Hi friend,

I don’t know about you, but the first quarter of 2025 nearly knocked me over. It’s been a stretch of high-stakes clients, platform changes, political undercurrents, people challenges, shifting scopes, and the kind of emotional load that leadership quietly demands.

By mid-March, I wasn’t leading from vision—I was leading from reaction. Moving meeting to meeting, fixing what broke, waiting for approvals, keeping spirits high, and making the calls no one wanted to make. I was still showing up, still delivering—but something felt... off.

I heard recently that leadership is a privilege, and it resonated with me. Not everyone is meant to be a leader; not everyone is a strategic thinker, and not everyone works well with others, can thrive under pressure, and can keep showing up. But no one tells you how often privilege feels like pressure. No one talks about the moments when the job stops being fun.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Sometimes the job isn’t the problem. The way we’re doing it is.

If Q1 left you tired, short-tempered, second-guessing, or disconnected from the work you once loved—welcome. You’re not alone. But you are in control. Because leadership, much like ownership, is still a choice. And every choice we make has the power to bring us back to ourselves.

Best, 

Kara 

Kara Rudy

COO, MarketDesign

YOUR TECH VIEW POINT:

People, Process, + Platform: 3 Pillars of Effective Marketing Strategy

Tech marketing isn’t just about cool graphics or clever copy—it’s about strategy, structure, and scalability. At MarketDesign Co., we believe real progress starts with the right People, Process, and Platform—our 3 key pillars for helping tech-focused businesses grow.

Here’s how we make it happen:

• People First: Great marketing starts with a great team. Our strategists, creatives, and analysts understand tech and connect with your customers on a human level.

• Process Matters: Our proven framework keeps projects efficient, agile, and aligned with business goals—ready to evolve with the tech landscape.

• Platform Power: We use best-in-class tools like HubSpot to automate workflows, track real-time analytics, and integrate every part of your marketing engine.

Whether you’re launching a SaaS product or scaling your IT consulting firm, our human-centered, tech-savvy approach helps you build marketing strategies that actually work.

Curious how we bring it all together? Read the full post to see how People, Process, and Platform fuel real marketing momentum.