About
I build brands that create enterprise value.
As CMO of Digital Media Solutions…
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Kathy Bryan shared thisIt’s NJSLA week at my kids’ schools. A week of testing, and they’ve been hating it. Every time they complain, I think about the little scantron dots we used to have to fill in during testing week. Hours of filling in dots. With a #2 pencil. Use enough pressure to make it dark. Fill it in completely. But don’t go outside the lines. The worst was when you got to question 53 on the test and realized you were about to fill in question 54 on the answer sheet. Then you’d have to figure out what row you’d skipped and fix everything since then. We were being tested on our math and reading skills and all that. But just as much, we were being tested on our ability to sit still, stay focused, and stay in the lines. That last part was sometimes the hardest.
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Kathy Bryan posted thisSomething’s gone awry with doctor’s appointment reminders. Day the appointment is made: text received. Thank you. 1 week out: text received, asking for reply to confirm. — Reminder appreciated, confirmation request tolerated. 1 week out: call received, message left. — Do you know you just sent me a text, and I just replied with my confirmation? 2 days prior: text received, asking for reply to confirm. — Yes, I know. Thank you. 2 days prior: call received, message left asking for call back to confirm. Resented. — Okay, seriously. Is this helpful for you? Because it’s not helpful for me 1 day prior: text received, reminder of charge if appointment is missed. — This is exhausting! Are you assuming I won’t be there because I didn’t re-re-re-confirm? I promise, I will be there.
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Kathy Bryan shared thisJust finished reading the book “The Many Lives of Mama Love” and there is a quote in the book that stopped me in my tracks: “Real power is about using your power to shine a light on other people so they can find their own power.” Lara Love is such a relatable working mom. She was just trying to hold it together. Unfortunately for her (and those around her during this period of her life), holding it together led to drugs and then to stealing and identity theft to pay for the addiction. Lara served her time and continued to pay as she struggled through the probation system. Getting an apartment and a job were both almost insurmountable hurdles. Through it all, she has people lifting her up. Sometimes by just being there. Often by doing much more. And along the way, she realized the benefit of power is that it empowers you to shine a light on others. In this virtual world we live in, where so often we keep in touch with people of our past only by scrolling through their updates or giving a quick thumbs up… it’s so easy to feel a little jealous of those who are (or appear to be) getting ahead… to forget what it looks like to shine our lights on those around us. But there’s room for everyone in this world.
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Kathy Bryan shared thisI’ve always wondered why more restaurants don’t give out branded t-shirts for free. Just imagine, your ice cream shop advertised in the stands at tonight’s local lacrosse game. How much would you pay for that? But instead, the t-shirts are available at a cost to the person willingly ready to act as a local billboard.
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Kathy Bryan shared thisIn the “most brilliant ways of getting your customers to advertise for you” category: The GOAT USA sticker subscription. My 10yo was a subscriber. Each month he got 3 each of 4 exclusive sticker designs. The subscription collateral told him to keep 1 and share 2 of each. He brought those extras to school and handed them out to his classmates. 8 kids each got a GOAT USA sticker that they’re now displaying on water bottles and whatever else. My son is paying for this advertising. (Yes, it’s his $.) And he’s happy to do so.
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Kathy Bryan shared thisIn the category of innovations that align with what customers actually want: I was at 16 Handles this weekend, and they had FroYoViders. Something I’d never seen before. They separate bowls into 3 sections. And that changes everything. My normal 16 Handles experience… I browse the flavors and select the 2, maybe 3, that go together. Because there’s no way I’m mixing peanut butter and strawberry lemonade. But yesterday, it was like I was creating a flight of frozen yogurt desserts. I had 3 distinct spots for 3 flavor combos. 1st section: strawberry lemonade with cherries on top. 2nd section: peanut butter with peanut butter cookie dough on top. 3rd section: cookies & cream with hot fudge on top. Could I have combined those last two. Of course. But I didn’t have to! I had 3 kids with me. They each got a frozen yogurt flight. 2 flavors in each section and coordinated toppings for each. At 16 Handles, you pay by weight and we definitely had heavier cups of frozen yogurt because of the dividers. So many innovations seem focused on getting more money out of you without caring about customer needs. But the cup dividers felt like the thing I’ve always wanted but didn’t realize I wanted it until the moment it was there for me. That’s the kind of innovation that makes customers come back.
