Here’s what various employers, clients and associates have to say about Karen Hope:
“In order to grow my business, I was looking for somebody with a well-recognized track record of success; knowledge, education and contacts that will help grow VitalyTeas; and a willingness to work hard and help out wherever needed.
That somebody has been Karen Hope."
Fanta Camara
“I started a home internet business and I did not know where to start. Karen created a brand message that included a logo, website copy and a great video. She has tremendous talent and apptitude for putting together a creative package cost effectively.”
Roxanne Evans
“I worked with Karen Hope and oversaw her work during her tenure with Stewart Green Properties, first while I was General Manager for Willowpark Village and Brentwood Village in Calgary and a short time later in Edmonton at Kingsway Garden Mall where she was promoted to take on marketing director responsibilities at the company’s largest shopping centre. I have no hesitation in stating that Karen is one of the most dynamic and creative shopping centre marketing directors I have ever worked with. She was successful in getting impressive mileage out of a mall marketing budget through creative negotiations, planning and budgeting, and attention to detail. Her mall promotions and advertising campaigns were compelling and innovative, and always seemed to generate the desired results. The retailers of our shopping centres expected to see customer traffic and sales increases by effective utilization of the shopping centre marketing budget that they contributed to, and Karen was able to meet and exceed these expectations and goals. Karen is a proven excellent marketer with the skills and experience to generate desired results through marketing.”
Jack Dietrich
Kingsley Land Company Ltd.
Vice President
As the President of Concord National, I worked closely with Karen for 8 years while she was the Managing Partner for Cattle Boyz Foods Ltd. We were hired as the brokerage firm back in the beginning years of Cattle Boyz’s life cycle. Karen had an innate ability to apply her marketing skills towards finding a place for Cattle Boyz in such a competitive category like barbecue sauces dominated by national brands. She was the driver of the business, keeping on top of producing and delivering the inventory while also managing the Broker activities for grocery accounts. We found that she was very creative when coming up promotional ideas and ways to position the brand with Category Managers and Buyers. She attended most of the first head office sales meetings so that she could share her enthusiasm and passion for the brand with the Category Managers and Buyers. Grocery is not an easy industry to break into and I give Karen full marks for her success in taking an unknown product to market and turning it into a nationally distributed brand.
Tim Moore
President, Prairie Division, Concord National
I was the Vice President of Leasing with Stewart Green Properties LTD. While Karen Hope was the marketing for Brentwood Village Mall and Willowpark Village. I watched her blossom in her role as Marketing Director as she was promoted to the company’s flagship property, the Kingsway Garden Mall in Edmonton. Over the years I have seen a few marketing directors come and go so I can honestly say that Karen’s advertising skills and promotional events were the most creative and always seemed to work for all stakeholders. I can confirm that Karen’s events were always well organized and well attended. She has a talent for coming up with creative ideas that get results. Karen left Kingsway to promote the opening of the Eau Claire Market project in downtown Calgary where I saw her perform her magic again. Karen is one of Alberta’s true marketers!
Mike Kehoe, Principal
Fairfield Developments
We worked with Karen from the inception of Cattle Boyz and supplied them with glass flip-top bottles. We were very impressed with Karen’s fortitude in establishing a market for a new BBQ sauce. She negotiated with our organization with confidence, conviction and professionalism. We were always impressed with her marketing ingenuity and expertise. We look forward to dealing with Karen and The Marketing Edge in the future.
Roxanne Quast
Manger
Ez-Cap
While in the capacity of Marketing Manager, I contracted Karen’s marketing skills to assist Edmonton Centre with the development of promotions and advertising that would generate traffic and sales. I found that Karen was never short on a good idea and had an unfaltering ability to come up with ideas. Her ability to conceptualize and develop catchy slogans is phenomenal. Karen was great to brainstorm with and has all of the tools of an agency wrapped into one individual. Basically I think that she is better than going to an agency because there are too many people that you deal with when Karen can take care of it all.
Erica Wolkowski
Special Events Manager
Bay Southgate Mall
As Manager of the Realstar Properties in western Canada, I contracted Karen to develop and produce numerous creative materials to promote our properties. She was able to produce logos, write great copy and even let us use her as a model in some of our photo shoots, saving us money. Karen thinks outside the box as a true marketing expert which gave us an edge in a very challenging and competitive market.
Keith McMullen,
President/Broker
Fireside Property Group Ltd.
I have found Karen Hope to be a highly professional, and very creative marketer with a simple and fresh approach to the way she generates ideas and concepts. I would have no hesitation in recommending Karen for any marketing consultancy where I am sure she will certainly assist you and help build your business as she has mine.
Wesley Baker
Founder and CEO of Scott Calvin Technologies
I met Karen when she first signed up Cattle Boyz as a member of the Alberta Food Processors’ Association Link to www.afpa.com (AFPA) back in 1998. I have watched her take an unknown food product to market and grow it into a national brand. She served on the Alberta Food Association’s Board for about 3 years during the growth years of Cattle Boyz. Karen also took advantage of the many programs offered by AFPA, and attended government sponsored missions offering new contacts for food producers. I think Karen’s highly developed marketing skills and ingenuity enabled her to get Cattle Boyz on the grocery shelves of majors like Costco and Superstore. She spent a lot of time and effort working with people in the industry to take advantage of every opportunity. I would recommend her to anyone needing marketing services.
Melody Pashko
General Manager
We contracted Karen to write a marketing plan for our company. I was very happy with the results. The brief offered excellent ideas and strategies that fit within our company’s budget. I think the brief offers excellent value to any business wanting an economical starting point for marketing.
Patrick Jakubec
Calgary Towmasters Inc.
It was great working with Karen. She provided a researched, creative approach to our marketing strategy.
Mary Huerlimann-Christie
co-owner
Boccalino Grotto Fine Foods
Marketing Edge