BBW MEMBER INTERVIEW: Caroline Crawford, Founder, Cultiveight Communications, LLC

What is your name?

Caroline Crawford

What is your occupation?

Founder

What is your business name?

How long have you been a Boston Business Women’s Member?

Less than a year

What is your instagram handle?

What is your linked in URL?

Were you born and raised in Boston? If not, what brought you here?

Nope! I moved to Boston in summer 2019 from Los Angeles. I've moved around so much, but am originally from the east coast (previously also lived in Montreal) so Boston was a nice sweet spot between family and friends.

Tell us more about your job or company and what led you to your career?

My business helps companies maximize their marketing potential through brand coaching and integrated marketing consulting services. My goal is to empower my clients to be able to see marketing as a huge tool, versus a confusing mess, and make educated investments and decisions because they're equipped to do so (rather than spending money and hoping it works). I've been in marketing and communications for 9 years and have always been in positions where there were limited resources available, whether that be budget, team members, support at the higher levels, etc - many times it was either just me or 1-2 other team members! Because of that, I had to learn all the facets of marketing: brand, design, email, web, social, advertising, etc. It was very frustrating to do my job and the options for outside support (aside from hiring) were, in my opinion, insufficient. So, I came up with an idea to help bridge the gap that exists. Part of that includes helping small businesses or larger businesses with limited access to marketing resources create an infrastructure that works for them and how they operate. The other part is to accommodate the flexibility and holistic view required. I'm extremely passionate about marketing and it's important that people know marketing can work for you, not against you, even if you don't have access to your ideal set of resources. Underlying all of my offerings is education. It's extremely important for me to provide context behind every recommendation or piece of feedback since this helps people start thinking that way for themselves and, therefore, not needing to rely on someone else to do it for them (eventually).

What would your clients say about you and your company?

I am extremely reliable, communicative, transparent, and honest, and I believe that's how they'd describe the company as well. In my experience, those 4 attributes are so important in business, and in life. You are giving money to someone/something, and you're being forced to trust them. For some, that money is a big risk/last straw for them, and I don't take that lightly. So, ensuring that they feel supported and cared for, versus just another dollar sign they can add to their receivables, is the number one priority. Beyond that, our approach to marketing combines energetic and traditional methods. I believe that energy is a driving factor behind your business because as we evolve, our business evolves therefore our energy changes. You can implement systems, frameworks, etc. You can follow trends and see statistics on what ``works`` but if your energy isn't behind it, it won't work. So, my approach aligns the brand with the business and then we uncover a sort of blueprint that will get them on the right path and help them scale.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Always be authentic. Everything else will fall into place.

What is your favorite book?

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero, I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi, and The Pact by Jodie Picoult.

What is your secret weapon? An app, a tool, a organization method, anything?! (Can be a personal or professional life tool)

Energy and mindset! It's the most overlooked component, but most impactful, especially when you're trying to attract the right clients. Your energy and mindset is first to work on, everything else is easy after that. Also a big Trello fan.

What is your most recent WIN? How are you slaying it in your career or business?

My biggest win has been uncovering my true passion which is brand building. I love shifting a business into a brand and bring that brand to life.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Trust yourself enough, even if others make you feel like you shouldn't, so that you can focus.

How do you enjoy your free time?

I love trying new restaurants, cooking, and baking. My favorite thing is pasta nights with my friends where we make fresh pasta and eat and drink until we can't move.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I've moved 28 times in my life.

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