Purpose-Driven Growth Coach | Author, Grow North Thursday | Marketing Advisor | 3x Entrepreneur | Airplane & Sauna Builder

👋 Follow me for weekly thoughts on business growth, personal purpose, and life design. 

🔥 Try my free newsletter Grow North Thursday. Get 1 actionable growth system each week to align profit, purpose, and a meaningful life. 

Award-winning marketing leader with 20 years experience growing B2B technology brands, SaaS startups, and $300M+ legacy businesses.

My purpose is to help others grow in their personal and professional purpose, advancing joy and meaning in individuals and communities, and courageous choices that lead to a fulfilling life.

Personal interests: Experimental aviation, sauna building, lifting heavy weights, meditation, lifestyle design, and attacking cancer. Proud boy mom and partner in projects and dreams with my husband, my life build teammate, Ed.

My Core Values:
-Service & Integrity
-Growth & Curiosity
-Connection & Understanding
-Wellbeing & Health
-Courage & Creative Freedom

LET'S CONNECT.

I love working with smart and interesting people from all walks of life.

If you have an idea for a collaboration, want to jam out on a podcast, or hire me, then let's chat.

Colleen Kranz💡

I’ve started and stopped writing this post more times than I can count.
 
I live in Minnesota. I love this state. And like many of you, my heart is just breaking from what's been unfolding here.
 
Some days it's so overwhelming, I’m not quite sure what to say without adding to the noise.
 
So instead of rushing to comment, I slowed down.
 
I tried to pay attention to what was happening in me, in my own body. The sadness and tension I was feeling... and that all too familiar urge to react quickly.
 
When things feel out of control, my instinct is to do more. Read more. Post more. Think harder. Try to solve something that isn’t simple.
 
I think the most honest thing I can offer today is this:
 
Being thoughtful is a form of leadership too.
 
Not every moment calls for a hot take. Maybe some call for steadiness or listening. For choosing and being accountable for how we show up in the small, human ways that are actually within our control.
 
Here’s what that’s looked like for me this week:
 
-Getting quiet before forming an opinion
-Listening without planning my response
-Taking breaks from social media and the news
-Asking myself where my energy is actually helpful and taking action
 
I’m choosing care over certainty. I'm prioritizing staying as grounded as I can.

Because real change starts with people who are regulated enough to think clearly, compassionate enough to listen deeply, and humble enough to keep learning.

Purpose-Led Growth Architect | Advisor to Entrepreneurs Building Profitable, Sustainable Businesses | Author of Grow North Thursday | 3x Entrepreneur & Builder of Communities, Airplanes & Saunas

I’m really honored to be featured in Jill Konrath’s new book, Pivotal Moments.

My chapter is called “The Moment I Stopped Pretending.”

It tells the story of a moment in 2020 when everything I had been holding together finally cracked, and I realized I didn’t recognize myself anymore.

What I appreciate most about this book is that it isn’t about reinvention for show or dramatic turning points. It’s about the silent, uncomfortable moments that change the direction of your life when you actually pay attention to them.

Jill brings together 29 stories from people who hit those moments and chose a different way forward. The throughline isn’t perfection or certainty. It’s honesty.

I’m grateful to Jill for creating space for these stories and for the care she brings to the work she puts into the world.

If you’re in a season of questioning, recalibrating, or simply noticing that something needs to change, this book is worth your time.

January is National Mentoring Month. And it feels like a good moment to say this out loud.
 
Very few businesses grow in a healthy, sustainable way without guidance.
 
Not tactics.
Not hacks.
Guidance.
 
Almost every meaningful shift I’ve seen in a business was accelerated by someone outside the day-to-day.
 
Someone who could see what the founder couldn’t while they were deep in the work.
Someone who asked better questions.
Someone who challenged assumptions.
Someone who helped reconnect growth decisions to values, not just numbers.
 
Mentorship isn’t about being told what to do.
 
It’s about being supported while you figure out what actually makes sense for you, your business, and the life you want that business to support.
 
