Kimberly Schmitz of TINK Marketing & Design on Fractional CMO Strategy for Small Businesses

Kimberly Schmitz of TINK Marketing & Design on Building Clear Marketing Foundations for Small Businesses

Kimberly Schmitz is the Founder of TINK Marketing & Design and the creator of Brand Luminary League, where she helps solopreneurs and small businesses build clear, strategic marketing foundations. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing communications across industries such as technology, medical devices, and contact centers, Kimberly now brings enterprise level marketing strategy to founders who want practical, structured guidance without the complexity of corporate systems.

Through her work as a Fractional CMO and marketing strategist, Kimberly helps early stage and growing businesses simplify their messaging, clarify their positioning, and build marketing systems that support sustainable growth. Based in the Denver Metro Area, she also leads Brand Luminary League, a membership community designed to help entrepreneurs create consistent, effective marketing strategies while focusing more of their time on running their businesses.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I'm a Fractional CMO and Marketing Strategist, Founder of TINK Marketing & Design and the Brand Luminary League, based in the Denver Metro Area, Colorado. With over twenty years of experience as a marketing communications professional, I have crafted strategies for businesses ranging from early-stage startups to corporate enterprises.

I specialize in helping small and mid-sized founders build a clear marketing foundation from day one, using the same proven methodology I have applied with large organizations, made affordable and simple to implement. I am also the founder of Brand Luminary League, a monthly membership program helping solopreneurs and early-stage entrepreneurs develop their story and make marketing work for them.

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When I'm not thinking about marketing, I am rediscovering myself as a recent empty-nester and teaching Pilates as my side-gig.

Are you a mamaprenista?

Yes, I am, but now my twins are in their first year of college. I don't think there's any perfect way to do it. Having your own business allows you flexibility and freedom, but it also comes with a lot of pressure. It's finding what works for you and your family and enjoy it while you can. Those babies don't stay babies forever!

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

When I first launched my business, there was no polished marketing strategy (even though I do marketing for a living,) it began in a season of burnout, caregiving, and transition. I had just stepped away from a demanding agency role, my twins were in their last years of high school, my mom had suffered a stroke, and I needed space to be present for my family. So, my “strategy,” if you can even call it that, was simply to take on a few freelance projects to keep the lights on while I figured out what was next.

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But one of those early projects changed everything. Helping a small, mission‑driven brand find clarity around their message reminded me of the work I loved most, simplifying marketing, creating structure, and giving business owners a sense of direction. That spark led me to rebuild my career on my own terms, turning my corporate methodology into something accessible for small businesses.

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So no, it didn’t go as planned. It went better. It led me to the Fractional CMO work I do today and ultimately to creating The Brand Luminary League, an accessible and affordable space for founders who want clarity when it comes to marketing, not more chaos so they can focus more on their business and less on marketing.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No.

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

Creating and building my TINK Marketing, Brand Luminary League and app.

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

How much time I would want to dedicate to connecting with all of these amazing women!

What did you do before starting your own business?

I was in corporate for 20 years and focused on B2B marketing for large corporations within tech, medical devices, test and measurement and contact centers.

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

I was burnt out working for other people and watching them get the reward. I felt that if I was going to work hard, it was going to be for myself.

Who are your customers?

Solopreneurs and Small businesses to midsize

What's your top productivity tip?

When I feel overwhelmed by too much on my plate and I have too many ideas, not enough time, I do a 3 minute marketing reset even for myself. I ask myself these three questions:

1. What is the one offer I want to move this week?
2. What is the fastest path to visibility for it?
3. What's one message I can repeat across three channels this week?

What's your favorite business tool?

My favorite is Asana because I am such a planner at heart. I love breaking down every detail and managing deadlines. Asana speaks my love language. 

What's your approach to work-life balance?

How do you avoid burn-out?

A couple of years ago I went through Pilates Instructor training and now I teach a few hours a week. It's completely different from what I do during the day and helps balance my brain.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Give yourself grace. Get out there and try not to get caught up in your own head or way.

After two decades in corporate marketing, Kimberly Schmitz built TINK Marketing & Design to bring clarity and structure to founders navigating the often overwhelming world of marketing. Through her Fractional CMO work and the Brand Luminary League, she continues to help entrepreneurs develop stronger messaging, more effective strategies, and marketing systems that support long term business growth.

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.