Kacyn Goranson

Exceptional Marketing & Consulting

Fractional marketing consultant and strategic lead providing assistance to multiple businesses at different stages, encompassing activities such as account-based marketing, operational process design, technical setup, and go-to-market strategy. 

Contracts span across various industries including real estate, recruiting, technology and marketing.

➥ Plan, execute, and optimize account-based marketing campaigns, resulting in increased target engagement and conversion.
➥ Direct all aspects of product marketing and positioning, including content development and in-depth persona research, to enhance market presence.
➥ Orchestrate successful product launches by conducting thorough market research, crafting strategic positioning, and developing effective go-to-market strategies.
➥ Develop and implement data-driven marketing strategies, utilizing analytics and market research to make informed decisions and drive growth.
➥Build, launch and optimize digital marketing efforts across various channels, including SEO, SEM, social media, email marketing, and content marketing, significantly boosting customer acquisition and engagement.

Vice President of Marketing | Demand Generation | Product Marketing

Worksuite

Developed and executed a comprehensive marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and generate revenue growth, including rebuilding the MarTech stack, creating a public relations plan and establishing formalized customer and internal communications strategies. 

➥ Drove a 52% increase in ARR value of opportunity creation in Q2 by boosting MQLs from Trials by 33% QoQ and MQLs from Demos by 86% QoQ through UX/UI enhancements and targeted paid search and social ads within our ICP.
➥ Collaborated with SDRs to develop weekly persona-focused messaging cadences, increasing MQL to SQL conversion rates from 10% to 30% over four months.
➥ Partnered with Finance to establish a 'Proxy' for best-fit customers and prospects, optimizing marketing and sales spend and efforts.
➥ Shifted from a lead-based to an account-based sales motion, targeting high-value accounts with higher annual revenues, and trained Marketing, BDRs, and Account Executives in this approach.
➥ Integrated the MarTech stack and developed executive-level dashboards and reporting systems for KPI visibility.
➥ Implemented internal communication strategies in partnership with People Success, enhancing employee engagement.

Vice President Marketing | Revenue-Driven Strategy | Demand Generation 

RevSure AI

Owned all go-to-market strategy planning, execution and implementation for this seed-stage start-up using AI to forecast pipeline and accelerate revenue, I drove tangible results in a short period of time. Partnering with Sales to achieve goals targeting $1M in revenue. 

➥ Achieved a 203% month-over-month increase in qualified lead creation through the implementation of a research-based marketing and content strategy.
➥ Secured executive-level alignment on the RevSure brand and value proposition, defining target personas, ideal customer profiles, and product messaging.
➥ Enhanced website SEO and user experience, driving demand among key audiences and accounts.
➥ Led and optimized all demand-generation activities, including PR, events, content marketing, SEO, and paid search, ensuring alignment with budget efficiency and revenue goals.

Head of Marketing, Marketing Operations & Demand Generation | Brand Development | Lead Generation

Knak

Part of the executive leadership team in a contract role for this Series-A MarTech codeless campaign creation platform built for enterprise marketing teams, I drove strategic initiatives to position the company for long-term success and scaled the brand across the SaaS industry and to key accounts. 

➥Aligned marketing operations and demand generation teams to create a cohesive and effective go-to-market strategy, achieving a $3M revenue target and generating 28% of new opportunities from the target ICP.
➥ Launched an Account-Based strategy with BDR and Sales teams, including a 6sense advertising campaign, delivering a 44x return on program investment to revenue created.
➥ Directed the prioritization of marketing initiatives, establishing scalable processes for future growth and efficiency.

Vice President of Growth Marketing | Series-A MarTech | SaaS Marketing | Strategic Initiatives

CM Group

I came on board this global pioneer in relationship marketing (now rebranded as Marigold), providing tailored, industry-specific martech solutions to a growing portfolio of thousands of businesses, and was promoted to Vice President of Marketing within 3 years, managing a team of 20. I played a key role in shaping the marketing organization's design and infrastructure, overseeing a full marketing budget across 10 brands, and partnering with C-Suite leadership to strategize, integrate acquisitions, and drive growth.

