Andrea Richard of Edit & Echo on Strategic Communications and Leadership Messaging

Andrea Richard of Edit & Echo on Helping Organizations Communicate With Clarity and Strategic Impact

Andrea Richard is the Founder and Principal of Edit & Echo, a strategic communications consulting firm that helps organizations communicate with clarity, alignment, and confidence. With more than eight years of experience leading communications inside Fortune 500 companies including Allstate, Cognizant, and WestRock (now Smurfit WestRock), Andrea brings deep expertise in translating complex ideas into messaging that moves people and organizations forward.

Through Edit & Echo, Andrea partners with founder-led businesses, executives, nonprofits, and organizations navigating change to design communication systems that connect strategy to culture and vision to action. Her work focuses on turning scattered messaging into intentional communication that builds engagement, strengthens leadership visibility, and drives measurable impact.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I’m a strategic communications advisor who helps organizations lead with clarity and confidence. My work is grounded in a simple belief: powerful communication blends strategy, empathy, and insight — and when it’s done well, it moves people (and organizations) forward.

My completion of Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program shaped how I think about messaging — not just as words on a page, but as a system that connects vision to action and strategy to culture.

Over the past eight years, I’ve worked inside three Fortune 500 companies — Allstate, Cognizant, and WestRock (now Smurfit WestRock) — building experience across insurance, technology, and paper and packaging. Working across industries sharpened my ability to translate complexity, align diverse stakeholders, and tailor messaging to meet people where they are. I’ve led global, award-winning recognition programs, elevated executive visibility, and supported campaigns that strengthened engagement at scale. Most importantly, I’ve seen firsthand how clear, intentional communication helps people feel valued and connected to what matters most.

Through my communications consulting firm, Edit & Echo, I bring this philosophy to life. I help organizations design messages and moments that turn priorities into clarity, and create workplaces where communication sparks pride and impact. Because in my experience, communication doesn’t work simply because it’s said, it works when it’s understood.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

When I first launched, my strategy was intentionally relationship-driven. I leveraged my existing network, reached out to former colleagues and leaders I had partnered with in my Fortune 500 communications roles, and used LinkedIn to clearly articulate my positioning and share insights around intentional communication. The focus was on credibility and targeted outreach rather than broad visibility. It did not go exactly as planned, but the early conversations helped me refine my ideal client and sharpen my messaging. In the end, precision and relationship-building proved far more effective than volume.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I’m a strategic communications advisor who helps organizations lead with clarity and confidence. My work is grounded in a simple belief: powerful communication blends strategy, empathy, and insight — and when it’s done well, it moves people (and organizations) forward.

My completion of Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program shaped how I think about messaging — not just as words on a page, but as a system that connects vision to action and strategy to culture.

Over the past eight years, I’ve worked inside three Fortune 500 companies — Allstate, Cognizant, and WestRock (now Smurfit WestRock) — building experience across insurance, technology, and paper and packaging. Working across industries sharpened my ability to translate complexity, align diverse stakeholders, and tailor messaging to meet people where they are. I’ve led global, award-winning recognition programs, elevated executive visibility, and supported campaigns that strengthened engagement at scale. Most importantly, I’ve seen firsthand how clear, intentional communication helps people feel valued and connected to what matters most.

Through my communications consulting firm, Edit & Echo, I bring this philosophy to life. I help organizations design messages and moments that turn priorities into clarity, and create workplaces where communication sparks pride and impact. Because in my experience, communication doesn’t work simply because it’s said, it works when it’s understood.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, I didn’t always know I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I spent more than eight years in strategic communications roles within Fortune 500 companies, focused on building expertise and learning how complex organizations operate. Over time, I realized I wanted greater ownership over the work I was doing and the impact it created. Starting my own business was less about chasing entrepreneurship and more about creating a focused, values-driven model where I could help leaders communicate with clarity, alignment, and measurable impact.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

The accomplishment I’m most proud of is building a business rooted in intentionality rather than urgency. From the beginning, I was clear that I didn’t want to replicate reactive communication patterns I had seen inside large organizations. I wanted to design a model centered on clarity, alignment, and measurable impact. Seeing clients shift from scattered messaging to confident, strategic communication, and knowing that the systems we build continue working long after the engagement ends, is incredibly rewarding. It reinforces that the work is not just tactical, but transformative.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

One thing I wish I had known when I started my Entreprenista journey is that progress matters more than perfection. In the beginning, I felt pressure to have everything fully built out before putting myself out there. What I’ve learned is that clarity and confidence come through action. You refine your voice, your offers, and your strategy by doing, not by waiting until everything feels ready.

What did you do before starting your own business?

I’ve spent the past eight years leading communications within Fortune 500 organizations.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I took the leap because I kept seeing the same pattern inside organizations of every size: incredibly smart leaders doing meaningful work but struggling to articulate it clearly and consistently. The strategy was strong. The vision was compelling. But communication wasn’t being treated as infrastructure, it was treated as an afterthought.

Over time, I realized the real gap wasn’t talent. It was an alignment.

I started Edit & Echo to help leaders design communication intentionally, not reactively. To move from noise to clarity. From activity to impact. From messages that simply inform to messages that move people.

I also wanted the autonomy to build something values-driven — work that supports women, mission-led businesses, and organizations navigating change. Starting my own firm allowed me to combine strategy, storytelling, and systems in a way that creates measurable impact, and to do it on my terms.

It wasn’t just about entrepreneurship. It was about creating a model where communication becomes a strategic advantage, not a scramble.

Do you have any recent wins?

One win I’m especially proud of this past year was partnering with one of my former employers to help reimagine their annual employee engagement program. It was meaningful to be invited back in a strategic capacity and trusted to bring a fresh perspective to a longstanding initiative. We focused on making the experience more engaging and inclusive for employees across the organization, ultimately pivoting to a fully virtual format so team members around the world could participate and experience the energy of the program. Transforming it from a primarily in-person event into a global, accessible experience was both a strategic and deeply rewarding milestone.

Who are your customers?

Founder-led small businesses, executives and emerging leaders, mission-driven organizations, non-profits, and mid-market companies in strategic transition.

What's your top productivity tip?

My top productivity tip is to start each day with two to three quick wins. Completing a few meaningful tasks early builds momentum and creates a sense of progress before the day gets complicated. That early traction makes it much easier to move into the larger, more complex priorities with focus and energy. Momentum is a powerful motivator, so I design my mornings to create it intentionally.

What's your favorite business tool?

My favorite business tool is LinkedIn. It has been the most powerful platform for building credibility, nurturing relationships, and attracting aligned opportunities. Because my work centers on communication and thought leadership, LinkedIn allows me to demonstrate expertise in real time rather than simply describe it. It also keeps me connected to decision-makers and former colleagues, which has led to meaningful conversations and new engagements. For a relationship-driven business like mine, it functions as both a marketing channel and a trust builder.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

My advice for aspiring Entreprenistas is simple: just when you feel like giving up, keep going. There will be moments of doubt, slow seasons, and setbacks that make you question yourself. That is part of building something meaningful. Often, the breakthrough comes right after the moment you feel like stopping. Stay consistent, keep showing up, and trust that persistence compounds over time.

After years working within large organizations, Andrea Richard launched Edit & Echo to help leaders treat communication as a strategic advantage rather than an afterthought. By combining strategy, storytelling, and systems thinking, she continues to support organizations in creating communication that is clear, intentional, and capable of driving meaningful change.

If you are a woman founder looking to grow your business while connecting with a powerful network of female entrepreneurs, Entreprenista provides the community and resources to help you scale with confidence. Learn more about joining Entreprenista League.