From the frenzy of garage start-ups to the boardrooms of billion-dollar companies, Bolder & Co. Creative Studios is a results-driven, full-service marketing agency that help clients reach ambitious revenue and customer engagement goals by producing the highest caliber brand development and design combined with data-smart marketing.
We are an award-winning think tank: a collection of brilliant minds, inspired souls, and sizzling creativity.
In this chaotic and cluttered world of relentless change, it takes a tremendous amount of effort and insight for a brand to clearly articulate a meaningful message. As seasoned branding consultants, we strategically think, freely imagine, and precisely execute using the latest and greatest marketing techniques.
Mark Bloemhard, PhD, MBA, MA
CEO, Founder
Offering a unique blend of award-winning creativity and business: As a retail consultant with the experience of working with stable Fortune 500 companies to the frenzy of entrepreneurial startups. As a corporate change agent leading complex organizations with a people first approach to achieving clearly defined objectives. As an account executive developing creative, financial, retail, academic, and international markets.
Finally, as an academic, with the experience of introducing new university programs, the ability to forge sustainable partnerships with the corporate world, and the belief that the corporate demand for creative leadership is just beginning.
Specialties: Public Speaking, Strategic Systems Thinking, Branding Strategy, Retail / Environmental / Design, New Business Development, Brand Positioning, Concept Development, Creative Leadership
Most unique hobby: Sailing!!!
Last meal on Earth: Medium-rare cheeseburger with ALL the toppings (mushrooms, caramelized onions, bacon, egg, pepper jack cheese, etc.)
Bucket list travel destinations: French Polynesia, Italy, and Greece.
Best piece of advice for your younger self: Read "Think Like a Monk" by Jay Shetty.
Remote workplace of choice: On a sailboat.
Katelyn Martin
Chief Financial Officer
Katelyn is the glue that holds everything (and everyone) together at Bolder. In other words, we often refer to her as “the real studio boss” (though she’d never admit to it!). Coming from one of the fastest-growing franchises in Canada and the US, Katelyn brings deep experience in systems and process thinking to her duties as overseer of the accounting and day-to-day operations of the studio.
Completely smitten with her one and only, Keith, and spicy food (of course!), Katelyn could run the country with her hands tied behind her back, while blindfolded, with her foot in a bucket. Yeah. She’s that good.
Childhood dream job: Dermatologist
Last meal on Earth: Paneang Thai Curry
Remote workplace of choice: Hawaii
Calle Evans
Director of Operations
If you want a master class in poise and how to get shit done, talk to Calle. She’s a virtuoso when it comes to wrangling projects, managing ALL the details, and keeping our customers happy. Did we mention she made her own wedding dress? Yeah, Calle can do all the things.
A graduate of the fashion design program at University of Cincinnati, Calle ran her own boutique for years before deciding to bring her customer service skills and business acumen to our studio. She may have never worn a pair of jeans in her life, but she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and get the job done.
Superpower: Small talk. A Midwesterner at heart, and a master of the art.
Childhood dream job: Fashion Designer
Most unique hobby: Hand beading/embroidery, wine collecting. Oh, and touring caves.
Last meal on Earth: Eggs over easy on toast with avocado
Bucket list travel destinations: Ireland, Scotland, South of France, Maldives, and many more.
Remote workplace of choice: Paris, but since I'd probably have to bring my husband too, Italy.
Ken Kowalski
Creative Director
With over 25 years of design experience working with industry leaders, we knew we’d pulled the long straw when Ken decided to come on board as our Executive Creative Director. Truly a master of his craft, Ken is a hands-on creative leader whose presence and opinion carry considerable weight. A warhorse of the trade, Ken pushes the creative threshold, delivering purposeful and compelling solutions to every brand he touches. He has worked with world-renowned brands including Pepsi Co., Gatorade, Tropicana, Chobani, and Whole Foods—just to name a few.
Don’t let his ageless grin and good looks fool you: Ken can direct any genre of design. His personal signature, moreover, is present in every project he takes on and caught only by his insatiable ability to create timeless brands over and over again.
Amy Klinger
Brand Strategist
Amy approaches brand strategy a little like a therapist works with a patient. She asks questions, lets her clients talk, and takes a lot of notes. Because while Amy is a whiz at pulling together smart, compelling brand positioning, message strategies, and more, she knows that a brand’s truth can only come from the people who live and breathe the business. In that way, she’s here to help you articulate what you probably already know.