➥ Strategized and implemented organization design, infrastructure, and strategic plans, managing the budget and collaborating with FP&A to convert data into precise financial forecasts, creating actionable roadmaps.

➥ Developed and managed a sophisticated marketing technology stack, seamlessly integrating tools and systems across a rapidly expanding portfolio to ensure optimal data privacy and comprehensive reporting.

➥ Brands included Campaign Monitor, CM Commerce, Delivra (ended 2021), Emma, Sailthru, Liveclicker, Selligent, Cheetah Digital (beginning 2021), CM Group, Vuture

As Head of Marketing Strategy (2019 - 2021), I headed a team executing end-to-end brand and campaign management for three of the portfolio’s brands, Emma, Delivra and Vuture. Responsible for go-to-market campaigns, and brand management with a 20% YoY revenue growth.

Vice President of Marketing | Strategic Planning | Relationship Marketing | Operational Design

I was responsible for a $20M budget, collaborating with the FP&A team to create forecast models and maintain the financial viability of all key marketing initiatives. This included partnering with the legal team around marketing compliance, aligning with regulatory standards and practices to empower ongoing success.

➥ Engineered and implemented platform-specific automation and data-automation systems, driving significant efficiency improvements and elevating the marketing automation capabilities to a world-class standard.

➥ Led the expansion of marketing and campaign initiatives by overseeing MarTech stack operations, which resulted in enhanced capabilities and notable performance achievements.

➥ Created custom dashboards and reports that provided real-time visibility into key marketing metrics and KPIs, empowering executive leadership to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Director of Marketing Operations | Marketing Automation | Driving Growth & Performance Results

Computer Services, Inc.

As Digital Marketing Manager with CSI, I directed digital marketing initiatives, leading dynamic implementations to propel ongoing improvement and growth. 

• Integrated advanced marketing automation and web personalization tools, leading pilot personalization activities that significantly increased conversion rates and optimized customer reach.
• Conceptualized and implemented a unique multi-stage lead nurturing program, collaborating with leadership to expand the marketing qualified leads (MQL) strategy and drive higher quality leads.
• Overhauled the customer engagement strategy by launching comprehensive persona development processes and shaping automation workflows, effectively guiding leads through the buyer journey.
• Developed and executed tailored ABM strategies and campaigns, resulting in more targeted and successful marketing efforts.
• Advised leadership on best practices for marketing automation and email strategy, ensuring adherence to CAN-SPAM and GDPR compliance standards. 
• Partnered with the business intelligence team to maintain the integrity of customer relationship management software, enhancing data management processes.

Digital Marketing Manager

In this first role with CSI, I governed social media strategy, building creative engagement initiatives and a comprehensive brand guidebook to optimize digital engagement. 

• Spearheaded the creation and execution of a dynamic social media strategy, leading to a 30% increase in total website traffic by leveraging social media and pay-per-click campaigns.
• Created innovative engagement initiatives and a comprehensive brand guidebook, significantly enhancing digital engagement and brand consistency across all platforms.
• Established and standardized key performance metrics and measurement protocols, leading to the identification of critical improvement areas and the design of high-impact remediation strategies.
• Conducted detailed analyses of email marketing campaigns, utilizing insights from marketing automation platforms to inform strategic planning and optimize campaign performance.

Social Media Manager

Cyber Sytes, Inc.

