No Moss Brands

No Moss Brands assists companies of all sizes to compete more effectively & efficiently in today's challenging & competitive marketplace. 

Using the Branding that Moves strategy your business will emotionally connect with your customers breaking through the clutter. Let us design a well-thought-out strategy and creatively execute your story. 

Get Moving today!

The Oracle & Founder

Grand Canyon University

Adjunct Instructor

Sedona Arts Academy

VP/Board

MBARQ Solutions

Ran out of funding. Unable to raise capital. 

Healthy pets start with a healthy diet. MBARQ Solutions provide pet owners with the tools needed to improve the quality of their dog’s life.  We provide fresh, whole-food menu plans to help transition dogs off commercial dog food and on to a healthy, fresh, whole-food diet.

Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer

Drive Casa

CLIENT OF NO MOSS BRANDS

Drive Casa is a subprime, independent used car dealership with a focus on the English and Hispanic populations. Karen's work with the Drive Casa ownership began before they even opened their doors for business. She designed and executed a bilingual family-friendly 5-Star brand which is terribly difficult to do in this industry segment. The work didn't stop there, as Karen also created and executed a start-up marketing strategy designed to propel Drive Casa forward during their busiest time of year. Karen touched every aspect of this start-up, from SEO to content writing and graphic design. 

•  800% Increase in Website Visits
* 144% Increase in Webforms
• 134% Increase in Google Searches

Marketing Consultant

Arizona Summit Law School

Social Media Strategist & Consultant

DriveTime

DriveTime is the fifth largest used car retailer in the United States.

• Played key role in successful rebranding & name change resulting in a 300% increase in annual revenue transforming the company into the $1.5 billion enterprise it is today.

• Increased aided brand awareness by 113%. 

• Increased aided recall of marketing message from 9% to over 74%.

• Co-led website redesign & advertising strategy shift generating over 2.3 MM unique visits/year & 1,200 leads/day.

• Positively improved consumer perception & number of customers who'd consider DriveTime for their next purchase to 83%.

• Directed relationships with 10+ agencies in the creative development of campaigns with both offline & online components managing large budgets up to $1.2MM.

• Led & inspired creative concepts & strategy of over 30+ TV, 35+ Radio & 5+ consumer and employment videos.

• Led in-house strategy, concepts, design, copy, production & distribution of all high-end print, promotional & collateral materials generating 200 different branded pieces.

• Spearheaded & implemented a web-based, real-time inventory, fulfillment and distribution process for over $750k in marketing materials saving the company in excess of $1MM.

Creative Director & The Face of the Marketing Department

Nedved Advertising

Advertising agency focused on automotive advertising for Honda, Lexus and Toyota dealerships, as well as the regional advertising group. Produced the annual Automotive Show as well.

• Main responsibilities included - all aspects of print design from newspaper to brochures or other event materials.

Creative Director

Instructor Training Programs

Created course content and conducted workshops and seminars at both large (conventions) and small (fitness facilities) venues providing training for new fitness instructors and continuing education credits for experienced instructors. As the owner, also responsible for all marketing/advertising and other business functions.

Owner

Branding, Marketing & Creative Strategist

I am a unique marketing-creative hybrid with 20 plus years experience leading teams from concept to production. I specialize in creating and executing innovative brand and marketing strategies for challenging competitive consumer-based industries.

Additionally, I help companies be inclusive without being offensive in their marketing, branding and advertising efforts. This is NOT DEI.

I’m also an author who writes and speaks about “isms.” My first of three books in a series will be coming out in 2025. This book discusses growing up in the land of one percent, Spokane, Washington. 

I am currently writing a book on alcoholism based on the recent death of my 40 year old daughter. 



I hate talking about hair. My hair. Your hair. Anyone's hair. Even my dog's hair (they are Irish Setters, and have actual hair).

Why? 

It's a massive point of fascination by people who do not have hair like mine which is curly and difficult to manage. 

I've had complete strangers come up to me and start petting my hair, while asking if they can touch it. Ummmm, f no, you can't touch my hair.

I've had complete strangers, and people I know, ask can I wash "it".  Followed by how. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Just like you.

Or, is that your own hair. My answer...it is now. 

I could go on and on.

I'm here to tell you never once have I given a "rats ass" about your hair. I've never wondered how you wash it. I've never felt the need to know if you have extensions. I've never once wanted to know how you "do it".

Never.

So when I see a post about Michelle Obama blaming "you people" for not understanding the challenges. Much of the hair styles professional black women wear are to meet the "standard" of long straight hair. Add water or humidity, and our hair curls. Coils is a better term. 

So, if you see straight hair, know we put some work in to overcome its natural tendencies. And, just like your race, my race has a wide variety of hair types. 

It wasn't the post that was the problem. No, it was the comments. Made by those of you with a fair complexion, both men and women. So many attacks.

Of course, an African-American woman who held the highest position in the country next to the president, wouldn't have a clue about the "real" struggles. 