Amy’s worn lots of hats throughout her career from in-house communications professional to freelance writer to agency-side creative for brands like Keurig, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Way and the State of Vermont.
Armed with an MFA in Creative Writing, Amy tackles copywriting and content development with a keen, critical eye for voice and narrative flow. But ask her how to improve your own writing and she’ll give you one simple piece of advice: Make it interesting. That was certainly the drive behind her first published novel in 2022, In Light of Recent Events.
Superpower: Making killer Neopolitan pizza
Most unique hobby: Classical guitar
Last meal on Earth: Mole Negro with freshly made corn tortillas
Best piece of advice for your younger self: Skip grad school, travel instead
Erika Armstrong
Senior Graphic Designer
Put a coffee in Erika’s hand and watch her go. A dynamic graphic designer and illustrator, she cut her creative teeth designing branding systems for friends, family, and local businesses as well as working with industry experts while getting her BFA in Graphic Design from Indiana University. She graduated early, summa cum laude, and with highest distinction. Go Hoosiers!
Erika’s constantly on the lookout for creative challenges, and her designs always impress. Her proudest creation to date is writing, designing, illustrating, and selling Cam's Colors, a children’s book focused on emotional health. It sold 50 copies in the first week and is being used in elementary classrooms.
Always ready with a smile, Erika lives in Brooklyn, NY, and spends her free time exploring her neighborhood, watching reruns of The Office, and finding local cafes, because…coffee.
Most unique hobby: Watercolor painting. Erika used to sell paintings during college to for extra cash to pay for groceries and her coffee addiction.
Bucket list travel destinations: Paris; Hastings, England; Denali National Park, Alaska
Best advice for your younger self: Nothing is permanent. You have the power to completely change everything, including yourself, at any moment. If you trust your instincts, you'll know when you need to pivot and dive headfirst into something new.
Remote workplace of choice: NYC—where I am currently!
Suzanne Loring
Senior Copywriter
Mesmerized by the written word from a young age, Suzanne has always loved books and storytelling. It’s no surprise to anyone who knows her that she became a writer. Armed with the belief that there’s nothing more inspiring than seeing people living a life they love, she thrills in learning “why” people do what they do. A strategic thinker, she’s not afraid to ask tough questions and help customers dig deeply to uncover their brand's uniqueness.
A New England girl at heart, Suzanne hails from the Green Mountains of Vermont where she rides boards and bikes, climbs rocks, and runs trails with her family and pup, Jango. She can usually be found wearing a hat and ruminating over ideas for her first novel.
Childhood dream job: Bestselling novelist like Judy Blume.
Bucket list travel destinations: Iceland, Greece, and the Redwoods.
Superpower: Concocting a mean green smoothie that even her veggie-averse children will drink.
Best piece of advice for your younger self: Slow down. Enjoy each step of the journey and don't overwhelm yourself—and thus limit yourself—with thoughts about where your think you SHOULD be, just accept where you, appreciate it, and go from there.
Renee Reed
Project Manager
Renee is an organizational genius. Give her a project, and she’ll tell you how and when it needs to be done, within what budget, and then she makes sure it happens. Her management abilities are second only to her love of people. Renee is squarely in her element when she has a team to work on (or play hoops with), a group of kids to mentor, or friends and family to hang out with.
Valedictorian of her high school class and graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a degree in Business Management, Renee has found a calling in the marketing industry. She loves strategizing with her Bolder teammates to get projects started, keep them moving, and get them across the finish line.
When she’s not building out timelines and crunching budgets, Renee loves planning events, traveling with her youth group, and serving as a youth worker at her church for young adults and children.
Superpower: Caring about the people, the places, and things in her world.
Childhood dream job: Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher. Renee loves kids! If she’s feeling down, she’ll usually visit a family with kids—instant mood booster! Problems get smaller when you take care of others.
Last meal on Earth: Depends on the mood. It could be anything from pizza to soup. Renee’s never been a foodie. Her favorite foods are tied in with the memories made while eating rather than the food itself.
Best piece of advice for your younger self: Don't waste time comparing yourself to others!
Amy Domer
Client Marketing Manager
No matter what Amy tackles in life, she does it with gusto and her full heart. An expert in all things digital marketing, she’s the one you turn to with questions about marketing, social media trends and web “stuff.” She’ll get your brand dialed in fast.