Social Networking & Marketing Strategist

Tennessee Technological University Department of Athletics

Marketing Intern

MMA Creative

VP of Marketing | Growth Strategist | Revenue Optimization | Marketing Automation ➥ Building High-Performing Teams, Leveraging Innovative Strategies to Drive Growth & Impact

With over 14 years of experience as a marketing strategist and growth leader, my approach centers around achieving concrete results and real-world impact. I excel in highly competitive landscapes by implementing ahead-of-the-curve strategies. Passionate about uncovering the 'why' and 'how' behind business challenges, I guide teams to prioritize revenue results instead of vanity metrics and take a full-funnel view of the pipeline. I also understand the importance of leading with a healthy work-life balance and a sense of fulfillment, both for myself and for my teams. By keeping both outcomes and people at the forefront, I'm able to create a culture of success for my organizations.

I thrive in change management and high-growth environments focused on mergers and acquisition and operational challenges. 

Data-Backed Results
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➥ Researched, launched, and optimized an Account-Based Marketing Program aimed at moving more up-market, with initial results showing a 44x return on program investment to revenue generated

Change Champion
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➥ Collaborated with internal and newly-acquired stakeholders to establish culture, organizational and initiative alignment 7 times in a 3 year period

I have successfully leveraged budget, operations, and technology management to optimize results within revenue ranges from seed-stage start-ups and Series A companies to those with over $340M in revenue. I am adept at using data and analytics to pinpoint areas requiring optimization for increased marketing efficiency and building high-performing teams that deliver on ambitious revenue targets. 

My ability to understand and harness the power of technology is a key asset in creating a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. I possess a strong technical acumen that enables me to effectively leverage a wide range of marketing automation, CRM, PPC, ABM, analytics, and social media tools to drive business.

I am committed to catalyzing growth and reach through out-of-the-box marketing strategy. With my background in social media marketing, I’m always open to connect with other professionals and deliver value to my network here on LinkedIn. Let's connect and help each other.


CORE COMPETENCIES:
► Marketing Operations 
► Marketing Automation 
► Digital Marketing Strategy & Execution 
► Campaign Execution
► Revenue Growth 
► Sales Enablement 
► Account Based Marketing (ABM) 
► Marketing Analytics
► Marketing Compliance 
► Marketing Budget Management

Head of Marketing, Marketing Operations & Demand Generation | Revenue-Driven Strategy

Owning all go-to-market strategy planning, execution and implementation for this seed-stage start-up using AI to forecast pipeline and accelerate revenue, I have driven tangible results in a short period of time. Partnering with Sales to achieve goals targeting $1M in revenue, I spearheaded the development of research-based marketing and content strategies that have led to a remarkable 203% increase in contact creation MoM.

I have also been responsible for building and managing the RevSure.AI brand, ensuring that it resonates effectively with our target ICPs and personas. I have designed and implemented a scalable go-to-market tech stack process and systems, consistent with industry standards, to optimize our website for SEO and user experience, while creating demand within key audiences and accounts.

As a strategic marketing leader, I excel in highly competitive landscapes and thrive in change management and high-growth environments, having worked with both seed-stage start-ups and Series A companies.

Garrett Jestice

GTM strategy for growing startups | Founder & CEO | Advisor | Former CMO | BBQ Judge

Most founders hit a wall around $1M in annual revenue. Growth slows, sales feel random, and marketing turns into a guessing game.

I help B2B startups and agencies build a repeatable go-to-market system that attracts the right customers, shortens sales cycles, and replaces random acts of revenue with consistent results.

My process focuses on four GTM foundations:

1. Audience: Who you’re built to serve
2. Offers: What you package and sell
3. Messaging: How you tell your story
4. Channels: Where you consistently reach buyers

When these four pieces are clear and connected, growth compounds instead of stalling.

That’s the focus of my GTM Advisory work at Prelude Marketing. It’s an ongoing partnership to clarify your strategy, refine your positioning, and align sales and marketing around one system that works.

---

I also run 10x Solo, a private community for full-time consultants, fractionals, advisors, and micro-agency owners who want to scale income without growing a big team. Inside, we participate in peer pods, growth challenges, and systems that make independent businesses simpler and stronger.

