Lauren Sugarman, Strategist
I call myself a strategist straddlist. No, I don't do splits during meetings. I'm not Kyle Richards (Real Housewives Fans?). I straddle data-driven insights and compelling storytelling to deliver strategies and narratives that propel business results.
Services
Strategy & Planning
I believe that to get to the heart of the matter, you must reach the hearts of your audience. Through this lens, I drive strategy across paid, owned and earned for annual or project plans to deliver brand positioning, audience personas, insights, creative briefs, narratives, key messages, strategic frameworks and creative core ideas. Experienced in brand, PR, social, content, influencer and creative strategy.
Strategic Optimization
Communicating an idea simply is extremely diffucult. As a strategist, I can connect dots to tell clear and powerful stories. I can optimize anything you are working on: ideas, plans, pitches or proposals. I'll make your work more attractive to your audience.
Training and Inspiration
I build up teams through traning and inspiration like:
- Using Data to Uplevel Any Pitch
- Defending Creative
- Presenting with Confidence
- Sharing Relevant Trends and Case Studies to Inspire New Ideas
I also facilitate creatve brainstorms and strategic workshops to ensure valuable outputs.
Of all the work you will see represented on this website, I am most proud of these recomendations from brilliant marketers who have experienced my work product first-hand.
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Lauren is a stellar addition to any team. Her passion for culture, finding the latest trends and applying that to in a meaningful way to client business is top notch. She knows how to partner well with teams and translate data into meaningful insights that act as the foundation for great creative thinking.
- Mary Elizabeth Germaine, Partner/Managing Director, Global Research & Analytics
Lauren is magic. She has mastered the craft of storytelling by being able to take lots of information (audience and cultural trends, brand positioning, etc.) and distill it down into meaningful insights that are not only powerful but actionable. These skills, combined with her infectious energy, allow her to command a room in front of clients of all types. She is poised and professional, confident and empathetic. In fact, she is one of the best presenters in the business. I HIGHLY recommend Lauren for myriad creative and strategic challenges, but especially if you are trying to crack the code on unique and ownable stories that your brand can tell.
Corinne Gudovic, Managing Director, Client Experience
As my publicist, I worked closely with Lauren for a number of years. She is deeply understanding of her clients needs and will go beyond the extra mile to help them achieve it. She is a PR superstar and a true asset to any organization she works for.
Lonnie Helgerson, President at H5 Transport
Lauren and I worked side-by-side for many years. She and I founded a creative team that reflected her gifts: strategy and creative. Lauren's passion for trends helps her and her clients stay current and mine for insights. She can craft a powerful strategy AND put it to work through creative ideas that are seated in insights. But she doesn't stop there; you can put Lauren in any room to sell those ideas with commitment and passion. Any team would be lucky to have her. I know I was.
Tera Miller, Ketchum, Partner, Executive Creative Director
HIRE LAUREN. I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren for twelve and a half years while at Ketchum. During that time, our team(s) dominated the agency in terms of account growth, industry awards and new business close rates. Her impact is undeniable to a company's reputation and bottom-line. Moreover (and perhaps more importantly), the manner in which she cares for her team is undeniable. She is known for nurturing her people and her work in similar fashion: with the utmost of care, fun and respect. So, like I said, if you have the chance, HIRE LAUREN. If I can be of further assistance, please contact me!
Abby Lovett, Ketchum, EVP, Managing Director, CPG
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren Sugarman on several projects at Ketchum. I was impressed with her from the first conversation we had and my awe didn't dissipate after our many subsequent conversations. Lauren starts with data to uncover cogent insights that create a foundation for a strong strategy. She is fully committed to a project and gives it 100%, I've never seen her phone it in ... ever. Lauren is insanely creative and is a gifted storyteller. The ideas she develops are fresh, rooted in insights and based in culture (and she delivers them masterfully.) On top of that, she has an incredible sense of humor, is empathetic, and would be a great addition to any team. I can't recommend Lauren highly enough.
Jimmy Szczepanek, Managing Director, Consumer Food at Ketchum
Lauren is a new business secret weapon. She leads with a solutions mindset, rolls up her sleeves to contribute to every step of the process, and is able to storytell and present strategy and creative with ease and professionalism. Lauren has been a driving force behind many of our new business success stories.
Kelly Sauter, Managing Director of Global Growth for Ketchum
As a colleague of Lauren's for 12+ years and having worked directly with her for 10, I had a front row seat to her creative prowess on some of the top CPG brands in the world. Lauren taught me that the best idea is rooted in an insight, but it was her creative mind that brought it all to life in a way that drove consumer interest and our client's bottom line. She is one of - if not the - strongest and most driven strategists I've ever worked with, but she also made the work fun and engaging. I look forward to working with her again in the future.
