After 16 years in the marketing field, both as a client and a consultant, Kate Cantrell was ready to address the elephant in the conference room â for most start-ups and small businesses, the traditional agency model no longer works in todayâs competitive and ever-changing marketplace.
Kate saw first-hand the disconnect between clients and the agencies hired to help them and felt the frustration of small business owners who came in second to big-name companies or sold solutions they couldnât afford (and worse, failed from the get-go). She knew there had to be a better way. So, in 2019, she launched Zeal Marketing & Consulting, assembling a team of independent copywriters, designers, IT experts, and marketing strategists who werenât focused on filling billable hours, but on achieving each clientâs marketing goals.
Today, every idea Zeal brings to the table is relationship-driven. As a small business owner herself, Kate relates to like-minded entrepreneurs ready to break away from the everyday. She strives to make each person feel heard and supported, give them the tools and confidence to define their goals, and offer them a fully customized strategy and recommendations. But most important, she ensures their brand reflects their âWhy,â â why they do what they do and how they do it so well.
Kateâs diverse experience makes her unique in that she can work with clients in almost any industry. However, she has niche experience in healthcare, from hospital marketing to direct care practice start-ups, banking and financial services, and small businesses.
Kate earned her Master of Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from Argosy University in 2012. She received her bachelorâs degree in financial accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University, where she played basketball. Kate has two sons, Ty and Isaac. She is also an active member of her community and serves as president of the Edwardsville Childrenâs Museum board of directors.