If you’re building your own solo business and want clarity, accountability, and a network of peers doing the same, 10x Solo is where that happens.

My background:
• Built Lucidpress from launch to acquisition, where I led the marketing team (2015–2021)
• Tripled revenue at Eddy as CMO, launched an award-winning community, and was named Utah Business Marketer of the Year. (2021–2023)
• Now helping founders and solos build consistent, scalable growth on their own terms

Connect:
👉 Learn about GTM Advisory → PreludeMarketing.com
👉 Apply to join 10x Solo → 10xSolo.com

GTM Advisor / Fractional CMO

Startup Marketers is a free, Slack community for startup marketing leaders, freelancers, and fractionals. If that sounds like you, join us to connect with others and share ideas, feedback, and resources to help us all get better.

Join us here: https://bit.ly/StartupMarketers

If restaurants were like B2B SaaS, we would be in big trouble…

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You walk into a restaurant and ask to look at the menu.

The host replies, “I'm sorry. We can’t show you the menu yet. We need to confirm your dining intent score.”

A Menu Qualification Rep appears with a clipboard.

They ask for your annual dining budget, your cuisine ICP, your urgency level, and whether you’re the real decision-maker or if it’s actually your wife.
(Of course it’s her.)

After a 15-minute interrogation, they say, “Great news. You’re now an SQD. (Sales Qualified Diner.) A waiter will call you in 3 to 5 business days.”

Four days later, someone calls.
You tell them you’re hungry.

The waiter asks if they can “walk you through a short, 45-minute curated menu experience” and show you only the dishes they think you’ll care about.

Would you eat here?
Me neither.

But this is exactly what buying software feels like when companies hide their product behind calls, forms, and slow follow-up.

Interactive demos exist so buyers can see the food before they ever enter the funnel.

But most teams avoid them because they assume they’re too painful to build.

That’s why Guideflow caught my attention when Gab Bujold told me about it.

It's ranked the number one easiest demo automation platform on G2, and after trying it myself, I can see why. 

You can turn your product into a guided, clickable demo in minutes. (Seriously, so fast and easy.)

Quit selling your software like it’s 2010.
If buyers can’t understand what you do in 30 seconds, they won’t stick around.

---

Now the fun part:

What would you name this fictional restaurant?
Trust Us Tavern? Soc2 Sushi? Funnel & Fork?

Funniest name wins 1,000 points. Go. 👇


#sponsored

Community Founder | Startup GTM Advisor | Former CMO | BBQ Judge | Dad x4

I’m grateful this Thanksgiving for something I never want to take for granted.

I get to work from home while my kids are still young.

There’s a basket on the shelf in my office filled with notes they’ve pushed under the door while I was on calls.

There’s a sticky note on my monitor that says “I ❤️ U dad!” from my daughter.

There’s usually a drawing on the whiteboard on my wall from whoever wandered in last.

None of it shows up in a dashboard, but it’s the part of self-employment I value most.

It beats every office perk I’ve ever had. Even the good ones. (Talking to you, Free Pizza Fridays. 😉 🍕 )

I know a lot of people don’t get this setup. 

I’m grateful I do, especially right now, in this stretch of life where my kids still think it’s fun to interrupt me.

What’s something about your work you’re thankful for this year?

Every solo or fractional I know runs into the same two growth problems.

First: How do I get enough leads to replace my old salary? That’s the survival stage.

Then the next one shows up: How do I grow without trading time for money?

I wanted to see how common that really is.
So I ran a short survey for solos, fractionals, and consultants recently.

Here’s what stood out.
→ 68% said generating consistent leads was their biggest challenge.
→ 58% said growing revenue without trading time for money.
→ 32% said delivering work more efficiently.
→ 26% said deciding the long-term direction.
→ 16% said designing or pricing scalable offers.
→ 10% said closing sales.

When I broke it down by revenue stage, the pattern was clear:
→ Under $100K = fighting for leads.
→ $100K–$250K+ = fighting for leverage.

