Karimah Gottschalck
Karimah Gottschalck
Fractional Chief Brand Officer

I do branding for products that are SMART, SEXY & COOL

 

"the brightest, smartest person in most rooms"

— christina jones, where are the boss ladies cofounder

 

"obsessively organized and creatively driven"

— Zoe Franklin, Creative Lead at FacebooK

 

"understands our brand and will take [us] to the next level"

— KATHERINE HOOKER, FOUNDER AND DESIGNER

 
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MY BRAND STRATEGY SERVICES

 

  • BRAND IDENTITY & DEVELOPMENT

  • BRAND REFRESHES

  • GO-TO-MARKET (GTM) LAUNCHES

  • TENTPOLE MOMENTS

  • BRAND GUIDELINES (TONE OF VOICE / COPY)

  • AD CAMPAIGNS

  • COPYWRITING & EDITING

I am a brand strategist at an executive leadership level.

My professional career includes 10 years in luxury fashion design, 10 years as an advertising creative, 7+ years in leadership roles, and 3+ years at the executive level. I’ve spent equal time working in both established corporate and grassroots startup settings.

Coming from an extensive creative background, my brand strategy is uniquely positioned to inform creative, design, and marketing needs. I am the perfect liaison for executive and creative teams, knowing how to speak to both and align them on the same objectives.

Depending on your needs, I can join your team as a fractional Chief Brand Officer (fCBO) or offer consulting packages.

Per project deliverables or retainer-based work, price tbd upon proposal request

 
 

A LA CARTE PRICING OPTIONS

CHEMISTRY SESSION $150

One hour session. Tell the story of your business, share your goals, and vent your frustrations. Get on the spot feedback, industry tips, and expert subject matter advice. This is a great option for those not knowing where to start or what services they may need. You’ll walk away feeling more confident about what you need, whether it’s working with me in a greater capacity or getting an idea or referral of whom you do need instead.

 

consulting session $450

1.5 hour session with 1.5 hour followup work. Together we will workshop a key branding, marketing, and/or strategy need. This is a great option for those on a lean budget with a go-getter mentality who are seeking some quick, comprehensive expert guidance. After our session, I will send over a complete recap of our conversation, a customized plan of action or suggested next steps, and any other applicable complementary resources.

 

3-Pack consulting sessions $1,215

10% savings! Good for six months after first session.

 

10-pack consulting sessions $3,375

25% savings! Good for one year after first session.

 

EXPERT INTERVIEWER package $950

Hiring for a creative or marketing position but not sure what to be looking for? Use my subject matter expertise and add me on your panel of interviewers to make confident decisions while faced with a sea of options. This package includes an onboarding session between you and me so I can understand your business needs; my review of up to 20 resumes to pick out key candidates; up to five virtual interview meetings with candidates; and post-interview debriefs on all interviewees.

 

ONE-OFF EXPERT INTERVIEWER $350

Close to the finish line with a candidate but would like a subject matter expert to weigh-in on the decision? This includes an onboarding session so I understand your business needs and a virtual interview meeting with your candidate, plus a post-interview debrief.

 Process-driven, data-oriented, yet inherently artistic, I execute brand strategy with grace and precision.

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A non-alcoholic hot toddy gift set reads " a cocktail as free-spirited as you"

Are you a recently funded startup?

Based on your business goals, I can help you bring your brand to life through its look, feel, and experience, as well as inform an effective go-to-market (GTM) plan.

If you're looking for the right marketing resources, I can help identify talent and lead teams.

Are you an established small business?

I can give you the brand refresh you need to expand your customer base, strengthen your relationship with your existing audience, or become a whole new you.

I can help you effectively launch a new product, service, or business vertical.

A female model wears a Katherine Hooker Hendre jacket made in custom-designed Pendleton Mills wool

My Experience

The industries I focus on are luxury goods or services particularly alcohol & beverages, hair & beauty, travel, and wellness. I work with companies that have a certain level of sophistication, understand the importance of social relevance, and often want to provide a high-touch experience to their customers.