Jill Howard, SVP at Ketchum
Why do I love Lauren? She knows exactly where to find just the right insights and inspiration for any challenge – from trends, from culture and from her years of experience. She mandates a smart, simple clear strategy before jumping into creative, which is why her ideas always shine. One of her other killer skills is her ability to name and frame an idea to make it clever, compelling and clear. She is an absolute pleasure to work with because she is focused & fun and smart & scrappy.
Sue Maloney, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Global Employee Experience
Lauren has been a vital growth driver for our agency -- driving strategy and creative for some of our top new business wins over the last 10+ years. Her no BS, get it done attitude is exactly what's needed in a fast-paced environment. Her superpower is digging through data to find ownable insights that lead to brand building strategy and creative platforms. She's able to apply that superpower across industry sector - retail, CPG, healthcare, etc. You want Lauren on your team!
Katie Illera, VP Director of Business Development at Ketchum
Lauren Sugarman is the best kind of partner to have on an account, in a pitch, or on the road. Her stellar ability to listen between the lines and collaborate with clients and team members will be missed. Your team will be lucky to have her.
Nicky Battle, Managing Director, Healthcare Industry Lead at Ketchum
“Lauren is an exceptional talent. She excels in insight-driven strategy and creative ideation. Perhaps even more importantly, she is a genuinely collaborative thought partner. Any team would be so lucky to have her.”
Jennifer Fuhrman-Kestle, Managing Director of Health Services at Ketchum
Lauren recently hosted two training sessions for our agency, and both were received extremely well from our team. To prep for the trainings, Lauren and I had several calls to review our agency's goals. She asked such detailed questions to ensure that her presentations were tailored to the needs of our team. Both of her training sessions were engaging, educational, and so specific to our agency - it was clear that she understood what were were looking to achieve. Not only did Lauren spend time developing an impactful presentation, but she made sure to answer every single question from team members. Her knowledge of how to leverage data/insights to develop compelling story angles, strategies and campaigns was beyond beneficial to our agency, and I would highly recommend her for anyone seeking to level up their game.
Lauren Simo, SVP Fish PR
Lauren is a stellar addition to any team. Her passion for culture, finding the latest trends and applying that to in a meaningful way to client business is top notch. She knows how to partner well with teams and translate data into meaningful insights that act as the foundation for great creative thinking.
- Mary Elizabeth Germaine, Partner/Managing Director, Global Research & Analytics
Lauren is magic. She has mastered the craft of storytelling by being able to take lots of information (audience and cultural trends, brand positioning, etc.) and distill it down into meaningful insights that are not only powerful but actionable. These skills, combined with her infectious energy, allow her to command a room in front of clients of all types. She is poised and professional, confident and empathetic. In fact, she is one of the best presenters in the business. I HIGHLY recommend Lauren for myriad creative and strategic challenges, but especially if you are trying to crack the code on unique and ownable stories that your brand can tell.
Corinne Gudovic, Managing Director, Client Experience
As my publicist, I worked closely with Lauren for a number of years. She is deeply understanding of her clients needs and will go beyond the extra mile to help them achieve it. She is a PR superstar and a true asset to any organization she works for.
Lonnie Helgerson, President at H5 Transport
Lauren and I worked side-by-side for many years. She and I founded a creative team that reflected her gifts: strategy and creative. Lauren's passion for trends helps her and her clients stay current and mine for insights. She can craft a powerful strategy AND put it to work through creative ideas that are seated in insights. But she doesn't stop there; you can put Lauren in any room to sell those ideas with commitment and passion. Any team would be lucky to have her. I know I was.
Tera Miller, Ketchum, Partner, Executive Creative Director
HIRE LAUREN. I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren for twelve and a half years while at Ketchum. During that time, our team(s) dominated the agency in terms of account growth, industry awards and new business close rates. Her impact is undeniable to a company's reputation and bottom-line. Moreover (and perhaps more importantly), the manner in which she cares for her team is undeniable. She is known for nurturing her people and her work in similar fashion: with the utmost of care, fun and respect. So, like I said, if you have the chance, HIRE LAUREN. If I can be of further assistance, please contact me!
Abby Lovett, Ketchum, EVP, Managing Director, CPG
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren Sugarman on several projects at Ketchum. I was impressed with her from the first conversation we had and my awe didn't dissipate after our many subsequent conversations. Lauren starts with data to uncover cogent insights that create a foundation for a strong strategy. She is fully committed to a project and gives it 100%, I've never seen her phone it in ... ever. Lauren is insanely creative and is a gifted storyteller. The ideas she develops are fresh, rooted in insights and based in culture (and she delivers them masterfully.) On top of that, she has an incredible sense of humor, is empathetic, and would be a great addition to any team. I can't recommend Lauren highly enough.
