19. TRADITIONAL LIFE CYCLES (EXTERNAL)
FORMULATING
 Formalize mission,
vision, values and
offerings
 Solidify offerings that
meet a demand,
determine “fit” and
differentiation in the
market
 Target demographics
and, segments, make
introduction to those
potential clients
 Classic and
innovation channels
including passion,
relationship, viral,
guerrilla, buzz
marketing, growth
hacking, etc.
SHORT-TERM
• Strategies and
improvements likely to
remain internal/organic
• Focus on supportive and
expansive strategies for
existing products
• Increase market share
• Intensify sales via tactics
beyond guerilla, viral and
passion marketing
• Acquire new customers
• “Steal” from competitors
• Increase volume of existing
products
• The 6 “P’s (product, people,
price, place, production,
promotion)
MID-TERM
 Internal and external
considerations (new
verticals, M/A, strategic
partnerships, etc.)
 Collaboration or cooperate
with third parties
 Maximize synergies,
diversify risk
 Enable R&D, marketing,
distribution and
procurement opportunities
 Open new doors for
expanded offerings and
products
 Consider untapped markets
(new segments, uses,
territories, and other
options considered out-of-
the-box
LONG-TERM
 Vertical opportunities
(directly relevant
services and
products)
 Horizontal
opportunities
(indirectly related but
in the “food chain”)
 Open opportunities
(new products not
anticipated currently)
 Continue external
and strategic alliance
opportunities
 Consider exit
strategies if relevant
TAKEAWAYS: 1. INTERNAL PROCESS CONTINUES SIMULTANEOUSLY 2. TECHNOLOGY = TIMING COMPRESSED

20. STRATEGY & POSITIONING
GROWTH TACTICS (INTERNAL)
 In traditional and entrepreneurial marketing,
better outcomes stem from asking the right
questions
 9 Critical Topics = Aspiration, Assets,
Challenges, Competition, Acumen, Customers,
Infrastructure, Analytics and Profit Centers
 For EM…enhanced importance answering
with a balance of both analytics AND creativity
 Sustainable energy example

21. ALIGNMENT
GROWTH TACTICS (INTERNAL)
 Mission, vision, values, culture, goals and
outcomes are clear
 Every stakeholder, department, function and
individual at every level understands their role
 Enhanced importance for EM’s..but applicable
to all
 Professional services firm example

22. EXECUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
GROWTH TACTICS (INTERNAL)
 Plans, tools, products and activities that will be
launched, tried and tested
 Advances in tech have opened up new doors
and opportunities to what those action items
can be (where misperception of irrelevancy of
planning stems from)
o Classic channels
o Innovative channels
o Classic channels in innovative ways
 Second professional services firm example

23. OPTIMIZATION / REFINEMENT
GROWTH TACTICS (INTERNAL)
 Technological advancements have also impacted
this step significantly
 Engage in the process assuming pivoting,
adjustment
 Prioritize KPIs and metrics that measure what
matters; all analytical tools not created equal
o Overall qualitative and quantitative information, voice of
customer feedback, social media monitoring, experimentation
testing and comparison, competitive intelligence, and/or
conversion monitoring

24. MULTI-FUNCTIONING.

25. THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF MYOPIC LEADERS
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY BALANCE
 Details matter, but the big picture is also vital to company mission, vision,
values, culture and goals
 No one can be defined as a true leader if they fail to invest in or are unable
to address overlapping industry, economic, community, philanthropic,
government, regulatory and political realms
 Single-minded and myopic leaders who can’t see the forest through the
trees are unlikely to recognize when it is time to reassess, adjust or pivot

26. THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF MYOPIC LEADERS
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY BALANCE
Ooooh! Here’s a new
object that just
“appeared” on
the right!
… And another, on
the left!
GROWTH IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF
OPERATIONS.
When the pitch or product gains traction and revenues soar, the administrative and
operational ripple effects accompanying aggressive increases in revenues and business
growth cycles are widespread and multi-faceted across every function of the organization.
Entrepreneurs, owners and managers have to be prepared to address the diverse array of
infrastructure needs, cross-disciplinary logistics and internal/external expectations that go
hand-in-hand with such progress.
“An ideal entrepreneur, CEO or COO has to be both specialist and generalist.
Effective leaders identify and retain the big picture, are willing to learn something about everything,
hire and oversee the specialists tasked to run every discipline, and consistently contribute
on a meaningful level to every aspect of a business and the greater community.
Cross-disciplinary balance and expertise is a must, particularly in an entrepreneurial environment.”
Advanced growth and scaling comes with multi-functional challenges. EMs have to address them all.

27. THE UNEXPECTED.

28. RESPONDING TO THE UNEXPECTED & UNWELCOME
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
PROFESSIONAL
• Market Forces
• Strategy Shifts and
Unexpected Pivots
• Business Partners
• Investors, Failed VC
Initiatives
• Clients
• Vendors
• Etc.
PERSONAL
• Health & Wellness
• Friends, Family
• Parents, Spouse, Children
• Colleagues
• Work/Life Balance
• Personal Branding
• Etc.
(Left to right) My daughter, Addison - Age 1 - following major heart
surgery; Age 4 - during a 2.5 year protocol of chemotherapy for
leukemia; Age 5 - following reconstructive brain surgery to alleviate
the impacts of a stroke she suffered during cancer treatment.
Entrepreneurs will have to shift, adapt and address to an unexpected crisis periodically.
It isn’t always possible to plan for the unknown, but it is possible to be best prepared as you can be.

29. RESPONDING TO THE UNEXPECTED & UNWELCOME
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
“Purpose brings meaningfulness that fuels the fire for even greater intellectual
curiosity and Sustained Superior Performance (SSP). I like to define SSP as steadfast
execution amidst frequent uncertainty.
People who can perform in the face of ambiguity — those who can conceptually
build a mental and emotional bridge and safely maneuver across it without
setback — are the ones who ultimately discover their high performance status.”
- excerpt from “Navigating Chaos” by Jeff Boss

30. CLOSING ADVICE.

31. ES CLOSING THOUGHTS
ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING
 Make your mission something you are passionate about
 Be deliberate and creative
 Don’t rule anything out
 Strategic planning is your greatest asset if you engage in the process correctly…
assuming pivoting, adjusting and re-tooling

32. Entrepreneurial
Marketing
Business School
The University of Colorado Denver
Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship
Guest Lecture | Kimberly Arnold | CEO, Escalate Solutions | March 29. 2016
Escalate Solutions
Observations on

33. Escalate Solutions helps businesses grow strategically and deliberately.
EscalateSolutions.com @EscalateAdvisor Escalate Solutions
karnold@escalatesolutions.com 303.886.4666