The longer I do this work, the more clearly I see this pattern.
 
Sustainable growth is rarely built alone.

And burnout often shows up when we try to carry everything ourselves.
 
So today, I’m grateful for the mentors who helped me slow down, zoom out, and make better decisions. Jenny Jefferds, Laura Krafka, Andy Dulka, Jeff Mader, Jennie Tollefson to name a few of many...

And I’m just as grateful for the chance to be that person for others.

If you're frustrated this week, don't waste it.


A lot of us are carrying extra anxiety right now. Emotions that don't neatly resolve. 

That frustration is very real and shared.

But frustration is also energy.

It's the signal that something matters and something isn't working yet.

Use that energy to write.
To move your body.
To think differently about a hard problem.
To paint. To sing. To build.
To gather people.
To make it very clear what someone means to you, if you've never told them before.
To make real what's been on your heart.

You don't have to eliminate frustration.

You just have to decide what you'll turn it into.

What will you create this week?

A while back, my empowerment coach Kate asked me a question I wasn’t expecting.

“Who’s actually steering the ship right now. You, or your saboteur?”

We all have internal habits of thinking or reacting that can sometimes run the show, especially under pressure. Positive Intelligence calls them Saboteurs.

They’re the automatic thoughts behind things like:

• urgency that isn’t actually urgent
• overcommitting when you’re already stretched
• people-pleasing disguised as being “helpful”
• perfectionism that slows everything down

As leaders and entrepreneurs, these patterns often look responsible or driven on the surface. But over time, they drain energy, blur boundaries, and make work heavier than it needs to be.

When I saw my own patterns called out like that, I was like... well yah, of course! 

(Pleaser and Hyper-Achiever here.)

But clearly knowing these saboteurs changes how I lead my week, my decisions, and my energy.

In tomorrow's Grow North Thursday newsletter, I’m sharing what saboteurs actually are, how to recognize when they’re running your day, and one small way to work with them instead of fighting yourself.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re capable of more clarity and calm than you’re currently experiencing, this one’s for you.

👉 https://lnkd.in/gkpjFiyN


📸 image cred: Secret Beach (yes, that's what it's called) in Brookings, Oregon. A beautiful and secluded hike to one of the best outlooks and beaches in the state.

I’ve been using a simple filter lately before saying yes to new work, ideas, or opportunities.
 
It takes about 5 minutes. And it’s saved me from a lot of unnecessary stress.
 
I write the opportunity at the top of a page. Then I answer these three questions, honestly:
 
1. Does this move the business forward in the next 90 days? Yes or no. No storytelling.
2. What does this cost me in energy? Low, medium, or high. Time is one thing. Energy is the real constraint.
3. If I say yes to this, what am I implicitly saying no to? Rest. Focus. Family. Another project. Momentum.
 
If the answers don’t line up with the season I’m in, it’s a no. Even if it’s a “good” opportunity.
 
This has helped me protect profit and well-being. And it’s made my growth feel more intentional instead of reactive.
 
Sharing in case it’s useful for you too.


p.s. can you name this falls?

I found this sign in a small pizza joint in Troutdale, Oregon.


So many of us are wired for growth. Progress. What’s freaking next.

And somewhere along the way, enjoying the journey starts to feel… optional. Or worse, irresponsible.

Like if you’re not pushing, striving, or sacrificing, you’re doing it wrong.

Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:

If the journey is miserable, the destination rarely fixes that.

Purpose isn’t something you arrive at once you hit a goal. It’s something you practice while you’re building.

And sustainable growth, the kind that supports real profit, impact, and wellbeing, requires enough margin to breathe, reflect, and stay curious.

Not hustle-yourself-into-the-ground energy. Long-game energy.

So maybe this is the reminder today:
 
You can care deeply about growth AND enjoy the process. You can build something meaningful WITHOUT burning yourself out. You don’t have to earn rest by suffering first.
 
The journey is the work. ✌️

Last week, I attended the funeral of a longtime community leader and my dad’s best friend.
 