Named Athlete of the Year 2021 at her local CrossFit gym, Amy’s passion for life extends outside the office too. She’s a triathlete and loves the outdoors, especially when she is hanging out with her husband and their puppy, Barry—who is proving to be the biggest challenge yet to Amy’s record of successes.
Childhood dream job: Veterinarian or a nurse. Amy loves animals and helping people!
Last meal on Earth: Ribeye steak, her grandma’s fried potatoes, and mom’s peanut butter pie.
Bucket list travel destinations: Pacific Northwest, Netherlands, 24/50 states in the U.S. not yet visited.
Remote workplace of choice: North Michigan or Alaska for the cooler weather and great lake views. Winter is a favorite.
David Hoover
Business Development Representative
David has had unique and valuable experiences in the world of education. Most recently, he lived overseas in southeast Asia where he helped start a new international school. Working with folks across a wide spectrum of ethnicity, age, and ability taught him to adapt and connect with just about anyone. At Bolder, he gets to tap these skills and continue his life-long learning by working with entrepreneurs and businesses to hear their stories and explain how the Bolder team’s wealth of knowledge and experience in marketing, branding, and design can help them achieve their goals.
David enjoys spending time with his family, traveling to try new things, and connecting with old friends. He and his wife have two children under the age of four, so that keeps him busy as he’d like to be...and then some!
Childhood dream job: Professional (basketball) athlete. Being 5'9" with below-average jumping ability didn't help.
Most unique hobby: Looking for four-leaf clovers. He’s found more than 100 in his lifetime.
Best advice for your younger self: Be kind to yourself. It's the start of knowing who you are, knowing who God is, knowing what life is about, and loving the people around you well.
Remote workplace of choice: Switzerland. Having lived in tropical climates before, it’s straight to Swiss Alps to soak in the incredibly breathtaking views.
Alex Schenkel
Production Manager
Alex has worked in the apparel industry for years. A master of his craft, he has the technical expertise to print any tee shirt, hat, or other item of clothing with his eyes closed. It’s his artistic ability that makes those pieces more than just clothing and instead helps a brand tell their story. If you want apparel that makes a statement, Alex is your guy.
A graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Alex studied graphic design, art, print making, and screen printing. His professional experience includes manual and automatic screen-printing presses, prepress art set-up, and custom PMS ink matching.
Most unique hobby: Disc golf disc dyeing. Alex loves playing disc golf and using uniquely dyed discs that really stand out.
Last meal on Earth: The ultimate comfort food. Horseradish Meatloaf with mashed potatoes. It’s a recipe that was passed down to his mom from her grandmother and was always a favorite growing up.
Best piece of advice for your younger self: Don't compare yourself to others. You'll waste so much time and energy trying to find why you're not in the position someone else is, instead of putting in the time and effort to better yourself.
Remote workplace of choice: Italy. Since having the privilege to travel and study there for 2 weeks while in college, he dreams about going back to see incredible art and eat amazing meals.
A small team of A+ players can run circles
Around a giant team of B and C players.
~ Steve Jobs
We are real, showing up as our honest selves without pretense or pretentiousness.
We are candid even if it means having uncomfortable conversations.
We are passionate as we live optimistically and dive headfirst into challenges.
We are invested in each other, recognizing that “we” is a better, more satisfying way to work than “I”, and that the most important part of our culture is that we care about each other.
We are excellence-driven, bringing our A-game for every client and being proactive in tackling their needs.
We are invested, taking personal ownership in and holding ourselves accountable for the studio’s success.
We are not bound by traditional thinking.
We are fiercely loyal, committed to building rich and meaningful connections, and deeply dedicated to helping one another live better lives by offering opportunities to grow and make bold choices.
We take pride in producing the highest quality work from day 1 through day 1000 and beyond. We change and adapt right along with our clients so that our work stays fresh and always on point.
As a fully engaged partner, we point out opportunities and raise our hands when we have concerns. In this way, we invest ourselves in our clients’ success and longevity.
It’s the kind of self-awareness and knowledge that comes from experience as well as careful navigation and understanding of complex relationships. We’ve carried forward time-tested best practices and shed the approaches that don’t serve us or our clients well. But that doesn’t mean we’re not continually inviting and applying new lessons.
As a team, Bolder is efficient, effective, and darned good at producing the highest caliber strategic marketing and creative work.