Meet Cassie Kelly | Nonprofit Marketing Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassie Kelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor in running my own business is passion. If I don’t have a personal drive to help an organization, my work is not going to be the best it can be. I have to believe in the work that I’m doing in order to help others believe in it.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my consulting firm, Like-Minded Marketing, in 2020. I was working full-time for Action for Children and then later started a position with Mental Health America of Ohio. The early days of the pandemic were a tough period of transition for me. I felt isolated from the community, and I wanted to find extra ways I could help, so I started doing small projects for local businesses and nonprofits. I always imagined going into my business full-time, but it wasn’t until 2023 that I finally made the leap, and that was the hardest part. Choosing to go out on my own was a huge test in my confidence. I didn’t know if I would be successful, and it seemed like such a big risk at the time, but the nonprofit community came together and lifted me up. I haven’t struggled to find work, and for that I am endlessly grateful. In the past year, my work has taken me all over Central Ohio, from Healthy New Albany, to Community Mediation Services, to the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County. I also have the privilege of helping some very passionate folks start their own nonprofits from the ground up. What I tell all of my clients and want them to understand is that marketing should not be seen as a luxury, but a necessity. The stories of those you serve are the most critical assets you have, and it is essential to have someone on your team who can thoughtfully curate and tell those stories if you want to gain visibility, awareness, and engagement.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Columbus is teeming with energy. We have amazing food, live music, breweries, coffee shops, and parks. I would want to show them all of our fun neighborhoods. The perfect week would be easing in with a coffee at Stauf’s in German Village and some shopping and walking. We could visit The Book Loft, eat sandwiches at The Old Mohawk, and walk around Schiller Park. In the evenings, we could go see some jazz at The Ginger Rabbit in Short North or Natalie’s in Grandview. I’d also love to take them to some of my favorite metro parks on the east side, Chestnut Ridge, Walnut Woods, or Blacklick Woods, depending on the season. To finish off the week, we’d have to see the bigger attractions. I’d take them to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Franklin Park Conservatory. Then we could wind the week down with drinks at Seventh Son or Wolf’s Ridge and have a fabulous dinner at any one of our famous restaurants, perhaps Lindey’s or Barcelona. I would hope that at the end of the trip my friend is seriously considering moving to Columbus, because I personally think it is one of the best places in the US to call home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County and its members. Our community of nonprofits is finding new and innovative ways to join forces that will benefit our entire sector and the people we collectively serve for generations to come. It is an honor to live and work in this community.

Website: https://www.likemindedmarketing.com

Instagram: @cassandrajkelly

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandrajkelly/