Hi, I’m Ian.

I’m the principal at Pale Blue Dot Marketing.

I help small- and mid-market agencies and brands drive scaled and sustained growth, leveraging three decades of leadership. 

About Me

My Perspective

My approach is influenced by Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot. I believe companies are at their best when they understand their place in the customer's universe. This perspective fosters humility and respect, leading to more meaningful connections.

My Story

When I'm not working, I try to keep up with my teenage boys and dog, read anything I can find on Muhammad Ali, Carl Sagan, and big wave surfing, chase fresh powder in the Rockies, or run a few miles on the Chicago lakefront in preparation for my next marathon.

I've been a growth-minded, strategic marketer my entire career. I've served on both the client side and in agency leadership roles, delivering top- and bottom-line gains, championing bold and effective creative ideas, and developing exceptional talent.

I bring a broad, strategic perspective, having worked across multiple marketing disciplines, including PR/comms, digital, social, traditional advertising, and CRM. My experience spans both the client side (Sony, Nokia) and agency leadership roles at WPP (Ogilvy, Wunderman), Publicis (Razorfish, Hawkeye), Omnicom (Global Client Lead on McDonald's), and independent agency Iris.

Services

Helping Companies Scale Smarter

Running a business comes with relentless pressure: winning new customers, keeping current customers profitable, and retaining top talent while managing scope creep and operational complexity. I’ve been in your shoes, and I know what it takes to drive sustainable growth.

  • In a crowded market, the brands that thrive have a clear, compelling point of view.

    Category Expertise Positioning: Find your niche, command premium pricing, and become the go-to in your space.

    Thought Leadership Development: Elevate your credibility through content, speaking engagements, and industry recognition.

  • Winning work shouldn’t feel like a rollercoaster. I help companies build a proactive, repeatable approach to business development:

    Outbound Prospecting & Positioning: Sharpen your value proposition and create a targeted outreach strategy to attract the right customers.

    Pitch Strategy & Coaching: Increase your win rate with stronger storytelling, sharper creds decks, and a more compelling case for your brand.

    Warm Lead Generation: Leverage my network and expertise to connect with decision-makers who need what you do best.

  • Growth isn’t just about new business, it’s about making the most of the clients you already have.

    Scope & Pricing Strategy: Fix scope creep, improve pricing, and shift from project-based work to long-term, high-value retainers.

    Organic Growth Playbook: A structured approach to expanding existing accounts through upselling and cross-selling services that clients actually need.

  • Your people are your biggest asset, and your biggest expense. Let’s make sure your company is built to last.

    Structuring for Scale: The right team structure to balance FTEs, freelancers, and outsourced talent while maintaining profitability.

    Burnout Prevention & Retention Strategy: Practical strategies to keep your best talent engaged, motivated, and invested in your company’s success.

Agency Accelerators

I’ve designed 5 Agency Growth Accelerators – practical, high-impact programs purpose-built for small and mid-sized agency growth.

Download a PDF for an overview of each:

  1. Positioning Sprint: Carve out a unique, premium space in the market

  2. Content Strategy Accelerator: Turn expertise into a lead-gen engine

  3. Prospecting & Pipeline Playbook: Smarter, more impactful pursuits

  4. Pitch & Presentation Masterclass: Sharpen your story, improve your win rate

  5. Client Growth Planning: Unlock organic growth from your existing accounts

Growth

Led over $70M+ in net-new business wins, securing Agency of Record (AOR) roles across Digital, Social, CRM, and PR.

Scaled portfolio revenue by 70%, securing $25M+ in net-new business.

Designed and implemented a new client engagement model, driving 20% organic growth across top-10 accounts for two consecutive years. Optimized pricing, retention strategies, and service delivery to increase revenue per client and improve profitability.

Results

Innovation

In 2008 built and scaled the digital and social media practice at a “traditional” agency from the ground up, achieving $10M+ annual revenue within two years, expanding the team from 2 to 40 practitioners.

Operational Excellence

Led the financial and operational transformation for three agency restructurings, driving profitable revenue growth and operational efficiencies. Strengthened financial controls, improved utilization rates, and streamlined processes to maximize margin.

Testimonials

“Whip smart without being condescending; a leader without being a dictator ... Oh, and new business is one of his huge strengths. Work with Ian. You will not regret it.”

-CMO (client)

“There is no problem for which he cannot orchestrate a simple, methodical way to tackle. He sees the big picture. He keeps teams focused on what's most important and away from swirl. He's a strong leader that develops strong teams. Strong internal teams, strong partnerships with the clients.”

-Agency Strategy Lead

“Bless this guy! 👍”

-God (on Twitter)

“I've worked with Ian for more than 20 years. He's as real as it gets, a leader in the truest sense of the word. He knows how to motivate teams, simplify problems, drive growth, focus on what matters - all without ego or bullsh*t. Ian grows more connected and relevant with age. Working with him is both valuable and a blast.”

-CEO (client)

“Always earning his place as the most senior and trusted partner to the largest clients with some of the most complicated, multi-agency relationships, Ian brings and fosters a much-needed sense of trust and calm.”

-Agency SVP

Get in Touch

Schedule time with me to discuss your business needs, or just to say hello.

Or email/text:

ian@palebluedotmarketing.com 312.286.4902