There was sadness, yes, but it was also incredibly inspiring to sit in a packed middle school auditorium listening to story after story about how he spent a lifetime showing up for others. Deep roots in the community. Service over decades.
 
The room was full in a way that surprised me. Not just family and church members, but law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, and people who clearly knew each other through hard moments. You could feel the shared history.
 
Sitting there gave me a lot of perspective on feelings I’ve been grappling with this week.
 
I live in Minnesota. What’s happening here carries weight, and that weight feels closer after honoring such an incredible and inspiring life lived in service to others.
 
I’ve noticed how that’s been showing up in my work. The plans and conversations still matter. But there’s a lot weighing on people right now, and pretending otherwise doesn’t feel honest.
 
So I’ve been staying connected, inspired by the way he lived.
 
I’ve been reaching out to friends, clients, and past collaborators without an agenda. Just because we’re humans first, and I genuinely don’t know how everyone is doing or what they’re carrying this week.
 
I don’t want heaviness to take over my days. I also don’t want to look away. What feels possible for me right now is doing the work I know how to do with more care. Showing up as myself instead of trying to power through or disappear.
 
Reaching out in small ways feels like one way I can honor him by showing up for the people around me, the way he did for so many years.

It’s impossible to be a life-changing presence to some without being a total joke to others.  

Criticism is proportional to impact.  

Mark Manson said this last year, and it really resonated with me.   

Because no matter what you do...  

You'll be judged for taking action. 
You'll be ignored for doing nothing. 
You'll be criticized for winning. 
You'll be doubted when you fail.  

I learned this first-hand 

• Building an airplane and growing Good Plane Living on YouTube 
• Launching Catapult North and writing online
• Starting Saunable mobile wood-fire saunas

So what do we do?  

We do the thing anyway.  

If you're waiting for the approval, you'll end up stuck, sitting on ideas, avoiding risk, and playing small.  

Here's what to ask yourself this week: 

→ What impact do I actually want to have? 
→ Am I letting fear of criticism stop me? 
→ Why do I care so much?  

Your challenge: 
Do the thing. Something meaningful to you. And let the critics do what they do best.  

📌 What have you held back on lately? Drop it below. ↓

Most founders don’t resist change because they’re stubborn.

They resist it because they’re trying to leap too far, too fast.

I’ve been sitting with an idea lately that helped me make sense of what I see in coaching conversations all the time.

People don’t move forward in one clean decision. They move forward through a series of micro-beliefs.

What do I mean by micro-beliefs?

We often talk about change as if it’s a single moment.

“I decided to pivot.”
“I decided to raise my prices.”
“I decided to do things differently.”

But that’s not how it usually works.

Before any visible change, there’s usually a sequence happening underneath. Small internal shifts that sound more like this:

“Something isn’t working the way it used to.”
“I’m not the only one struggling with this.”
“There might be another way to do this.”
“That way might actually fit me.”
“I’m willing to try one small step.”

Each one is a micro-belief. Miss one, and everything feels forced after that.

Tomorrow’s Grow North Thursday newsletter breaks this down step by step, including how to identify the exact micro-belief that’s keeping you stuck.

If change has felt harder than it should, this will help.

👉 Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gkpjFiyN

There are seasons where speed is the wrong strategy for you.


I have spikes on my winter boots.

But the ice this week was so bad I had to crawl on hands and knees to take Luna out in the morning. 

It was that perfect moment where fog and rain from the night had frozen into a glass-like layer over everything.

(If you live in MN or WI, you know that moment.)

We got there, one inch at a time.

Sometimes, due to circumstances beyond your control, you don’t need more force. You need a different pace.

I wasn't crawling because I lacked motivation. I was craling because it was the safest way to make progress that day.

In work and life, pushing harder in the wrong season is careless.

The real work is learning how to keep moving forward without breaking yourself.

What season are you in right now?

Jill Konrath published a story I am so lit up about. Let me tell you about it...

 
It’s a powerful example of what I think of as the purpose economy in action.
 
Here’s the short version.
 
