Brad Vanauken Email & Phone Number

Honeoye Falls, Ny, Us

United States, Us

Rochester, New York, Us

RIT's Venture Creations Incubator (VCI) helps startups commercialize their products, and prepare for outside risk capital. VCI offers active coaching by on-staff mentors, educational events, mentoring by successful entrepreneurs, introductions to funding sources, and access to a highly specialized set of vetted partners across legal, HR, accounting, sales, marketing, and other relevant services, to help the startups maximize their probability of success. Responsible for 10 to 12 client companies; serving as the day-to-day primary contact between the client and the Incubator; coaching, consulting and connecting the clients to resources; highlighting client requests, comments, and issues; monitoring client progress; and promoting client accomplishments. Coaching areas include customer discovery, unique value proposition development, business model development, market segmentation, revenue stream identification, marketing strategy, pricing strategy, pitch deck creation, cap table assessment, leadership development, team dynamics, and personal coaching. A significant portion of my companies are on the cusp of achieving significant commercial success and some have already graduated from our business incubator.Also, coach startups and small businesses on low or no cost, high ROI marketing strategies and tactics.

Honeoye Falls, Ny, Us

Founded brand management consulting firm that offers the following services: brand audits, brand research, brand positioning and strategy, brand storytelling, brand identity development, brand equity measurement, brand extension, online brand building, internal brand building, customer experience design, marketing plan development, marketing agency selection and brand management education. Developed leading-edge BrandInsistence(SM) brand equity measurement system that helps companies track, analyze and increase the vitality of their brands. Developed a seminal study on how to build and leverage brands online. Skilled at using data analytics and social media to identify and develop business. Clients number over 200, from Fortune 100 companies and start-ups to non-profit organizations and municipalities. Industry concentrations include business-to-business, consumer products, consumer services, education, financial services, government, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and professional associations. Primarily work with senior leadership teams in crafting successful strategies. Have helped brands increase awareness, preference, revenues, emotional connection, customer loyalty and customer advocacy. Brand Aid book has sold more than 30,000 copies and has been translated into several languages. Coauthored www.BrandingStrategyInsider.com, the #1 branding blog with 40,000 readers. Latest branding blog, www.BrandingStrategySource.com, has consistently been recognized as a Top 50 Branding Blog by feedspot, a leading RSS reader. Was named one of the top 100 marketers by Invesp in 2008 and 2009.

Pittsford, New York, Us

Developed and implemented marketing strategies and capabilities for a start-up that provides aggregated business services for independent child care centers. Established new tiered pricing strategy to maximize revenues and profits. Implemented tactics to double membership, service utilization and member retention. Developed and implemented a lead generation system including webinars, social media marketing and integrated trade show marketing. Helped to refine business model to maximize valuation to investors. Created more succinct and compelling brand messaging.

Westlake Village, California, Us

Developed and led The Blake Project's global brand strategy services, including brand research, strategy, positioning and architecture. Also delivered brand education, internal brand building, customer touch point design and emotional connection strategy. Designed and co-produced the first Un-Conference: 360 Degrees of Brand Strategy for a Changing World. Co-authored www.BrandingStrategyInsider.com, the #1 branding blog in the world with more than 40,000 daily readers.

Rochester, Ny, Us

Taught Product & Brand Management at Saunders College of Business.

Blackfriars, London, Gb

Faciliated National Category Building Plan (NCBP) workshops for Unilever marketing managers in the Caribbean and South America.

Developed the firm's capacity to deliver brand strategy services.

