Name: Kathleen Ruiz
Business Name: KRW Consulting
Location: New York ,United States
Establishment (Year): 2017
Category/Industry: Advertising & Marketing
Profession/ Specialty: Marketing
Website: www.krwconsultingnyc.com
Company Detail:
Founded by luxury marketing and branding expert Kathleen Ruiz, KRW Consulting is a boutique marketing agency specializing in strategic brand partnerships and experiential marketing, particularly in the fashion and retail industries. In 2023, Kathleen formed an event production division, KRW Productions, providing global event strategy and management.
Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage:
Kathleen has kept her team lean, with a group of experts that have been with her for more than a decade, since her days at Neiman Marcus and Saks, a testament to her ability to mentor and inspire others. Outside of her core team she has a group of industry leaders that she brings in as needed for various client projects. This allows her to keep a small core group but also ensure that her clients get the very best results because the team is tailored specifically to the client and their objectives. This is what differentiates KRW Consulting from the rest. World class marketing experience with one-on-one service and impeccable attention to detail.
Challenges Faced During the Journey:
Kathleen, like many early executives and entrepreneurs, struggled from early self-doubt, as well as a business education deficit. While her peers all had college degrees, she did not have the same luxury. This, above all else, became one of her largest differentiators — as her work ethic far outpaced others in her quest for corporate learning. For this reason, she became more familiar working out of bounds than she did within the confines of any single role, learning more from the school of the hard knocks than a university-setting could ever teach her.
Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:
Starting an agency was never something Kathleen dreamed of but she often felt stifled by the corporate red tape and bureaucratic processes she juggled on a daily basis during her time at Neiman Marcus, Saks and Hudson's Bay. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Kathleen was leading the charge on some of the most impressive campaigns at Saks and Hudson's Bay. Her success was clear but as anyone knows who works “for the man” there is only so far you can take something that you don’t own. Like many entrepreneurs, there’s an aha moment when one realizes, I can do this better! And that’s exactly what she did. Kathleen formed a company of her own. One where she would call the shots and partner with brands she was passionate about. It sounds so cliche but Kathleen always believes if you can dream it you can do it and if you are passionate about it, you will succeed. Don't let the small stuff weigh you down. If you want it badly enough, you will find a way.
