Meet Mark Cardwell | Founder, Consultant and Artist

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

Hi Mark, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
For most of my career, over three decades, marketing was my calling. I worked as a marketing director, manager, and sales leader, and eventually launched my own consultancy focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits develop strong strategic marketing plans. I even ran a 10-week course called The Essentials of Marketing Planning for several years. We’d pack my office full of passionate entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders, and I loved every minute of it. It was fulfilling work.

But when AI began to emerge in a more accessible and powerful way, I saw the writing on the wall. I realized that the tools and tactics I had relied on for years were going to be disrupted—and fast. Rather than resist it, I leaned in. I started integrating AI into my own business processes, and what I found was not only more efficiency, but a whole new level of possibility. That discovery reignited something in me.

That’s when the shift began. I saw that my value wasn’t just in teaching marketing anymore—it was in helping others adapt to this new landscape. My consultancy has since evolved from a traditional marketing focus into an AI-first model. Now, I focus on helping small businesses and nonprofits learn how to use AI to increase their capacity, improve workflows, and stay competitive in a changing world.

Starting my business was never just about working for myself. It was about staying useful, staying ahead, and most importantly, staying in service to people navigating change.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business, Cardwell Communications, started as a traditional marketing consultancy. I worked with small businesses and nonprofits to help them craft strategic marketing plans, tell their stories, and connect with their audiences. For a long time, that was enough. I loved the work and the relationships that came from it. But as AI became more and more prevalent, I realised that people will no longer need to consult with firms like mine for strategic marketing plan development. I overcame this challenge by leaning into it. I embraced AI and began learning out to leverage it in my business and teach others how to do it.

For me it was a matter of survival, and it didn’t matter if it was hard. Surprisingly, the learning curve was not terribly difficult or I really just took to learning about tech and AI. I’ve been able to cultivate a reputation in AI integration and regularly am asked to speak, train or give keynotes on the topic of AI adoption.

I am really proud to have made a successful pivot from marketing-centric consultancy to an AI-centric consultancy and even more proud to be building an AI-first consulting business that can scale beyond my physical capacity.

I continue to learn lessons around believing in your vision and taking responsibility for your actions or nonaction. I can’t complain about any lack of resources when AI levels the playing field so much. I just have to have and maintain a ‘can do mindset’ to keep pushing forward and taking risks.

I want the world to know that whether your a young professional or even a seasoned professional like me, you can evolve and do something new. Pivot from one thing to something else and win. That’s what I did, and I am dedicated to helping others do so in the age of AI.

I am also proud of the steps I have taken in my AI art. I am also an artist and AI has given me a great outlet to express myself and I hope to have a my first show of my AI art this year. My art falls into a category called promptography, which is a relatively new term in itself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Here in Columbus, Ohio, there are many nice places to hang out. I would say our Columbus Museum of Art is a very nice spot to get great food and experience wonderful contemporary and traditional artworks. I love the Arts districts of Columbus in Franklinton and the Short North, especially. But there are lots of great concerts and festivals every year as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to didicate a shoutout all of the MENTORS in my life (too many to list) that have helped to shape, direct, advise, and guide me over the years. Some of them were bosses, and others were community leaders, and some never knew I was learning from their example.

Website: www.cardwellcom.com / https://mark-cardwell.pixpa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardwell777/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cardwell777/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CardwellCommunications

Image Credits
Cardwell Communications