It’s a simple path.
First you fight for clients.
Then you fight for leverage.

Most people jump to hiring and building an agency.

That works for some, but not for everyone.

I decided I don’t want my job to be recruiting and project management.

So I’m exploring leverage that doesn’t depend on headcount.

If you’re a solo, how have you solved the lead problem? Where are you finding leverage next?

---

P.S. We're nearly up to 50 members in the 10x Solo community. If you're a solo consultant, fractional, or boutique agency owner looking for leads or leverage, we'd love to have you join us. Learn more and apply at 10xsolo.com.

The usual advice for solos and agencies is to “just niche down.” 

Pick a vertical. Pick an industry. Pick a lane.

But with a bit of experience, you realize that approach rarely works.

Industry niches are crowded, arbitrary, and built around you rather than what buyers actually hire you to solve.

That was the focus of our Growth Workshop last week in 10x Solo with Joe Daniels 📦. 

He showed why use-case positioning creates far more leverage for solos than picking a vertical ever will.

Clients look for help when a specific job becomes painful or urgent. They want someone who can fix that job quickly, cleanly, and with fewer risks than doing it themselves.

Joe walked us through his Use Case Canvas to map this out:
→ what triggers buyers to seek help
→ the job they believe they’re hiring for
→ the real alternative you compete against
→ the gaps in that alternative
→ how your approach addresses those gaps
→ the features and benefits that fall out of your method

His point was clear. 

When solos position around a use case, their offer gets sharper. 
Their message gets clearer. 
Their sales process becomes simpler. 
And their work becomes easier to deliver.

---

Interested in joining future Growth Workshops like this one? We do one a month in the 10x Solo community. Join us. 

Agencies and solos: Need help with defining your own use case and messaging? Talk to Joe Daniels 📦

I recently spoke with a founder who was frustrated:

“When we get people on a call the lightbulbs go off. But before that, we just get blank stares.”

When we unpacked it, the problem was clear.

Their messaging was stuck at 10,000 ft, summarizing the one big problem they solve across all customer segments.

But customers rarely think at that level.

They think at the project or use case level.
They care about the immediate pain right in front of them.

So when you talk at the high-level “industry problem,” their eyes glaze over.

But when you talk about their specific project and the pains they feel trying to solve it, that’s when the lightbulbs go off.

This is also why trying to solve too many use cases at once waters down your messaging.

It forces you to climb in altitude, making it harder for buyers to connect.

The fix?
 → Anchor messaging in a single, specific use case.
 → Speak in your customer’s language.
 → Keep altitude low enough that it feels real, not abstract.

The right altitude is the difference between blank stares and instant clarity.

Where have you seen messaging altitude trip companies up the most?

Many founders think the hardest part of positioning is describing what they do.

It is not.

The hardest part is usually choosing the right problem to hang your business on in the first place.

On a call this week, I said something I find myself repeating often:

If your buyer does not already believe the problem you solve is connected to the outcome they want, the sale becomes ten times harder.

You cannot manufacture that connection.
You either meet them where they are or you pick a different problem.

And this is where most teams get stuck.

They pick a problem that sounds smart but has no urgency.
Or a problem the market does not search for.
Or a problem buyers do not feel deeply enough to pay for.
Or a problem that is real but impossible to describe without a lecture.

Not all problems are worth solving.
And not all problems are worth trying to market.

Finding the right one takes time.
It takes dozens of conversations with the buyers you want.
It takes testing language in the wild and watching what sticks.
It takes cutting ideas you like, but the market does not care about.

When you finally land on the right problem, everything snaps into place.
Your messaging gets simpler.
Your offer becomes obvious.
Sales cycles shorten.
Demand becomes easier to create.

To help you get there, I am sharing a simple diagnostic I often use.

It helps you isolate the one high-stakes problem your business should solve.

