You’re doing all the things — but still not reaching your income + impact goals.

You’re not alone. Most of the small business owners I work with are brilliant at what they do — but overwhelmed by noisy advice, inconsistent results, and marketing that feels... misaligned.

That’s where I come in.

I help purpose-driven businesses cut through the noise and build a simple, values-based marketing strategy that’s aligned from the inside out. One that’s rooted in who you are, what you offer, and how you truly want to show up.

Together, we clarify:

➡️ Why your offer matters — and who’s most likely to value it
➡️ Where your message is missing the mark
➡️ What to stop doing — and what to focus on next

The methodology I use — the Aligned Marketing Method™ — isn’t another funnel, formula, or set of “must do” tactics. It’s a lens to make strategic decisions that fit you and actually move the needle. Clients work with me in a few ways, including single strategic sessions, BackPocket CMO™ strategic advisory engagements, or my fractional CMO offer for slightly larger businesses with more complex marketing needs.

With 30+ years in marketing, an MBA in International Management, and experience spanning everything from offer development and messaging to high-converting online challenges, I bring both strategic depth and practical clarity. I’m a Certified StoryBrand Guide and certified in the 100X Kingdom Entrepreneurship methodology — blending proven frameworks with values-first strategy.

🔍 Curious what it looks like to work together? Check the Featured section below to schedule a quick discovery call and for details on strategy sessions, current offers, and ways we can collaborate.
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Values: Alignment · Kindness · Curiosity · Growth · Collaboration

👋🏻 I believe in relationship-first business.
If we haven’t met yet, please include a short note when you request to connect. If you lead with a cold pitch, I’ll assume we’re not aligned.

I pick three words every year. Not goals. Not resolutions.
Words that act like a compass. 🧭

➡️ This isn’t a trend I made up. I first learned it from Chris Brogan over a decade ago. His approach to choosing three words shifted how I think about new beginnings — not with pressure to do more, but with clarity on how I want to be.

This year, my words are:
✨ Rich
✨ Curiosity
✨ Surrender

Not rich as in just revenue.

Rich as in:
👭🏻 Depth in relationships
🗓️ Spaciousness in my calendar
💬 Conversations that actually matter
💫 Clients who respect themselves enough to do the work
🕊️ Alignment that feels like peace, not just performance

Curiosity reminds me to ask better questions. Think in terms of “What does this make possible?”

In business. In faith. In relationships.

Not “How do I beat the algorithm?”
But “What would marketing look like if I led with love instead of control?”

Not “How do I keep up with the industry?”
But “What makes me unshakable in a noisy world?”

Then there’s Surrender.

This one cuts deep.

It’s not just about surrendering control of outcomes. It’s about surrendering the part of me that believes it’s all up to me.

That I have to carry it. Fix it. Be everything for everyone.

I’ve held that role for most of my life — sometimes by choice, sometimes by default.

But this year, I’m laying it down. Not my ambition. Not my standards.

I’m laying down the false identity that says my worth is tied to how much I produce.

Because the calling on my life doesn’t require performance. It requires presence. And that begins with surrender.

This is the year of:
💖 Leading with love.
📈 Building with strategy.
⏰ Surrendering the timeline, but not the calling.

I’d love to know — what word or words are shaping your year? Whether it’s one or three, drop them below. I read every comment.

Katharine McMahon

My passion is for helping impact-driven business owners achieve their growth goals with marketing that is in alignment with their core values. There is so much hype about the latest and greatest marketing tactics/tools - it can be hard to sort out what is truly right for your business when you are being told you "have to" (insert today's latest thing) to be successful and grow. Instead, I help my clients craft a SIMPLE growth strategy that resonates both with the business and with its ideal customers. And hopefully, in the process, help them breathe more and stress less! As half consultant/half mentor, I provide both the support to identify the best solution and the accountability to make it happen, along with the expert advice (based on decades of experience) you need.

As part of my "toolkit," I bring over 30 years of marketing experience, having spent time in almost every marketing role at some point: brand/product management, traditional marketing communications (old school style), event/trade show marketing, digital marketing, and even a little PR. I have managed marketing (and tech) projects with very small budgets up to $5M+. With a strong business management background and my MBA, I look at the business as a whole, not just from a marketing perspective. Sometimes the solution to a growth challenge is NOT another ad campaign or product launch; it could be a new distribution channel or even a people issue that is blocking the growth. However, if you are just looking for a "guru" in a particular tool (like FB ads), we are not a fit (but I can probably introduce you to someone; just ask, as I have a lot of great marketing specialists in my network). 

I am also a huge believer in the power of community, so I am open to new connections; however, unless we just met in real life, you will need to send a note on why you want to connect. And if you send me a cold pitch the minute we connect, please do not be offended if I disconnect just as fast. Community is about building relationships, and I do my best to buy within my true network. 