Here are some of my past clients:

My Portfolio

 Creative samples available upon request, or check out more of the below portfolio on Instagram.

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View fullsize It was an incredible pleasure to design Boisson’s flagship LA store, located in the beautiful Brentwood neighborhood, with @StudioPaulChan. We were inspired by the elegant modernism of Maison de Verre—nodding towards the brand’s Fre
View fullsize A glimpse from our Dry January 2023 campaign Boisson, NYC & LA, 2021 - 2023 Chief Brand Officer I started consulting with startup, non-alcoholic retailer Boisson in 2021, providing design & marketing services during its beginning days, whi
View fullsize Examples of some of my packaging design for Boisson. These were non-alcoholic gift sets we rolled out during Holiday 2022. Boisson, NYC & LA, 2021 - 2023 Chief Brand Officer I started consulting with startup, non-alcoholic retailer Boisson in
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View fullsize Our Holiday 2022 shoot came together beautifully for the campaign line, A Different Way of Drinking Dry. The holidays are meant for celebrating and socializing, and we wanted to portray how one can still participate in the revelry while also not drin
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View fullsize With Airbnb as my new main client, my first project was to create an immersive stay for their monthly PR stunt, this time making the classic book Goodnight Moon come to life in honor of National Reading Day. I led a team of architects, designers, and
View fullsize During the bleakest days of the pandemic, @klarna wanted to pull off a virtual shopping experience that not only sparked joy but supported communities that needed it most. Our team pulled off a series of virtual drag brunches, hosted by @kimchi_chic
View fullsize As businesses fought to stay afloat during the first months of the pandemic, my team was tasked to create a B2B experience for @klarna to confidently guide its retailers on how to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Klarna Holiday Oasis was my c
View fullsize A few pages from the beautiful Events and Trade Shows Guidelines we created for @klarna, that has been implemented for their presences at NYFW, Shoptalk, and more. I led my team on these deliverables while being client-facing. We’re Magnetic,
View fullsize A glimpse at our work for Meta Oculus program “VR for Good” that was set to go live at SXSW 2020, which was cancelled last minute due to the onset of the COVID pandemic. I led our team of designers and stylists to create two physical sets
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FAQs

  • Let’s chat! I’ll want to know where your business is now, where it’s trying to go, and what resources you have available to achieve these goals. If I think we’re a match, I’ll prepare a complementary proposal to further the conversation. If I think I’m not the right person for you, I’ll happily direct you to someone within my network who is.

  • Only in rare instances do I bill hourly. Consultancy work is billed on a per project or business phase basis, taking in account not only the anticipated time required of industry-standard rates, but more importantly the current market value of the project components.

    I sell outcomes, not my time.

    Fractional leadership roles are billed as a monthly retainer.

  • Fractional leadership can be a wonderful option for scaling companies in need of cost-effective, executive-level decision-making.

    Unlike consultants, who are project-based solution providers with a defined, time-bound contract, fractional leaders are focused on long-term outcomes. Fractional leaders identify problems and opportunities, and are focused on providing value to a company, but at a fraction of the time and cost as their full-time counterparts.

    Fractionals are integrated company leaders, both internally and externally; consultants are independent contractors who deliver outputs to internal teams. Fractionals consider the longterm of a business’s people and vision.

    A fractional leader’s tenure is indefinite and at-will, just like a full-time employee, but they are paid on a 1099. Fractional roles allow fractional executives to serve for more than one company in a maximally efficient way.

    I currently have availability to serve as a fractional Chief Brand Officer (fCBO) or fractional Chief Marketing Officer (fCMO) with a Brand & Culture focus.

  • Please find a downloadable PDF here.

  • I am an Advisory Board member of Fractionals United, a 6k+ global community of fractional executives and their clients. I represent Branding on the Advisory Board.

    Additionally, I am a member of the American Marketing Association, Los Angeles chapter.

  • A twenty year New Yorker, I have recently moved to Los Angeles. I frequently travel back to the East Coast.

    I have worked in many markets nationwide, and I am available to travel for important in-person moments for clients outside of NY or LA.