The branding and advertising industry dates back centuries and has a rich history. Newspaper and magazine advertisements used to be the leading sources for displaying ads. However, technological advancements in the industry caused a steep downturn. By 1980, the USA’s advertising expenditures stood at around $55 billion. Fast-forwarding, the industry witnessed the display of the world’s first digital advertisement, disrupting the entire advertising landscape. Digital advertising, after almost three decades on the market, has achieved several milestones.
By 2026, digital advertising is projected to reach a global value of US $836 billion, offering immense opportunities. However, entrepreneurs and businesses face challenges in capitalizing on this billion-dollar prospect, especially given the flood of digital marketing agencies. This is where marketing consulting with branding and strategic communication comes into play. Jeni Bukolt (Founder and Branding Maven of HAVEN Creative LLC) aims to make a difference in the branding and advertising industries by offering a creative approach and leveraging diversified talent. HAVEN Creative specializes mainly in branding and strategic marketing campaigns, using tactics like social media, SEO, digital and print advertising, and PR. With their marketing consulting services, they assist businesses in identifying their target audience, crafting unique brand identities, and designing effective marketing strategies that deliver measurable results.
In this business story, we explore Jeni’s journey, how she started her consulting firm, and how she plans to further expand and revolutionize the branding and advertising industries with her expertise.
From Film to Community-Building
Jeni is an entrepreneur who is passionate about storytelling and connecting with people. Her journey to success started in Hollywood, where she worked in film and television before transitioning to product marketing. However, she felt unsatisfied since she has always wanted to tell stories that connect people, affect change, and inspire others. Driven by her entrepreneurial spirit, she took a chance on herself and started HAVEN in 2012 after relocating to North Carolina with her family. She wanted to build a platform where people could share stories and help communities thrive.
Her dedication and hard work paid off when she was connected with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, which helped her scale her business to new heights. As the business grew, Jeni realized that she could help more communities by building a team of HAVEN Mavens. Today, Jeni is inspiring other entrepreneurs who want to build a business around their passion.
HAVEN Creative: Consultants of Change
Jeni founded HAVEN Creative in 2012 to express her creativity after relocating from the west coast. Over the years, the company has evolved to take on a greater mission of building communities within organizations. Her passion for educating and empowering clients has helped the company carve out a unique niche. It focuses on making clients experts in their marketing strategies. The company’s distinctive approach has helped it grow and succeed over the years. “To make mavens of our clients, we have to first ask the tough questions, dig in, and understand what works and what doesn’t,” Jeni adds.
Under Jeni’s direction, HAVEN has become a trusted partner for businesses looking to elevate their marketing strategies. Her commitment to community-building and client empowerment has made it a go-to agency for those seeking to take their marketing efforts to the next level. Jeni further states about the marketing agencies in the market: “Many marketing agencies view themselves as creative first, but we see ourselves as consultants of change.”
Radical Candor and Core Values
A business thrives on its core beliefs and skilled management. Implementing it in an efficient working system makes it simple to adhere to the vision and goal. Jeni recognizes this, and as a result, she has implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) at HAVEN. A system that has assisted her in building a strong team, consistent processes, and service delivery. As the ‘Visionary’ in the EOS system, she establishes the vision for where the company is going and how the firm will position itself in the market. Furthermore, Jeni speaks about her role, where she describes, “As CEO, I lead our sales efforts and set a positive company culture. My why is building community, inside and outside of organizations.”
To evaluate a team’s performance and creative output it is essential to ensure that the team meets its fundamental expectations of fulfillment, care, and success before delivering the output. Jeni makes sure these basic expectations are fulfilled for her team’s unmatched work delivery. The team relies heavily on its core values and tools like Kim Scott’s ‘Radical Candor’ to address issues and communicate effectively. A solid management perspective considers hiring smarter professionals as the best practice. Jeni believes the same and hires people smarter than herself to solve problems together. It is a practice that has propelled HAVEN to overcome any obstacle that comes their way.
Creating an Impact on the Market
According to Jeni, communication issues are often at the root of business problems. While HAVEN is not limited to any particular industry, it specializes in customized services to fulfill individual client requirements. Its team of experts delivers communication solutions to businesses across diverse industries. If a business’s sales are lagging, the team investigates to uncover the root cause, which could be ineffective communication of the value proposition by the sales team or poor marketing targeting. The company provides clear and transparent solutions regarding marketing, communication, and brand positioning, thereby resolving common pain points for businesses. HAVEN addresses these challenges to make communication a competitive advantage for its clients.