Values: Alignment, Kindness, Growth, Curiosity, Generosity, and Community

Chief Strategy Officer, TPNI and one stealth business

Strategic guidance before more marketing tactics | Creator of the Aligned Marketing Method™ | BackPocket CMO™ for values-driven businesses

The beginning of a new year always invites reflection.

Before committing to new goals, strategies, or marketing plans, I’m noticing a lot of business owners asking a simple question first:

➡️ What actually deserves my time, energy, and money right now?

If you’re feeling pulled in multiple directions — or sensing that “doing more” isn’t the answer — I’m offering a limited number of Strategic Clarity Power Hour sessions this month.

They’re designed to help you slow down and find the right direction, cut through noise, and get clear on your next best move — before investing more into tactics that may not fit going into this new year.

If clarity before action would be helpful as you step into this year, feel free to reach out or connect.

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to the year!
#newyearreflection #smallbusinessstrategy 

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✨ Clarity before action is not hesitation — it’s wisdom.

AI is powerful.
And it’s also quietly misleading a lot of values-driven founders right now.

Here’s the pattern I’m seeing in January:
→ You open ChatGPT
→ Ask for a 2026 or Q1 marketing plan
→ It gives you something that sounds smart

But something feels off.

That’s because a good-looking plan isn’t the same as a right plan.

AI can generate options. It can’t do discernment.

It doesn’t know:
 • what actually matters to your people
 • what your business can realistically support right now
 • where you’re forcing growth instead of choosing it
 • or which “good ideas” aren’t worth the cost

That’s the work before tactics. And it’s the work most plans skip.

If you’re staring at your Q1 priorities and feeling uncertain instead of clear and grounded, I offer two simple ways to get unstuck:
⚡ Strategic Clarity Power Hour
 A focused 1:1 session to sort signal from noise and decide your right next move.
💡 BackPocket CMO™ (90 days)
 Ongoing strategic advisory for founders who want alignment and momentum—without adding more chaos.

No hype. No pressure. Just thoughtful strategy that fits your business and your life.

DM me if you want details.

We’re not losing connection because of values.

We’re losing it because we’ve forgotten how to listen past the words.

During a recent session inside the Thought Leadership Collective, a fellow member (Hunter Myers 🏳️‍🌈, your bravery inspired me) shared a deeply honest take on how the “girlboss” space has drifted from its original intention. [You can read that post here: https://lnkd.in/dprtYU2w]

She used some language I wouldn’t personally use—words that don’t align with how I communicate, in life or in business.

But here’s the thing: I didn’t get offended.
I didn’t disengage.
I didn’t start nitpicking her delivery.

Instead, I paid attention to her heart.

Because the values underneath?
I agreed with them completely. 💯 

That moment made me realize:
If I’d tuned her out because of one word choice, I would’ve missed the point.
And worse—I would’ve missed the connection.

As someone who deeply values alignment (in faith, in business, in communication), I’ve also noticed the ways I’ve watered down my own language over time.

Take this one word: Christian.
It used to feel safe. I used it for most of my life as an "identity" word.

Now (and for a decade), in certain spaces, it feels loaded.
Political. Polarizing.

Like if I say it out loud, I’ll be dropped into someone else’s story—or their assumptions.

So I’ve danced around it. Said things like:
“Jesus is my guy”
“I follow Jesus”
“Faith is a big part of my life”
All true. But also... sidestepping. 

Because I’ve watched people get so stuck on a word that they stop listening to the meaning behind it. They make up stories about what it means, without ever asking or confirming.

And I think we’ve forgotten that we can disagree with how someone says something without missing the why they’re saying it.

We don’t need to match 100% on words to stand together in values.

So this is my reminder (to me and maybe you too):
1️⃣ Before you take offense—get curious.
2️⃣ Before you cancel or correct—listen deeper.
3️⃣ Before you label someone—ask what they mean.

Words matter. But values matter more.

Tagging the always-brilliant Jen Kem for sparking this reflection in the Thought Leadership Collective and creating such a safe space for us all to full express, and understand, each other.

What do you think? Does this land with you? Have we all gotten a little too fluent in offense and not enough in understanding?

#ThoughtLeadership #Alignment #Curiosity #FaithInBusiness #ValuesDrivenLeadership #LiveYourValues #CommunicationMatters #ThoughtLeadershipCollective

Helping LGBTQ+ & women owned businesses stop resisting marketing and sales because they’re disconnected from their brand. Together we build a brand you AND your customers fall back in love with.

Award-winning Brand Architect & Go-to-Market Strategist. Innovative brands, experts & thought leaders come to me to launch their next BIG ideas w/speed+success. #1 National bestselling author: UNICORN TEAM (Penguin/HH).

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