Turn your dream into a business that actually works

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Hi, I'm Kara. I'm a 2x founder and 10 year early-stage operator. I help first-time founders move from idea to their first million.

As a first-time founder, you have to do it all at superspeed. It’s easy to make mistakes, or worse…spiral in indecision.

You’re in a race against time to find where your vision and reality click: product-market fit.

You don’t have to do it alone. With BFF I’m with you every day to pressure-test ideas, spot what you’re missing, and help you make smarter calls faster.

Your company is one of a kind, but the challenges you’re facing? I’ve been there.

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A decade of learning what works (and what doesn't)

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2x Founder in CPG & Fintech

Dripkit Acquired 2022, 2× Fast Company Innovation Awards

Featured in: New York Times, Forbes, Elle, Oprah Magazine, Goop

Raised $7.8M from Slack Fund, M13, Precursor Ventures

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Early-Stage Operator

Supported dozens of early-stage companies in almost every sector

Helped to launch companies with $100+ million in sales

Written pitch decks raising $25M+ from A16z, Gradient, Abstract

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Brand & Creative Strategy

Google, Samsung, Pinterest, Notion, TUBI, Tidal, Disney, HBO, Gap, Ketel One + a whole lot more

Awards: Gold & Silver Clio, One Show Merit, Social Good Awards

My Story
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The work we'll do together

I've done everything but write the code. From building financial models to editing pitch decks to launching viral campaigns. I can help with any challenge you're facing. But here's where I make the biggest impact:

  • You could have the best product in the world, but it’s nothing if you can’t get people to care.

    I can help you:

    • Nail your positioning and elevator pitch

    • Tell a compelling story with a clear brand voice

    • Make sure your marketing materials are written to convert

  • Let's make sure your vision matches your customer's reality.

    Together we can:

    • Design an MVP strategy that actually validates your hypothesis

    • Find and reach your early customers

    • Create real momentum around your launch

  • Whether you're bootstrapping or fundraising, money matters. When you run out, the dream can die.

    I'll help you:

    • Build realistic and (aspirational) financial projections and plan your runway

    • Decide if (and when) fundraising makes sense for your business

    • Craft a pitch deck and fundraising strategy that actually works

    I've raised 4 rounds across 2 companies and written decks that raised $25M+ from top investors. I know how the game works, and when it's worth playing.

  • Kara is 10 hires in one. Her cross-disciplinary thinking made her an invaluable sounding board at an early stage, helping me with high-impact decisions. She has the rare ability to cut through the noise and get straight to what matters most. Even in short calls, she helped me quickly clarify problems and surface creative solutions that would have taken me weeks to reach.

    —Diva Hurtado, Founder & CEO 8084 Club

  • Kara was invaluable in helping our team focus and prioritize. Even with a decade of C-suite experience, I still greatly underestimated how complex launching a startup would be. Kara’s guidance is deeply informed by our business and audience, while remaining practical, capital-conscious, and immediately actionable. Kara continues to have a clear, positive impact on our progress, and I would recommend her to any founder or leadership team building a startup.

    - Scott Stern, Founder & CEO, Graduwit

  • Launching a company can feel profoundly rudderless. The list of what you could or should be doing is endless. Kara guided me through critical go-to-market fundamentals and helped me get to the heart of our value proposition, shaping how we approached both product and user acquisition. Working with Kara means having a veteran startup advisor with deep marketing, product, and fundraising expertise, plus a coach who can guide you through the ups and downs, all in one person.

    Emily Fogarty, Co-founder PlanStan

  • Kara is one of the smartest branding minds I've ever met. Not only does she save you tons of money…she deeply cares about doing great work and sharing your story authentically and in a way that resonates with customers. She's a true artist.

    — Allie Sutton, Co-founder & CEO, Public Veil

What You Get with BFF

$1,500/month

Weekly Sprint (75 minutes)

Once a week, we check-in on progress and either accelerate a project or strategize around a challenge.

We do the work together:

  • Refine your go-to-market plan

  • Improve your messaging

  • Build your financial model

  • Edit your pitch deck

You leave with hours of work done.

Unlimited Texting Support

Text or Slack me whenever you need advice, feedback, or to chat something through. Even if you just need to vent, I'm here.

Examples from founders I work with:

  • "Can you review this packaging design?"

  • "How do I budget for tax and insurance in my model?"

  • "Are Reddit posts worth my time?"

No long-term contracts. I work with founders only when they need my support on a month-to-month basis.

Book a free 30-minute strategy call. We'll talk through a current challenge of yours, no pressure to commit.

Book a Strategy Call
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Let's Talk.

Let's Talk.

Book a Strategy Call