For years, Bruce Stephan and his family vacationed in Mexico and got to know a man named Pato, who worked long hours at a resort to support his family. At one point, he was commuting three hours a day just to earn enough to get by.
 
But Pato had a bigger vision.
 
He grew up around honey farming and saw both the struggle and the potential in his village. His goal wasn’t just to make more money. It was to help his community thrive, preserve Mayan traditions, and create a sustainable future for the people around him.
 
So he did something brave.
 
He worked. He saved. He reinvested everything.
 
Over time, Pato built a honey business that now supports over 100 local beekeepers, removes intermediaries, teaches sustainable practices, and provides real livelihoods for families in his region. The business now sells both inside and outside of Mexico.
 
One person. One clear purpose. A ripple effect that changed an entire community.
 
What I loved most was his mantra through all of it:
 
“I don’t care. I will do it. I am ready.”
 
This is the purpose economy.
 
Not growth at all costs. Not scale for the sake of scale.
 
It’s building something meaningful that creates value beyond yourself.
 
So here’s the question for today:
 
What do you want your work to make possible for others?

Are you solving the problem, or just reacting to the pain?  


I heard this question a few years ago, and it really changed the way I work.

I have built most of my career by leaning into the doing. 

Act. Test. Learn. Adjust.

That bias toward action has served me really well. I’m comfortable experimenting my way forward.

But more than once, I've realized I was moving in the wrong direction because I didn't spend enough time clearly defining the problem up front.

Now I use a simple 10-minute writing exercise to help me aim my action better.

When I do this, the problem gets clearer, and the next action becomes far more effective.

Tomorrow in my newsletter, I'm breaking down this simple writing exercise. If you'd like to join us, check out the link in my bio.

Most of us don’t have a time problem. We have a yes problem.

 
We slowly give our best energy to things that don’t actually matter:
 
• meetings with no outcome
• obligations we’ve outgrown
• emotional spirals we never question
• busywork that looks productive or feels good
 
None of it feels dangerous in the moment.
 
But over time, it erodes focus, health, and joy.
 
One of the most powerful growth moves you can make isn’t adding more.

It’s getting ruthless about what doesn’t deserve access to you.
 
A question I come back to often:
 
“If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?”
 
Clarity creates space.
 
And space is where meaningful work and a good life actually live.

Merchology

VP of Marketing and Product Strategy

CIX Solutions

Influencing leadership, business strategy, and team success is what I do best. I am a leader and a marketer who drives strategy and business results. Throughout my career, I have committed myself to conceptualizing, defining, and successfully delivering business and marketing, and customer experience strategies that drive continued growth. I am passionate about leading team members to align for personal and organizational growth.

The idea behind CIX, Connected Intentional Experiential, is rooted in my purpose to impact the lives of others through positive influence and encouragement so that we all live our best life. I thrive when I am connecting with others leveraging my strengths in communication, relating, and restoring. These strengths coupled with my core values of curiosity, connection, integrity and teamwork allow me to create business and marketing solutions that deliver results.

Business Owner | Marketing Consulting

Game One

Private Equity backed National Athletic Supply organization serving teams and schools with apparel, uniforms and equipment. Hired as Marketer #1 to develop and launch a marketing strategy and team from the ground up.  I produced a successful disruptor strategy that consolidated eight independent organizations into one national brand and enterprise, Game One. Created a team of marketing superstars that pioneered Omni-Channel strategies and Product Marketing into a historically transactional based model. Now an end-to-end relationship based model.

Our newly-formed executive team launched an organizational structure, rebrand, technology stack, manufacturing process, and footprint—including corporate vision, mission, and values—becoming the 2nd largest provider of apparel, uniforms, and equipment for schools, clubs, and organizations in the country. All within 24 months. 

Check out the powerful story of Game One in the attached Case Study supported by our brand partners, Sussner.

Chief Marketing Officer

FOREST LAKE AREA SCHOOLS

Varsity Assistant Girls Basketball Coach & Mentor

Sportsdigita

Spearheading business and marketing strategy, leading marketing, account management and creative services (agency) teams for SaaS organization servicing 400+ sports and enterprise clients worldwide. Creating new digital marketing strategies, implementing new creative services revenue streams, and establishing new market positions.