The cruelty was very revealing. It told me how little progress this country (the world) has made when it comes to accepting and understanding folks that don't look like them. We are expected to rise to your "standards" of beauty or behavior.

Maybe this is why I've put very little effort into how I look. I simply refuse to play that game. Can't win that one whether hair, beauty, weight or speak. So don't mind me while I sit out the competition over anything that is superficial. 

I'm more willing to fight the battle of speak. Fight oppression. Face repression head on. 

Know that if you ask me a hair question, you're going to get an answer dripping with sarcasm you can't and won't understand. 

Just DON'T do it!

Karen Loomis (Gilmore)

New Author, Nobody Told Me…a series | Branding, Marketing & Creative Strategist | GCU Adjunct Faculty | Racism in Small Business and Arts Podcast Co-Host

Six years ago I posted on FB about a date I had with a ⚪️ man. Since this story times have gotten worse. 

SIX YEARS AGO:
I thought I’d share a story about what it’s like to be a person of color. The stories I share are true stories, regardless what many want to believe!

Went on a date last night. Date lasted 16 minutes. Within that time the individual decided to drill me on why I believe Trump is a bigot & not good for people of color. (The individual was white)

Here’s the lesson, and what makes people of color’s experiences different than yours. You’d never have to defend your stance about why Trump is terrible for people of color, & you’d never be called a victim as a result. Literally, this individual is yelling after me as I’m calmly walking out...“stop being a victim”! (I fought the urge to tell him to go f himself)

Those of you that know me know I do not play victim about anything. If anything I’m often the voice of victims. 

If you truly want to understand the prejudice & bigotry people of color experience on a daily basis, you better put aside your own definition of bigotry & prejudice and start LISTENING. It wouldn’t hurt to evaluate your own beliefs. 

What is happening in this country is not about politics. It’s about treating people w/ respect equally regardless of their skin color or country of origin. It starts with you, not the president or policies.

TODAY:
I’m thankful I found someone who sees me as someone other than ⚫️. 

Not gonna lie, he has a hard time accepting that race matters. Because that’s his POV and privilege speaking I know he’ll wake up. 

Give him couple more years with me and he’ll understand more. 

Any fun dating stories you’d like to share?

I’m gonna just leave this lil nugget here. 

Source: USDA

As a teacher, it's not always easy to know if what you are teaching actually hits their brain centers.

Last week a student came up, showed me a picture he took. It was the perfect example in the wild of what we were discussing in class.

My teacher's heart pitter pattered a bit warmer that day! <3

My healthcare cost would be 65% of my pay. How is that affordable or sustainable? I'd be better off filing bankruptcy if I had medical debt than paying for cost out of pocket. 

The Dept of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) says your home shouldn't cost more than 30% of your pay.

The average U.S. household spent approximately 12.9% of its total expenditures on food in 2023.

I'm lucky I've been able to hold on to my home with it's 3% interest rate keeping my payment super low.

Experts say your car payment, expenses shouldn't be more than 10-15% of take home pay. 

The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Report for 2023 data found that transportation accounted for 17% of the average American household's total expenditures. 

I have no car payment, because I took out a equity loan and paid off my new to me car I bought last October. I couldn't afford a car payment, period. Insurance is half that car payment. I've had no accidents in decades. My credit is decent. 

Utilities are constantly rising, as are other expenses.

Someone needs to do the math here, because there's only so much in the piggy bank. 

If I had to depend on marketplace healthcare I'd have a $9000 deductible. That means unless it's a major medical event, I'm responsible for $8999 out of pocket. Where the heck would that come from? 

How is this logical? 

Our government should be ashamed of themselves. We're in a real crisis in American and the shut down is now the longest in history. Guess what president has the second longest? 

Democrats supposedly are holding out for this very issue...healthcare cost and elimination of subsidies. Republicans say, open government, and then we will talk.

SNAP benefits are being illegally held back, as are all federal workers wages.

Somehow it doesn't add up. 

Who's looking out for the rest of us? 

If you're like me, this is absolutely not sustainable. 

I'm not mathematician or accountant, but these numbers aren't mathing!

How's your budget these days?

Target’s new 10-4 employee policy completely makes sense if you look at the age breakdown of its employees. 

According to Zippa; 
The typical age distribution in the U.S. workforce shows
• 52 % are 20-30 yo
• 26 % are 18-20 yo
• 11 % are 30-40 yo
• 5 % are 40+

This means 78% are Gen Z. Or, 89% are under 40, millennials and Gen Z. 

Both of the generations are part of the demographics who grew up with computers. Screentime. 

Both grew up with social media. Screentime. Not real life interactions. 

This generation literally was not trained on general social face-to-face interactions with those outside their circle. 

WTF did we think was going to happen. 

Gen Alpha is going to double down on this problem. 

Am I surprised a major corporation finally figured this out? No. 

Will this change impact the massive hit Target took when it decided to destock Pride and other inclusive wears? No. 

Target, you’ve been cancelled, and smiling/waving employees won’t make your customers return. 

Thoughts?

taplio

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