Jimmy Szczepanek, Managing Director, Consumer Food at Ketchum
Lauren is a new business secret weapon. She leads with a solutions mindset, rolls up her sleeves to contribute to every step of the process, and is able to storytell and present strategy and creative with ease and professionalism. Lauren has been a driving force behind many of our new business success stories.
Kelly Sauter, Managing Director of Global Growth for Ketchum
As a colleague of Lauren's for 12+ years and having worked directly with her for 10, I had a front row seat to her creative prowess on some of the top CPG brands in the world. Lauren taught me that the best idea is rooted in an insight, but it was her creative mind that brought it all to life in a way that drove consumer interest and our client's bottom line. She is one of - if not the - strongest and most driven strategists I've ever worked with, but she also made the work fun and engaging. I look forward to working with her again in the future.
Jill Howard, SVP at Ketchum
Why do I love Lauren? She knows exactly where to find just the right insights and inspiration for any challenge – from trends, from culture and from her years of experience. She mandates a smart, simple clear strategy before jumping into creative, which is why her ideas always shine. One of her other killer skills is her ability to name and frame an idea to make it clever, compelling and clear. She is an absolute pleasure to work with because she is focused & fun and smart & scrappy.
Sue Maloney, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Global Employee Experience
Lauren has been a vital growth driver for our agency -- driving strategy and creative for some of our top new business wins over the last 10+ years. Her no BS, get it done attitude is exactly what's needed in a fast-paced environment. Her superpower is digging through data to find ownable insights that lead to brand building strategy and creative platforms. She's able to apply that superpower across industry sector - retail, CPG, healthcare, etc. You want Lauren on your team!
Katie Illera, VP Director of Business Development at Ketchum
Lauren Sugarman is the best kind of partner to have on an account, in a pitch, or on the road. Her stellar ability to listen between the lines and collaborate with clients and team members will be missed. Your team will be lucky to have her.
Nicky Battle, Managing Director, Healthcare Industry Lead at Ketchum
“Lauren is an exceptional talent. She excels in insight-driven strategy and creative ideation. Perhaps even more importantly, she is a genuinely collaborative thought partner. Any team would be so lucky to have her.”
Jennifer Fuhrman-Kestle, Managing Director of Health Services at Ketchum
Lauren recently hosted two training sessions for our agency, and both were received extremely well from our team. To prep for the trainings, Lauren and I had several calls to review our agency's goals. She asked such detailed questions to ensure that her presentations were tailored to the needs of our team. Both of her training sessions were engaging, educational, and so specific to our agency - it was clear that she understood what were were looking to achieve. Not only did Lauren spend time developing an impactful presentation, but she made sure to answer every single question from team members. Her knowledge of how to leverage data/insights to develop compelling story angles, strategies and campaigns was beyond beneficial to our agency, and I would highly recommend her for anyone seeking to level up their game.
Lauren Simo, SVP Fish PR
Lauren is a stellar addition to any team. Her passion for culture, finding the latest trends and applying that to in a meaningful way to client business is top notch. She knows how to partner well with teams and translate data into meaningful insights that act as the foundation for great creative thinking.
- Mary Elizabeth Germaine, Partner/Managing Director, Global Research & Analytics
Lauren is magic. She has mastered the craft of storytelling by being able to take lots of information (audience and cultural trends, brand positioning, etc.) and distill it down into meaningful insights that are not only powerful but actionable. These skills, combined with her infectious energy, allow her to command a room in front of clients of all types. She is poised and professional, confident and empathetic. In fact, she is one of the best presenters in the business. I HIGHLY recommend Lauren for myriad creative and strategic challenges, but especially if you are trying to crack the code on unique and ownable stories that your brand can tell.
Corinne Gudovic, Managing Director, Client Experience
As my publicist, I worked closely with Lauren for a number of years. She is deeply understanding of her clients needs and will go beyond the extra mile to help them achieve it. She is a PR superstar and a true asset to any organization she works for.
Lonnie Helgerson, President at H5 Transport
Lauren and I worked side-by-side for many years. She and I founded a creative team that reflected her gifts: strategy and creative. Lauren's passion for trends helps her and her clients stay current and mine for insights. She can craft a powerful strategy AND put it to work through creative ideas that are seated in insights. But she doesn't stop there; you can put Lauren in any room to sell those ideas with commitment and passion. Any team would be lucky to have her. I know I was.
Tera Miller, Ketchum, Partner, Executive Creative Director
HIRE LAUREN. I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren for twelve and a half years while at Ketchum. During that time, our team(s) dominated the agency in terms of account growth, industry awards and new business close rates. Her impact is undeniable to a company's reputation and bottom-line. Moreover (and perhaps more importantly), the manner in which she cares for her team is undeniable. She is known for nurturing her people and her work in similar fashion: with the utmost of care, fun and respect. So, like I said, if you have the chance, HIRE LAUREN. If I can be of further assistance, please contact me!