Nashua, New Hampshire, Us

Established and led a corporate marketing function for a rapidly growing pre-IPO e-learning company including marketing strategy, brand management, corporate communications, advertising, product marketing, segment marketing, trade marketing, sales support, CRM, direct marketing, online/digital marketing and marketing research. Refocused the company’s marketing resources on the highest ROI activities. Built the brand from relative obscurity to industry leadership in less than 18 months. Active member of the company management team.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Established new function at Hallmark when the Hallmark and Ambassador organizations were combined. Was responsible for positioning all North American product brands, including brand promise, distribution and pricing strategy and product parameters. Launched new distribution strategy and brands that significantly increased corporate profitability and market share. Overhauled brand identity system and standards. Worked with International division to define Hallmark's global brand essence and create plans to build Hallmark into a global power brand. Developed vision and plan to extend Hallmark into candy and flowers. Developed consumer communication that corrected price misunderstanding and increased perceived brand value and preference. Recommended modifications to advertising to increase focus on brand benefit. Identified brand benefits and promise at a corporate level (personal expression, personal development and family entertainment) to help increase business synergy and position the company for accelerated growth. Crafted Hallmark parent brand strategy to move the company from a channel focus to a consumer focus. Helped champion launch of new corporate Web-site. Implemented comprehensive education and communication program to build brand management skills and understanding company wide. Received Hallmark "Home Run" award for progress made in first year. Participated on the following corporate task forces: Corporate Culture Renewal, Corporate Internet Strategy, Growth Strategy and Marketing Performance. Active participant in corporate strategy formulation. EquiTrend (national quality brand ranking) ranked Hallmark greeting cards fourth in 1997 and 1998, up from seventh in 1996. Hallmark received the 1998 Brand Management of the Year award from Sales and Marketing Executives International.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Was responsible for financial results for six top food chains and for marketing and business strategy for food channel of trade representing over 50% of our mass channel brand's business. Translated retailer needs to brand products and programs. Drafted mission statement and objectives for new retail focused team. Initiated three merchandising programs ("Satellite Sales," Season Integrated Marketing, and "Check Stand Greetings") that achieved $40 million in incremental sales. Key member of task force to reorganize product development function. Led redesign of business planning process to create greater retail focus. Received Hallmark's "Home Run" award for this.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Ambassador Everyday Counter. Created marketing and business strategy for mass channel brand's largest business, everyday greeting cards ($200 million). Innovated and implemented new merchandising strategy ("Strike Zone"), resulting in a 20% sales increase in market test. Received Hallmark's "Home Run" award for this. Key member of team that developed new brand strategy, resulting in new organization structure, retail focused teams. Member of steering committee that developed new company-wide marketing skills training program.

Kansas City, Mo , Us

Taught capstone marketing management/strategy case study-based course.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Identified, developed and evaluated business opportunities and consulted with business units on product repositioning and marketing strategy. Trained and supervised visiting Strategists. Conducted extensive consumer research. Developed business concepts and plans for over $60 million in new business. Created several mechanisms to identify technology-based business opportunities. Developed corporate strategy for Hispanic market, leading to creation of "Pimor" brand.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Managed team responsible for tripling computer-generated product sales. Created vision for personalized products leading to creation of three new computer-based personalization businesses.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Managed the national launch of computer-generated products. The first product "The Birthday Times," is one of the top-performing products in Hallmark's history. Developed product concept, business and marketing strategies, and all supporting systems and procedures. Selected hardware. Developed software. Negotiated vendor contracts. Introduced personal computers to card shops. Created user's guide. Set up toll-free helpline. Developed and implemented merchandising, sales promotion, advertising and publicity programs. Received Hallmark's "Home Run" award for this.

Kansas City, Missouri, Us

Developed and marketed over 100 new products a year for multi-million dollar calendar business by coordinating the efforts of numerous functional areas. Increased unit sales against a history of decline. Focused attention back on the consumer and introduced a market segmentation approach to product planning. Doubled the size and sales volume of one product group (personal planners/organizers), while increasing its profitability. Instituted substantial cost savings and productivity improvements. Created and conducted corporate-wide product management skills seminars.

Irving, Tx, Us

Awarded HBS Nonprofit Management Fellowship to help manage scout reservation, including two camps, 88 staff members and over 2300 Boy Scouts.

Dublin 2, Ie

Promoted three times in as many years to position with project management responsibility. Conceptualized, designed and installed project control, general accounting, and financial reporting systems. Formulated strategic plans. Analyzed and implemented solutions to organization problems. Planned new venture start-up. Consulted in advertising, banking, commodities trading, consumer products, securities brokerage and public sector.

Co-founded consulting firm that addressed organizational development issues and conducted management training programs for local companies.

Mba, General Management

Education record

Excel Program

Executive Development Program

Leadership Development Program

Bs, Management; Minor - Psychology; Concentrations - Philosophy, Interdisciplinary Science

Education record

Education record