Building businesses from inception to launch to success.
Raising awareness, raising funds, and raising profiles.

Re-Branding Non-Profit/Launching New Business Model

Challenge: An existing international non-profit sought to separate from its parent company, wanted to inform all stakeholders of the change, and establish a strong separate identity yet maintain connections and goodwill it had acquired through its prior years of work.

The Strategic Muses:

• Helped re-brand the company with a new name, new logo, and new messaging through workshops and naming sessions with management team.
• Worked with lawyers and client to successfully separate company from parent.
• Assisted founder with new Board formation.
• Worked with a designer to create a new look and feel for the client’s website. Wrote all copy for the site.
• Managed off-site management meetings to create a strategic plan for the future of the organization.
• Established a plan to reach out to existing donors, foundations, colleagues, and influencers to advise them of change in name and strategy. Worked with founder to execute all communications.
• Managed public relations and communications team to craft letters and press releases regarding change.
• Conceive of and coordinate launch party to celebrate the name change and new mission with supporters, friends, and funders.

Launching Non-Profit/Establishing Relationships with Local Community and Funding Sources

Challenge: A small start-up company offering training programs for teens wanted to become a non-profit organization. Because of its recent launch, client needed immediate funding to run a summer program.

The Strategic Muses:

• Found counsel for company to create 501(c)(3) organization, and helped rename company. Advised on website.
• Helped formulate team of experts to create a strategic plan. Worked on financial forecasts and budget for operations.
• Created fundraising plan with client. Researched and developed potential sponsor list for funding and for inaugural gala.
• Developed all materials for sponsorship of gala, and reached out to hundreds of potential funders including large corporations, foundations, individuals, and even small businesses who might have an interest in the underlying mission of the organization.
• Established relationships with funders and potential funding sources, and fostered goodwill for company.
• Wrote and submitted grant applications to large foundations with an interest in education.
• Ultimately helped organization raise significant amount of capital to support its programming.
• Worked on inaugural gala from its inception to completion, including creating a dinner journal with ads from supporters, donors, and friends.

Brand Establishment/Management Through High-Profile Events

Challenge: For several clients, it is important to produce high profile events to maintain lasting relationships with funding sources and prominent individuals in their field.

The Strategic Muses have:

• Developed and ran a 600-person UN-based conference and awards dinner celebrating leaders in the field of universal health coverage. We created all materials for the event, including sponsorship packages. We reached out to all sponsors, and developed and organized an exhibition hall for pharmaceutical companies to showcase their latest developments. Coordinated with London-based agency to set up forums and attract the most influential speakers in the field. Oversaw public relations company and worked on press releases and interview messaging.
• Helped create an inaugural fundraising gala in conjunction with a performance of the musical Hamilton. Created and developed all sponsorship materials, developed relationships with funding sources on behalf of client, and helped produce the gala from inception to completion. We created a dinner journal and worked with client on public relations outreach. We served as an adjunct to the client for all aspects of this 600- person event.
• Conceived of and ran a 350-person gala for a non-profit client with entertainment, a silent auction, a live auction, an exhibit hall, and an awards dinner. Handled all aspects of the evening including creating a dinner journal, developing sponsorships, speech-writing, establishing the run-of-show, overseeing public relations, and helped develop video of client’s work.

Ongoing Marketing of Small Business

Challenge: A long-established law firm wants to remain top of mind with potential clients and referral sources.

The Strategic Muses:

• Helped develop television, radio and internet-based advertising campaigns for the firm.
• Bought media time for these ads on national television stations, local cable stations and internet-based services.
• Created social media posts and wrote blogs on behalf of client.
• Drafted and disseminated press releases on behalf of client and conducted media relations to highlight firm and its practice areas.
• Ongoing consulting about best business practices and how to retain top position in competitive market.