Carol
Jones.
Where strategy meets discipline.
I build brands that move people and businesses forward - then I mentor others to do the same. On the mat or in the boardroom, I show up all-in.
The whole story, not just the highlight reel.
I'm a marketing leader who came up through the full stack - brand strategy, performance marketing, creative direction, and the unglamorous work of building a team from zero. I've sat in every seat at the table, which means I know what actually moves the needle and what's just noise.
Over the years I've built marketing functions from scratch, shaped brand voices that stuck, and driven campaigns that connected real audiences to real results. I care about work that means something - that's thoughtful, human, and built to last.
"The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing. It feels like a conversation you wanted to have."
These days I'm drawn to work that lets me do and mentor. I want to take what I've built and pass it forward - to marketers who are earlier in the journey, to founders who need a sharp strategic eye, to anyone willing to do the real work.
Off the clock, you'll find me on the mat. I'm training for my black belt in karate, and the discipline, focus, and humility that come with martial arts have made me a better leader, thinker, and person. There are no shortcuts to a black belt, and I apply that same standard to everything I do.
What I Bring
- Brand strategy & voice development
- Performance & growth marketing
- Email strategy, segmentation & CRM
- Member & audience engagement strategy
- AI-powered marketing systems & workflow design
- Building marketing functions 0→1
- Team leadership & development
- Creative direction & storytelling
What I'm Known For
- Making complex things feel clear
- Caring about the craft, not just the click
- Showing up fully - always
- Building the systems that make great work repeatable
- Never stopping learning
- Yes, I also built this site from scratch
Industries I've Worked In
- Retail & E-commerce
- Healthcare & Wellness
- Financial Services
- Travel & Hospitality
- Associations
Projects that shaped
how I think.
A cross-section of the work I'm most proud of - from global brand launches to award program design to building this site from scratch. The through-line across all of it: I don't just run projects, I build the systems, frameworks, and processes that make great work repeatable and scalable.
Building the Marketing Function at a National Trade Association
Joined IFA and built the operational foundation for a higher-functioning marketing team - establishing the processes, workflows, and infrastructure that enabled better work, faster execution, and stronger results across member engagement and communications.
- Built out the marketing team structure and onboarded new talent, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and cross-functional working relationships that hadn't existed before
- Designed and implemented production workflows and content planning processes that significantly improved speed to market - reducing bottlenecks and creating repeatable systems for campaign execution
- Introduced structured stakeholder review and feedback processes that brought clarity and accountability to approvals, enabling faster sign-off and reducing revision cycles
- Developed and led the member engagement strategy, including audience segmentation and data analysis to better understand member behavior and tailor communications across the lifecycle
- Led exploratory work and requirements gathering to expand member communications into SMS - defining use cases, building the strategic case, and laying the groundwork for launch
- Rebuilt the member onboarding and lifecycle communications strategy - auditing the existing drip sequence, identifying content gaps and sequencing problems, and leading a cross-functional task force to develop and prioritize improvements
This Portfolio Site
Built from scratch as part of a deliberate career pivot - a live proof of concept for the same skills I offer clients. Strategy, copy, design, and code, all mine.
- Designed the full visual identity: color system, typography, layout, and motion - starting from a blank file
- Drove the personal brand narrative and content strategy across every section - from positioning and voice to story structure and messaging
- Hand-coded the site in HTML and CSS with no frameworks, and deployed it as a static site via Netlify
AI-Powered Content Systems for Local Service Businesses
Built a repeatable, AI-powered marketing engine for a local martial arts studio - combining marketing strategy, workflow design, and free AI tools into a system that produces a full week of content in a single batch session.
- Designed the full weekly content workflow: footage sorting, structured AI prompting in Claude for captions, batch scheduling via Meta Business Suite - built to run without daily effort
- Built a 20-prompt AI marketing library across 5 content categories (bios, social posts, email, ads, content repurposing) - plug-and-play for any local service business
- Set up and configured Meta Business Suite from scratch - connecting Instagram and Facebook, establishing the business profile, and wiring the scheduling workflow for hands-off publishing
- Solved the cross-platform distribution problem: Instagram Reels as the growth driver, Facebook cross-post on publish day - eliminating the aspect ratio errors that kill most local business social attempts
- Built the foundation for Meta Ads activation: organic content as the testing ground for what performs before putting paid spend behind it
- The system is the product: documenting the build as a live case study and packaging the workflow into a reusable template for other local businesses
Full-Stack Marketing for a Martial Arts Studio
OTMA is the martial arts studio where I train - and where I also built and run the entire marketing operation. As a managing partner, I handle everything from the website to paid ads to the local business presence.
