Managing Director
Manager & Woo, Ltd.
Interim and advisory work spanning growth strategy, executive communications, professional services, nonprofit board leadership, and business development.
Territory Sales & Growth
The Home Depot
Managed an end-to-end consultative sales cycle across in-home consultations, proposals, financing, installer coordination, CRM pipeline, and referral development; produced more than $100,000 in the first month.
Marketing & Business Development Manager
Amset Technical Consulting, Inc.
Led rebranding, market positioning, executive communications, marketing planning, industry media, and business development for a technical professional-services firm.
Case Study · Amset Technical Consulting
Turning technical expertise into a market position
Amset had deep engineering expertise and a strong reputation in property and casualty claims. The opportunity was to translate that credibility into a clearer market position, a more professional presence, and a coordinated path for growth.
The Business Need
Clarify what distinguished Amset from its competitors, reduce dependence on one major client, strengthen visibility, and prepare the company to pursue broader geographic and revenue growth.
The Strategic Response
Cathren developed a 59-page marketing and growth plan built on company analysis, competitive research, audience definition, positioning, sales enablement, public relations, events, digital outreach, and measurement.
From Plan to Market
She led a company rebrand across the website, trade-show presence, brochures, presentations, and messaging, and secured national industry exposure through Claims Magazine and PropertyCasualty360.
59 pagesIntegrated marketing and growth plan
20–30%Documented 12-month growth objective
NationalIndustry media visibility secured
Amset was later acquired. Cathren’s work supported the company’s positioning, visibility, and growth readiness; she does not claim responsibility for the transaction.
Director of Strategic Development
Firefighter Knowledge, Inc.
Co-launched and grew a specialized training brand serving fire-service professionals in the United States and Canada through product development, distribution, industry partnerships, press, and national events.
Marketing Communications Director
CFC, Inc.
Built an outsourced marketing-department model for B2B organizations. Led strategy, executive communications, video, web content, proposals, events, and business development; one client achieved 300% revenue growth in two years.
Summit Marketing Manager
Marcus Evans
Marketed executive-level summits producing more than $1 million in revenue and developed high-level campaigns, internal communications, and multimedia programs for global C-suite audiences.
Case Study · Firefighter Knowledge
Building a specialized brand from the ground up
Firefighter Knowledge began with subject-matter expertise and a new training product for the fire service. Cathren’s role was to turn that expertise into a credible brand, identify the market, bring the product to the people responsible for firefighter training, and create a foundation for sales and distribution.
The Market Opportunity
The company identified an unmet need for accessible training on solid-fuel, gas-combustion, chimney, and dryer-vent emergencies. The primary audience included fire chiefs and training officers across approximately 31,000 U.S. fire departments and 4,000 Canadian departments.
The Brand and Launch
Cathren led marketing, branding, and business development across the e-commerce website, sales materials, promotional video, public relations, distributor outreach, and a coordinated national conference program.
Market Validation
Direct conversations with fire-service professionals confirmed the training gap and shaped changes to pricing, terminology, positioning, and future show selection. The product gained industry distribution, national media visibility, and steady direct sales.
35,000U.S. and Canadian departments in the identified market
NationalFirehouse Magazine product coverage
DailyProduct sales documented by year-end
Source: Cathren Kayce’s Certified Trade Show Marketer portfolio documenting the company’s 2010 launch, integrated marketing program, conference strategy, results, and lessons learned.
Event Management · Fire-Service Conferences
Turning trade shows into market intelligence, relationships, and sales
The conference program was not treated as a collection of appearances. Each event had a defined audience, purpose, budget, measurable objectives, on-site engagement plan, and post-show assessment—allowing the company to learn quickly while building visibility in a highly specialized national market.
Selection and Planning
Cathren evaluated shows by audience, training focus, geography, seasonality, and potential contribution to sales. She created objectives for awareness, lead generation, market research, networking, direct sales, and distribution.
Production and Promotion
She managed booth strategy, graphics, signage, video, sales materials, pre-show outreach, budgets, staffing preparation, and on-floor engagement. Materials were deliberately reused across the website, media outreach, and multiple events to control costs.
Results and Revision
Three exhibiting events produced 229 documented leads, direct product sales, bookstore distribution, partnership prospects, and actionable feedback. Cathren also documented what missed its target and used those lessons to improve pricing, lead capture, messaging, and future event selection.
229Documented leads across three exhibiting events
146Leads from the national FDIC launch
2× goalDVD sales at the IFCA conference
The portfolio covers FDIC, the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association Convention, Fire Rescue International, and the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Conference, including objectives, budgets, promotional strategy, outcomes, and recommendations.
B.A.Television / Film, Columbia College Chicago
CTSMCertified Trade Show Marketer
AI+ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot & Gamma