What problem are you hanging your business on right now, and how confident are you that buyers feel it the way you think they do?

Problem Focus Diagnostic for Founders

A week ago, I launched something new.

A weekly newsletter for 10x Solo.

The idea came from a simple pattern I kept seeing.

Every independent consultant I talk to is sharp, capable, and experienced.

But almost all of us are navigating big decisions alone.

What should I sell?
How should I structure my work?
How do I grow without creating a job I don’t want?

I’ve spent the past three-plus years trying every model myself.

Fractional leadership. Advisory. Coaching. Productized consulting. Even early attempts at an agency.

Each version taught me what creates freedom and energy and what quietly erodes them.

That’s why I built the 10x Solo community.

A place for independents to compare notes and build smarter businesses without chasing someone else’s blueprint.

The newsletter is just an extension of that work. Two practical ideas each month to help you sharpen your positioning, strengthen your offers, and build leverage in your business.

Just what’s working for solos who want to grow without giving up the freedom that pulled them into this path in the first place.

If you want a clearer, saner path to solo growth, I'd love for you to join us here:

10xSolo.Substack.com

What topics would you want me to cover in future issues?

Open article: The 10x Solo Newsletter | Garrett Jestice | Substack by 10xsolo.substack.com

The 10x Solo Newsletter | Garrett Jestice | Substack

I was on a call last week with a fractional leader who said something I’ve heard a hundred times this year:

“I just need more at-bats.”

He was stuck in the same cycle that many founders fall into:

Posting. 
Commenting. 
Hoping for referrals and inbounds.

Then he said the quiet part out loud:

“I don’t actually have a system for referrals. I just hope they happen.”

That’s the real problem.

Most solos, agencies, and startups treat referrals like rain:

Nice when they show up.
But completely out of their control.

The smartest founders build systems that turn referrals from occasional rain into a reliable irrigation system.

They know the warmest opportunities aren’t out in the wild but in their existing network.

After our call, I pointed this leader to something that Dan Englander wrote for my newsletter last week.

Dan’s built referral engines for 200+ agencies, and his core idea is simple:
→ Stop asking, “Do you know anyone?”
→ Start asking, “Can you help me connect with these three people?”

It removes all the homework.
It turns vague goodwill into specific intros.
And it gives your network something they’re happy to do: help without thinking.

The truth is, you don’t need more random LinkedIn activity.

You need a repeatable way to activate the trust you've already earned.

If you want the step-by-step process Dan shared, including how he builds referral maps, connector lists, and intro templates, it’s in the newsletter:

https://lnkd.in/g56-snew

Do you have a referral system, or are you still relying on luck?

Open article: How to Scale Your Agency with Systematic Referrals: A Complete Implementation Guide by gtmfoundations.substack.com

How to Scale Your Agency with Systematic Referrals: A Complete Implementation Guide

Most of us don’t need bigger goals. We need clearer wins. Visible momentum.

Inside 10x Solo, we run Weekly Growth Challenges to create that.
One focused action. Under an hour. Done by Friday.

This gives us one small win to stack each week.

This week’s challenge is tied to Thanksgiving.

It’s a natural moment to slow down and notice what’s actually working.

So the challenge is simple:

Every night, write down three wins from your day. Doesn't matter if they are big or small. Personal or work-related.

The idea comes from the book "The Gap and The Gain" and helps shift your attention from what’s missing to what’s improving.

You’ll start spotting things you normally overlook:
→ A client who trusted you
→ Advice that landed at the right moment
→ A small win that confirmed you’re on the right path

Do it each night.
Review the list on Friday.
You’ll see more progress than you think.

If you want to join me in this one, go for it.
No need to be in the community.

And if you want to share your reflection at the end of the week, DM me. I’d love to hear it.

taplio

The Battle

Kacyn Goranson

Garrett Jestice

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The Battle

Kacyn Goranson

Garrett Jestice

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Garrett Jestice's LinkedIn Performance

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