- Created and launched the studio website from scratch - structure, copy, design, and ongoing updates
- Own and manage the full social media presence on Instagram and Facebook - content creation, scheduling, and community management
- Built and run the complete local marketing stack: Meta ads, Yelp, and Google Business pages, plus special promotions and marketing materials
Launching the First Annual Credit Card Awards
Built from scratch: the first-ever Annual Credit Card Awards for US News & World Report - modeled on their iconic Best Colleges rankings, but for credit cards. A new product, a new revenue stream, and a new way for issuers to earn recognition.
- Designed the awards program end-to-end - evaluation framework, category structure, methodology, and the submission and review process that made it credible and repeatable year over year
- Created the badge licensing program, establishing how issuers could use and display the award mark - turning recognition into a commercial product
- Managed relationships with major card issuers throughout the launch, aligning their participation with editorial standards and revenue objectives
International Market Launch
Building the go-to-market playbook for a first-of-its-kind co-brand card partnership in a new Latin American market - from product structure to partner pitch to channel activation plan.
- Developed the product construct, benefit architecture, and channel marketing strategy from the ground up for a new market entry
- Built the partner-facing pitch deck covering marketing investment model, IT integration roadmap, and distribution channel strategy
- Managed cross-border stakeholder alignment across corporate, regional, and issuer partner teams through deal development
Multi-Channel Acquisition Marketing
Orchestrating a full-channel acquisition program for co-brand credit card products across a complex, multi-stakeholder environment - and scaling it internationally.
- Managed campaigns across email, web, mobile app, paid search, display, social media, direct mail, and on-property channels simultaneously
- Built the coordination system across creative, copy, compliance, and issuer teams that kept all channels aligned and on-brand
- Led expansion to international digital placements across Marriott's global booking platforms, increasing co-brand visibility in key markets
Loyalty Brand Unification
When Marriott acquired Starwood, two competing card portfolios - spread across two major issuer partnerships - had to become one coherent brand. I led the naming and design work that made Marriott Bonvoy cards feel like a family.
- Led naming strategy for the full card portfolio, partnering with a global creative agency to develop a naming architecture that worked across two issuers and multiple market tiers
- Managed card design documentation across U.S. and international markets, aligning product value propositions with new Marriott Bonvoy brand standards
- Coordinated cross-functional review across legal, brand, product, and issuer teams from concept through final approval and market release
Full-spectrum marketing,
with actual depth.
I don't specialize in one lane - I've worked across brand, performance, creative, and strategy because great marketing requires all of them talking to each other.
Brand Strategy
Defining the who, the why, and the how - then making sure every touchpoint delivers on it consistently. Voice, positioning, narrative architecture.
Performance Marketing
Paid, owned, earned - the full picture. Building campaigns that don't just spend money but grow something: awareness, pipeline, loyalty.
Function Building
I've built marketing teams from scratch - hiring, process design, tooling, culture. The hard, structural work that makes everything else possible.
Social Media Strategy
End-to-end social - platform strategy, content planning, hands-on execution, and performance analysis. Building the presence and the repeatable system behind it.
Creative Direction
Bridging the gap between strategy and execution - briefing creatives, shaping campaigns, and knowing when to push and when the work is done.
Email Strategy & Segmentation
Building email programs that do more than send - lifecycle design, audience segmentation, and the data analysis that makes every send smarter.
AI Marketing Systems
I build repeatable AI-powered marketing engines for local businesses - strategy and workflow combined so the content runs without consuming the owner's week. I build it, I run it, it works.
A full life makes a better leader.
I've never been someone who leaves myself at the door when I show up to work. The things I do outside work directly shape how I lead, think, and connect.
The Discipline of Karate
I'm on a journey toward my black belt, and it's the most humbling, clarifying thing I've ever committed to. Every class reminds me what it's like to be a true beginner - to fall down, get up, and improve 1% at a time. It's made me a better leader by making me a better student.
Active by Nature
Movement is non-negotiable for me. Karate, working out, staying physically active - these aren't hobbies, they're infrastructure for how I think and lead.
Lifelong Learner
I'm always reading, listening, or exploring something new - in marketing, leadership, or something completely outside my lane. Curiosity is a competitive advantage.
Community & Connection
People are the point. I invest in relationships - mentoring others, learning from those ahead of me, and building real community along the way.
Intentional About Growth
Whether it's a new kata or a new strategy, I show up with intention. I don't do anything halfway - including rest, which I'm still learning.
On the mat
Always exploring
Staying curious
Ready to do something great?
Whether you're looking for a strategic partner, a speaker, or just want to trade ideas - I'd genuinely love to hear from you.
Or reach me directly at
carol@caroljonesco.com