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Kathy Bryan shared thisNo matter their ages, you never know what kids will like best. We went to Iceland for spring break. We were going to drive the Golden Circle, but weather made us take a tour instead. I found a tour that stopped at the tomato greenhouse, one of the less popular Golden Circle stops. I was excited about it, but i thought my kids would be bored and annoyed. Turns out… it was their favorite stop on the loop and one of their favorite things in all of Iceland! What is it? A giant greenhouse and a restaurant. Here’s why they loved it: 1. Instant gratification. We were given delicious cherry tomatoes 🍅 as we entered. 2. Anticipation. The tour took us past the table of fresh tomato soup 🥫 and warm bread. Their top seller. The bread 🥖 looked delicious, and we were excited about lunch. 3. Fun surprises. A basil plant 🪴 with scissors on the table… for fresh basil in our soup. And tomato desserts, like tomato ice cream, plated to look like potted flowers. We were there for just a couple of hours and experienced multiple delights, one right after the next. No time to get bored. We all loved it, and the kids said they would return to Iceland 🇮🇸 specifically to go back to this greenhouse restaurant!
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Kathy Bryan reposted thisKathy Bryan reposted thisIt is literally impossible to be a B2B marketer. You are so creative, and so analytical, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong. You have to be data-driven, but not too data-driven. And you can never say you just want to hit the number. You have to say you want to "build predictable pipeline," but also, you have to hit the number. You have to have budget, but you can't ask for budget because "what proof do we have that it'll work?" You have to be a revenue driver, but you can't take credit for deals. You're supposed to be a brand builder, but don't talk about brand when we're trying to close out the quarter. You have to be a demand gen machine, but also always be building for the long term. You have to answer for every lead that didn't convert, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're not being a team player. You're supposed to make content that performs, but not so salesy that it turns people off — but also it needs to convert, because what's the ROI? You're supposed to build programs that stand out in all the noise. But always be scrappy and always try to "do it with AI first." But never forget that attribution is broken. So find a way to prove your impact anyway, and always be grateful for a seat at the table. You can never miss a trend, never let the competition get ahead, never slip below the fold in Google, never need more time or a bigger team, never forget to loop in every other department, and never let them see you scrambling. It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out, in fact, that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also you need to build AI systems just efficient enough that someone in a boardroom starts wondering why they need you at all. I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other B2B marketer tie themselves into knots so that everyone else in the business will like us. And if all of that is also true for someone just trying to get one great campaign out the door before the strategy changes again, then I don't even know.
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Kathy Bryan posted thisJust finished “Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home” by Stephen Grant. I’ve always thought I’d love to deliver mail. Still kinda do think that, if I’m honest. Being outside. Exercising on the job. Spying on neighbors. (Did I say that out loud?) I doubt I understand even a fraction of the job, but this book made me realize there’s so much more to delivering mail than I ever thought about before. Like knowing all the houses on all the streets. And thinking of dogs as threats instead of fluffy balls of cuteness. I love a book that opens my eyes to new worlds. Please share if you’ve read any good ones lately. I like to keep my list of on-deck books growing.
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on thisThese were all released within 57 days of each other in 1991.
