Marketing Consultants in San Francisco to Watch For in 2025

San Francisco Service Providers to Know in 2025

San Francisco has always been synonymous with innovation, big ideas, and future-forward thinking. From tech giants to scrappy startups, the Bay Area’s business ecosystem thrives on transformation, and behind many of those transformations are marketing consultants who blend creativity, strategy, and data into measurable success.

At Digital Reference, we’re passionate about helping organizations—especially those in education and mission-driven sectors—find the marketing expertise they need to thrive. Whether it’s reimagining a brand story, launching an omnichannel campaign, or crafting thought leadership, marketing consultants are often the hidden architects behind growth.

This year, we’ve curated a list of standout San Francisco-based marketing consultants to watch in 2025. Some are solo operators, some lead boutique agencies, and others contribute within firms—but all are driving impact.

🧭 How We Selected This List

To ensure our recommendations are both trustworthy and practical, we used a selection process that reflects Digital Reference's core values: trust, execution, and clarity.

• Location Verification: All consultants listed are based in or actively serve clients in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Professional Experience: We evaluated their industry tenure, project history, and thought leadership.
• Client Impact: We prioritized consultants with measurable client outcomes and case studies.
• Relevance to Education & Mission-Driven Work: Special consideration was given to those who’ve contributed to nonprofits, education institutions, and community initiatives.

Featured Marketing Consultants in San Francisco

Katie Barden

Independent Marketing Consultant
LinkedIn

Katie Barden is a versatile marketing consultant with nearly a decade of experience helping brands clarify their messaging, expand visibility, and align digital strategies across platforms. Based in San Francisco, she works with clients across industries—from industrial tech to lifestyle content—providing a strategic lens that blends creative ideation with operational follow-through.

Signature Strengths:

• 🌐 Website + Digital Collateral Development
• 📈 Content Strategy & Analytics
• 🗣 Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Messaging
• 🧾 Multi-Channel Brand Exposure Plans
• 🧠 Start-up & Small Business Marketing Strategy

Lisa Thomson

AEC Marketing & Communications Consultant
LinkedIn

Lisa Thomson brings a journalist’s curiosity and a strategist’s precision to the world of marketing. With over 25 years of experience in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry, Lisa has built a career on uncovering the stories that drive business success—and helping firms translate those stories into powerful, cohesive marketing.Signature Strengths:

• 💡 Mission-driven marketing
• 📝 Content and storytelling strategy
• 🌍 Team Development
• 🤝 Community and stakeholder engagement

Natalie Andrus

Fractional Brand & Marketing Consultant
LinkedIn

Natalie is a seasoned brand and ecommerce marketing leader with over a decade of experience growing DTC and design-forward businesses. Known for her clarity, structure, and creative strategy, she helps brands build marketing engines that drive not just engagement—but sustained growth.

Signature Strengths:

• 🧩 Brand architecture and design
• 🔍 Market research and audience insights
• 💬 Integrated campaign planning

Jamie Urborg

Marketing Consultant
LinkedIn | Website

Strategic and results-driven B2B marketer with over 12 years of experience developing, managing, and optimizing targeted multi-channel campaigns for pipeline growth, awareness, and lead generation across various industries and segments. Strong track record leading cross-functional teams (product marketing, sales, client success) to build integrated strategies that align with broader organizational objectives.

Signature Strengths:

• 🟢 Channel strategy across digital and traditional
• 💼 B2B and service-based marketing
• 📊 Funnel optimization
• 💬 Messaging audits and brand voice

Brooke Shapiro

Fractional CMO and Marketing Consultant
LinkedIn | Website

Brooke is a marketing strategist and fractional CMO known for her work with growth-stage companies and educational platforms. She helps align internal and external messaging with long-term goals, and is a go-to resource for brand transformation and launch support.

Signature Strengths:

• ✨ Brand narrative development
• 🎓 Edtech marketing
• 📅 Launch planning and execution
• 📢 Thought leadership strategy

Dorothy Dao

Senior Marketing Strategist
LinkedIn

Dorothy is a powerhouse when it comes to performance marketing, analytics, and revenue-driving campaigns. She has a data-first approach that resonates particularly well with organizations looking to scale their digital presence.

Signature Strengths:

• 📊 Data-driven growth
• 🎯 Paid media and PPC
• 🧮 Funnel design and measurement
• 💡 Campaign analytics and reporting

Anne Johnson

Independent Marketing Consultant
LinkedIn

Anne focuses on helping mission-driven organizations and startups articulate their value in a crowded market. Her career includes experience with higher education institutions, social enterprises, and public health initiatives.

Signature Strengths:

• 🧭 Purpose-driven branding
• 🧑‍🏫 Higher ed marketing
• 🧠 Audience mapping
• ✍️ Messaging strategy

Elizabeth Shook

Marketing Communications Consultant
LinkedIn

With a rare ability to blend high-level strategy and hands-on execution, Elizabeth excels at writing, planning, and measuring the impact of her work. Whether it’s developing a multi-touch email campaign, managing a rebrand, or crafting compelling copy for web and social, she brings polish and practicality to every project.

Signature Strengths:

• 🎥 Visual storytelling
• 🎨 Brand design and creative direction
• 🧰 Multi-format content creation
• 🌐 Social media and digital marketing

Reilly Brock

Freelance Brand Storyteller, Copywriter, and Content Consultant
LinkedIn | Website

Reilly blends editorial prowess with marketing precision. He is a content marketing expert and freelance copywriter who helps mission-driven brands find their voice, tell their story, and build lasting relationships with customers. He specializes in creating engaging, human-centered content that educates, entertains, and delivers on key business goals.

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Signature Strengths:

• 📝 Editorial and content strategy
• 🛒 Sustainable brand storytelling
• 🎙️ Media and PR engagement
• 🌿 Nonprofit + food marketing

Edwina Clark

Marketing & Content Consultant
LinkedIn

Edwina is a registered dietitian and marketing leader with a focus on wellness, health tech, and nutrition brands. Her strategic guidance bridges science and storytelling—especially for startups targeting educators, students, and health-conscious consumers.

Signature Strengths:

• 🥗 Wellness brand positioning
• 🧬 Science-based content
• 🌐 Social media and influencer strategy
• 📢 Community growth and engagement

Why These Consultants Matter

Whether you're running an education nonprofit, launching a new course platform, or navigating a major brand pivot, these consultants bring more than marketing expertise. They understand mission. They get scale. And most importantly—they know how to tell stories that move people.

We encourage readers to explore "How to Hire a Fractional Executive" and "The Talent Ecosystem" to learn more about the strategic hiring decisions reshaping marketing, education, and operations today.

A Note from Digital Reference

At Digital Reference, we’re building the most trusted index of professionals serving education and mission-driven work. We know how hard it is to find the right consultant—especially when you're balancing budgets, timelines, and values.

That’s why every guide we create is thoroughly researched and designed with transparency in mind. We hope this list helps you find your next great collaborator in San Francisco.

Learn more about our mission:

👉About Digital Reference

👉Marketing Professionals: What Are They and What Do They Do?

👉Marketing Consultants in the USA to Watch For 

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