Laura Bates, Partner
For decades, I have been helping organizations to find the creative “unlock” that solves their business challenges. It requires a blend of art and science, but the outcome can genuinely transform a brand—and the overall business.
My quest to find answers for brands began when I left the public relations world to join Domino’s Pizza. As regional marketing manager, I learned how every brand solution must work for the people executing it. Marketing should not create grand plans that operations can’t deliver. While there, I created programs that helped my region earn two national sales records.
My career path led me to Cover Girl (part of Procter & Gamble), where I led several product launches in a fast-paced and competitive market. Who knew that a football-tossing tomboy would be making a market splash in cosmetics! I went on to serve as senior vice president of Brand Management at Marriott, where I helped to reposition Marriott Hotels, Renaissance Hotels and Residence Inn. I also drove the re-engineering of Marriott’s product design and innovation process.
After having my twins in 2004, I decided to leave corporate America and begin my own business to work on a variety of brands. Since then, I have partnered with Karen to help Fortune 500 companies and smaller start-ups to accomplish great feats—from launching life-changing pharmaceutical campaigns to reconfiguring loyalty programs and shaping some of the strongest hotel brands in the industry.
I’m still always on the hunt for answers to the most perplexing business challenges. I hope to help you solve yours.
More about Laura:
Laura led the revitalization of Cover Girl Cosmetics to secure its No. 1 market share position and deliver record profitability.
Her hospitality work was celebrated with a Gold Key design award from Boutique Design New York and by Condé Nast Traveler.
Laura studied communications at Tulane University and earned her MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where she was the Unilever U.S. Scholarship recipient.