Vice President, Marketing & Operations

Lifetouch National School Studios

A member of the senior leadership team and Shutterfly integration team, charged with leading strategic marketing, change, ideation and execution for the company’s largest business segment with $750M in annual revenue generated from school portraits, yearbook, sports, and event photography from 50,000 schools and 20 million households.

Vice President Marketing

Department senior management role leveraging proven track record with customer journeys, e-commerce growth, product merchandise, go-to-market strategies, and team alignment to drive business strategies for brand, communication, product innovation, merchandising, design, customer experience, e-commerce, customer data, and business intelligence.

Senior Director Of Marketing

Develop and lead customer experience and engagement strategies for Underclass portraits and Yearbook in North America.  Leverage Omni-channel communication plan using personalization and segmentation to maximize digital marketing, e-commerce and print avenues. Develop and execute customer loyalty program targeting 15 million households.

Director of Customer Experience Marketing

Lead marketing and business strategy for $480M underclass (K-11) portrait division including business to business and direct to consumer across both United States and Canada.  Developed e-commerce strategy – Omni-channel plan supporting social engagement, e-mail, lead generation, user interface and mobile optimization driving increased e-commerce sales.

Director of Business and Marketing, Underclass Portraits

Managed $130 Million high school senior and college photography business segment for United States and Canada.  Established strategic direction to drive business improvement and innovation.

Director of Marketing, Senior Portraits

Manage $450 million consumer business segment.  Responsible for marketing strategy, new product development and merchandising for Elementary Underclass photography segment.
- Go-To-Market Strategies
- New Product Development
- Pricing and Packaging Strategies
- Social Media Initiatives

Assistant Marketing Manager

Support Elementary Underclass school picture business with new product development and pricing and packaging strategies.

Consumer Marketing Associate

Manage marketing and business functions for $32 million Sport and Special Event consumer and customer business segment.   Lead multi-functional teams to develop business SOP across multiple operating groups.  Analyze competitive conditions, conduct gap analysis and set market penetration strategies. 
- Project Management
- Communication and Merchandising Strategies
- Launch Brand Control Software

Marketing Associate

Minnesota Youth Athletic Services

Developed strategies and tactics for company business plans.  Managed over 60 youth sports events annually with over 50,000 participants.
- Launched Ecommerce Website
- Created new customer data warehouse
- Advertising and Promotion materials
- Implemented Multi-level Sponsorship Program

Program Director

Program Coordinator

As a Senior Business Executive for start-up, Private Equity and large matrixed organizations, I bring over 20 years of consistent success driving business growth, digital transformation, and brand awareness taking B2B, B2B2C and Growth organizations to the next level. My marketing savvy and know-how is paired with a passion for coaching and developing high-performing teams that execute brilliantly to attain peak performance. 

I’m known for being a trusted and valued cross-functional partner who eliminates obstacles to elevate and accelerate achievement of organizational and individual goals. Together. 

My Leadership Passions:
- Change Management & Organizational Turnarounds
     - Revenue Growth
     - Marketing Team Formation and Development
     - Strategic Partnerships: Tech, Sales and Operations

- Digital Transformation
     - Website & E-commerce Strategy
     - Business Intelligence & Analytics
     - Customer and Consumer Data Segmentations

- B2B2C Business and Marketing Foundation
     - Customer Experience
     - Omni-Channel Strategy
     - National Brand Strategy
     - Go-to-Market Strategy 
     - Product Launch & Program Management

My Personal Passions:
Connecting with individuals in a meaningful way through networking, coaching, and mentoring. When I’m not working on business projects, I coach and mentor high school girls in basketball and life. As a former collegiate student-athlete who overcame many obstacles, I now enjoy the opportunity to connect with young people as they navigate their journey. It’s a profoundly rewarding experience.

It is critical to me to think positively, be curious and own the story you tell.

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