AKA YOUR BUSINESS’ NEW BEST FRIEND

I'm Kara! Illinois-born, Iowa-educated (go Hawks!), and a Midwest girl through & through!

Some people find their way to marketing through business school or a corner office. I found mine through traveling the world and living an spontaneous, adventure-packed life most people only dream about.

I graduated with degrees in Political Science and Women's Studies, fully convinced I was going to join the Peace Corps and change the world. Then 2008 happened, the economy collapsed, and my application didn't make it past the first pile (ugh!). I pivoted, applied to teach English in South Korea, and got turned down again. WTAF!?

At the time? Devastating. In retrospect? The universe was redirecting me somewhere better.

What followed was a decade of saying yes — to travel, to curiosity, to choosing the path less taken. I lived in Sydney, Australia for two years, explored 50 countries (and counting!), and somewhere along the way discovered that the thing I loved most wasn't the places themselves — it was the people, the stories, and the moments of genuine human connection that happen when you slow down long enough to actually listen.

That's what led me to marketing — and more specifically, to the kind of authentic marketing that actually means something.

why i do this work

Travel taught me empathy, curiosity, and a worldview I couldn't have gotten from only living in a small midwest town. It taught me that the world is bigger and more beautiful than we give it credit for — and that listening to people's stories is one of the most powerful things we can do.

That belief is the foundation of everything at Atlas Belle Co. When I work with a business or nonprofit, I'm not just building a content calendar or writing captions. I'm helping you find the thread of your story, pull it through everything you do online, and share it in a way that actually connects with the people who need to hear it.

Authentic social media marketing isn't about being everywhere or saying everything. It's about saying the right things to the right people in a way that feels unmistakably you.

this is more than a marketing partnership

The clients I work with don't stay clients for long — they become collaborators, cheerleaders, and more often than not, friends. These aren't transactional relationships — they're real ones, built on trust, honesty, and a genuine investment in each other's success.

I'm here to support you, help you grow, brainstorm the big ideas, and show up for you on the hard days — because entrepreneurship (and let’s be real — life in general) is full of them, and so is doing meaningful work in mission-driven spaces.

Let’s Talk About Some Fun Stuff…

Currently Reading: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall, and Vulture Capitalism by Grace Blakeley

Books I’ll Forever Recommend: Shantaram, The Book of Longings, or All The Glimmering Stars

Enneagram: 8w7

Human Design: Mani Gen

Favorite Adventure: Spending 2 weeks driving through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia with my husband

Favorite Place in the USA: Chicago (in the summer, along the river, with a beer)

Watching On Repeat: Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Workin’ Moms, or Catastrophe

What I Bring To The Table

The first decade(ish) of my career took me through hospitality, travel, education, and healthcare administration — long before I ever called myself a marketer. I didn't come up through agencies or ad campaigns, I came here through real industries, learning how businesses actually operate from the inside out.

That experience is my edge. I understand your world because I've likely worked in it — or somewhere close enough to know what matters. I know how to position your brand, speak to your audience, and build a social media presence that resonates because I've been inside industries like yours, or I deeply understand the clients you serve.

Wanna Know The Best Part?

The best part of my job isn't the perfectly curated Instagram grids or the storytelling in the captions — though honestly, I love both of those things, too!

It's the moment a client sees their business reflected back to them in social media content that finally feels right — professional, intentional, and unmistakably theirs.

It's watching someone's whole energy shift when their digital presence finally matches the depth and uniqueness of what they actually do. When that clicks — when you see yourself clearly represented online for the first time — the excitement is palpable. That moment genuinely makes my damn day, every single time.

ONE MORE THING

I'm a feminist who believes Black Lives Matter, that diversity and inclusion make the world a better place, and that empathy is one zillion percent a superpower.

I believe that the personal is always political: I'm anti-poverty, anti-racism, and committed to working toward a more just and equitable world for all people.

These aren't just values I post about — they shape how I run my business, who I choose to work with, what books I read, and where I donate my time and money.

If those values don't align with yours, we're probably not the right fit — and that's okay (please reach out for a rec of someone who is!). But if you've been nodding along this whole time, click that button below and let's get started working together.

ahhh! let's do this!