Abby Lovett, Ketchum, EVP, Managing Director, CPG
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Lauren Sugarman on several projects at Ketchum. I was impressed with her from the first conversation we had and my awe didn't dissipate after our many subsequent conversations. Lauren starts with data to uncover cogent insights that create a foundation for a strong strategy. She is fully committed to a project and gives it 100%, I've never seen her phone it in ... ever. Lauren is insanely creative and is a gifted storyteller. The ideas she develops are fresh, rooted in insights and based in culture (and she delivers them masterfully.) On top of that, she has an incredible sense of humor, is empathetic, and would be a great addition to any team. I can't recommend Lauren highly enough.
Jimmy Szczepanek, Managing Director, Consumer Food at Ketchum
Lauren is a new business secret weapon. She leads with a solutions mindset, rolls up her sleeves to contribute to every step of the process, and is able to storytell and present strategy and creative with ease and professionalism. Lauren has been a driving force behind many of our new business success stories.
Kelly Sauter, Managing Director of Global Growth for Ketchum
As a colleague of Lauren's for 12+ years and having worked directly with her for 10, I had a front row seat to her creative prowess on some of the top CPG brands in the world. Lauren taught me that the best idea is rooted in an insight, but it was her creative mind that brought it all to life in a way that drove consumer interest and our client's bottom line. She is one of - if not the - strongest and most driven strategists I've ever worked with, but she also made the work fun and engaging. I look forward to working with her again in the future.
Jill Howard, SVP at Ketchum
Why do I love Lauren? She knows exactly where to find just the right insights and inspiration for any challenge – from trends, from culture and from her years of experience. She mandates a smart, simple clear strategy before jumping into creative, which is why her ideas always shine. One of her other killer skills is her ability to name and frame an idea to make it clever, compelling and clear. She is an absolute pleasure to work with because she is focused & fun and smart & scrappy.
Sue Maloney, Partner, Executive Creative Director, Global Employee Experience
Lauren has been a vital growth driver for our agency -- driving strategy and creative for some of our top new business wins over the last 10+ years. Her no BS, get it done attitude is exactly what's needed in a fast-paced environment. Her superpower is digging through data to find ownable insights that lead to brand building strategy and creative platforms. She's able to apply that superpower across industry sector - retail, CPG, healthcare, etc. You want Lauren on your team!
Katie Illera, VP Director of Business Development at Ketchum
Lauren Sugarman is the best kind of partner to have on an account, in a pitch, or on the road. Her stellar ability to listen between the lines and collaborate with clients and team members will be missed. Your team will be lucky to have her.
Nicky Battle, Managing Director, Healthcare Industry Lead at Ketchum
“Lauren is an exceptional talent. She excels in insight-driven strategy and creative ideation. Perhaps even more importantly, she is a genuinely collaborative thought partner. Any team would be so lucky to have her.”
Jennifer Fuhrman-Kestle, Managing Director of Health Services at Ketchum
Lauren recently hosted two training sessions for our agency, and both were received extremely well from our team. To prep for the trainings, Lauren and I had several calls to review our agency's goals. She asked such detailed questions to ensure that her presentations were tailored to the needs of our team. Both of her training sessions were engaging, educational, and so specific to our agency - it was clear that she understood what were were looking to achieve. Not only did Lauren spend time developing an impactful presentation, but she made sure to answer every single question from team members. Her knowledge of how to leverage data/insights to develop compelling story angles, strategies and campaigns was beyond beneficial to our agency, and I would highly recommend her for anyone seeking to level up their game.
Lauren Simo, SVP Fish PR
Pricing
Basic Consultation Package
$180
hour
There is a 10 hour minimum. All 10 hours must be used within 10 business days.
Popular
Professional Consultation Package
$160
hour
There is a 40 hour minimum. The 40 hours must be used within one month.
Team Training Sessions
$800+
package
All training sessions are interactive, use real, relevant examples and are customized to your agency and staff development needs.
About Me
I spent over 15 years at one of the world's largest PR firms in a hybrid role: strategist + creative for brands such as Target, Mars-Wrigley and Kimberly-Clark. Collaborating with other agencies, departments and stakeholders to create dynamic integrated marketing campaign is key to success. In this capacity, I have worked across almost every industry including retail, CPG, food, healthcare, finance, travel and home. I have an insane ability to recognize which idea is THE idea (no matter where it comes from) and help sell it to clients.
I live in South Florida with my husband (pictured here) and our three kids. I am a children's book author, avid reader (about a book a week) and aspiring furniture refinisher. I love traveling, swimming, biking, painting and reality TV. I do not like cooking, running or sushi.. yes, sushi!
Contact Me
Submit your contact information here to get in touch with me at (305) 606-0126 or [email protected].