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on thisI have always felt anything is possible. I owe that to my mom. Growing up, I cycled through ambitions the way most kids cycle through toys. One month I was convinced I'd be a neurosurgeon. The next, an architect. Then, naturally, a model. Whatever the goal, my mom's response was the same: You can do whatever you set your mind to. Let's figure out what you need to accomplish your goals. She was never a skeptic and she never told me to be realistic—even when it might have been understandable. (A model?!) She only shared her unwavering belief that if I had a goal, I could create a path and work hard to reach it. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I realized how lucky I was. Don’t get me wrong. I knew my parents loved me. But when you enter the workforce, there are always unexpected hurdles. I’ve written a lot on LinkedIn about my career journey, and there were definitely moments that were less than ideal. Like when I was told I wasn’t likely to make partner at Bain. Did it feel good? Of course not. Did it crush me? Of course not. I kept going. I dug in. I had those 100+ conversations to find my path. But I didn’t do them alone. I had my mom in my head (and on the phone) all the way. Mom, thank you for your unconditional love and for the gift of true confidence. People have often asked me if confidence is created by nature or nature - I’m honestly not sure of the correct answer. I just know that, in my case, it’s because of you. And to every mother who cheers loudly, offers caring constructive feedback, and shows up as the world's most devoted fan, wearing rose-colored glasses and overflowing with optimism, support and love: Happy Mother's Day. You are the foundation that makes anything possible. #tothetop
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on this𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: The Post-it Brand Team has reached out for a potential partnership!! Thank you to everyone who tagged and sent to their contacts at 3M. I would love to hear from you about what content you'd like to see me create for this iconic brand, since YOU are the ones who made this happen! All it takes is one POST.
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on thisIn 2023, during my very first year with Konica Minolta, I was nominated for the CEO Award. I remember thinking at the time how incredible it felt to just be recognized in that way. Fast-forward to today, and I genuinely struggle to put this moment into words — which is ironic considering communications is what I do for a living. 😆 During our FY26 Employee Kickoff, I was selected as the CEO Award winner. It’s a defining career moment that I know I’ll carry with me forever. I pour my heart into my work, the people I do it for, and the organization I have the privilege to represent every single day. People want to be part of organizations where they are seen, empowered, encouraged, trusted, and given the space to grow into their full potential. The companies that genuinely invest in their people are the ones that build cultures capable of extraordinary things and where all the magic happens. At Konica Minolta, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience that firsthand. I have an endless appreciation for my incredible Executive Leadership Team, my colleagues, mentors, friends, and everyone who continues to support, challenge, and believe in me. This journey has already meant more than I can properly express — and we’re only getting started. Here’s to the relentless pursuit of what comes next. 💙💪🏻
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on thisEvery single marketing meeting in 2026. 😭 Someone’s campaign flopped, the brief was vague, the audience was wrong, and the offer was mediocre… but sure, let’s see what AI says. AI won’t fix a strategy you haven’t built yet. It won’t fix messaging you haven’t figured out yet. And it definitely won’t fix a product nobody asked for. Garbage in, garbage out…just faster and with better grammar.
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Kathy Bryan reacted on thisKathy Bryan reacted on thisClaude is a woman and ChatGPT is a man. I will not elaborate further.
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Education
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
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Co-Founder & President
Women Of Martech
- 2 years
- Founded during COVID to amplify the voices, contributions, and achievements of women in the martech industry.
- Grew to nearly 1,000 members across 270 companies and 12 countries in less than 2 years.
- Sunset intentionally in 2022, passing the baton to in-person communities better suited to the post-pandemic landscape. -
Honors & Awards
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Best-Led Company of 2021
Inc.
DMS recognized among Inc.’s Top 250 Best-Led Companies in America for management excellence.
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Tim Burke Pioneer Award
Consumer Consent Council
Annual award recognizing a single leader for lasting impact and exceptional contributions to the performance marketing industry. Selected as the 2021 recipient.
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Best Branded Content Site - B2B Finalist
Digiday Content Marketing Awards
DMS Insights named a finalist for Best Branded Content Site — B2B by the Digiday Content Marketing Awards, recognized for effectively promoting brand, product and service through standout content.
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English
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