Ahead of the Competition
With the rocket takeoff of digital marketing, several agencies emerged, but a significant number of them lacked the mindset to meet their client’s requirements. However, HAVEN stands apart from other enterprises that depend on buzzwords and empty promises, as it is committed to equipping clients with knowledge and expertise. This allows it to establish itself as a game-changer in the branding sector through its service-specific, industry-agnostic approach. Its distinctive brand ethos is to “make mavens of our peers and partners,” which signifies that it places high value on teaching clients about the benefits of their marketing investment. As a result, HAVEN outperforms the competition by delivering outcomes that support the objectives of its clients.
Assembling a Team of Creative Minds
Jeni understands that a successful business is built on a great team. She believes hiring the right people and creating an environment where they can thrive is the key to unlocking their full potential. With this philosophy in mind, she has carefully curated a team of creative minds who are passionate about their work. They work together seamlessly to deliver top-notch marketing solutions to their clients.
Jeni constantly searches for ways to improve her team’s structure and maximize their productivity. She has recently made some changes to the agency structure, which have already delivered positive results. At the core of her strategy is a focus on the company’s vision and core values. By ensuring that everyone is aligned with these values and working towards a shared goal, she has built a solid foundation for growth. With such a talented and committed team, the sky is the limit for HAVEN. Jeni states an interesting fact about creating the right team. She says, “If your team is working towards the same goal and shares the same values, you’ve built a foundation that will help you grow.”
Embracing Life’s Ups and Downs
Corporate life is rewarding as well as challenging. To manage this, the concept of work-life balance has popped up. It basically talks about having a well-balanced work life. Jeni challenges the notion of a “perfect work-life balance.” In a society that often values perfectionism; she recognizes that it can have a negative impact on mental health. Instead, Jeni views life as a teeter-totter, with ups and downs that make it more interesting than a flat line.
As an entrepreneur, she understands the need to prioritize different aspects of her life on different days. Some days, it means putting more energy into the business and, on others, spending more time with her family. While there’s no perfect balance, Jeni sets clear boundaries and surrounds herself with a supportive team. She rejects the idea of a perfect work-life balance and embraces life’s natural ups and downs. Thus, Jeni fosters a healthier, more productive mindset for herself and her team.
Beyond Buzzwords
Jeni loves collaborating with like-minded individuals to develop innovative concepts. Witnessing those ideas come to life and making a difference in the world is the most rewarding part of her work.
However, Jeni is disappointed with how the marketing industry is filled with buzzwords and meaningless metrics, with little or no return on clients’ investment. The term “marketing agency” often brings to mind overpriced services that don’t deliver. To counteract this, Jeni and her team focus on setting measurable and meaningful goals with their clients. They hold themselves accountable and are dedicated to demonstrating the return on investment for their clients. With their client partners, they aim to set clear expectations to ensure that their services deliver what they promise.
Jeni’s View on Women’s Participation in Entrepreneurship
Jeni initially faced apprehension about expanding her business as a solo female entrepreneur. The lack of female mentors made it difficult for her to take the first steps. However, with the support of multiple coaches, she overcame her fears and scaled her company to new heights. She admits to facing the challenge of women being competitive with each other in the business world, with the belief that there is only one seat at the table. But over the last decade, this mindset has shifted. Today, there are numerous women in leadership positions, and the trend of women mentoring other women is on the rise.
Advice to aspiring Women Leaders
Jeni has shown that with determination and a willingness to take risks, anyone can turn their dreams into reality. Her journey is a testament to the power of entrepreneurship to create positive change in the world. She believes success takes a maven (expert) mindset, which encompasses the following:
- Find your community: “If you want to soar, you have to hang with eagles.” Here, Jeni talks about having a positive community around her that propelled her to success.
- Be brave and practice Radical Candor: A leader should be courageous enough to speak out for the desired goals. Those who speak well with kind words tend to achieve success soon.
- Have a clear vision: Being specific with your goals and having clear insights makes it easy to get through the potential hurdles. A clear vision will provide a roadmap to follow and help make informed decisions.
Quotes
“As an entrepreneur who is in the 1% of women-owned agencies in the USA, I see the biggest way that we contribute to the business world is by setting an example for others.”
