Anthem Award Application

Thanks for considering my application! Video transcript is at the bottom of the post.

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Open Lines Marketing is purpose-driven from top to bottom:

• 100% woman-owned
• A California Benefit Corporation
• Certified carbon negative
• A member of Pledge1%
• A member of the Zebras Unite Co-op, supporting ethical and inclusive venture capital
• A certified B Corp, having met the highest standards of social and environmental performance

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The business model is built on the belief that past access to resources should not determine future access to resources. 

• All consulting services are priced on a sliding scale based on past revenue or operating budget
• All live courses are offered with equity discounts to cover between 50%-100% of the retail price
• All courses, consulting services, boot camps, and (someday) the book provide the same content, tools, and templates with different types and levels of support

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The Open Lines Framework is culturally (pretty nearly) neutral and business-model agnostic.

Consulting clients represent a wide range of identities, including*:

• 70% are women-led
• 60% are BIPOC-led, and 13% of all clients are led by indigenous folks
• 25% are nonprofit organizations
• 25% are B Corps
• 38% are BOTH purpose-driven and led by a woman, queer, or BIPOC individual

My clients are super diverse in business model, as well, including*:

• Personal care, mental health and physical wellness
• Farming, food systems, and sustainable agriculture
• Business services, marketing, and coaching
• Impact investing, ethical finance, social enterprise and small business support
• Consumer packaged goods ranging from soup to beauty products
• Education, advocacy, and volunteerism

A quick anecdote: As the marketing module instructor for Hawai’i Investment Ready’s 2022 cohort supporting food systems enterprises, two indigenous-led organizations adapted elements of my framework into Hawaiian traditional practices. One used the building of dry rock walls, the other used weaving of rope from fiber. I am incredibly proud of this additional indicator that my framework is flexible enough to be relevant to a wide range of audiences.

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Impact means something different to everyone, but I’m deeply committed to providing value to my clients.

• 90% Net Promoter Score from consulting clients since summer of 2020*
• 89% Net Promoter Score from boot camp attendees*
• Here’s a great little case study I’m quite proud of.
• Nearly every page on my website includes testimonials, please click around to read how my clients feel about our work together

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To learn more about the Open Lines framework itself and how it leverages empathy to inform marketing, watch this 45-minute webinar I did in collaboration with Twin Cities Startup Week.

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If you want to dig even deeper, you can request a copy of a chapter of my book-in-progress which will give you some serious insights into the role of empathy in my approach to marketing.

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Thanks again for your consideration!

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Video Transcript:

Hi Anthem Award judges, my name is Lindsay LaShell and I’m excited to introduce you to my business and my passion, Open Lines Marketing.

As a Marketing Activist, my work is to help underestimated founders and purpose driven organizations get better results from their marketing without increasing their effort.

Here’s the problem: We know that under-resourced and underestimated founders (like nonprofits and other small organizations) often struggle with marketing. 

We don’t do it because we think we can’t afford it, or because we can’t afford to waste time and resources on something that might not work, or because we’re afraid of being seen as too self-promotional. 

Either way, when we don’t invest in smart and consistent marketing, we slow down our early growth and put long-term business viability at risk.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Open Lines Marketing Framework provides a tool that empowers organizations to turn empathy into action and expose creative efficiencies in their marketing, which increases their impact and opportunity.

My theory of change is that by increasing opportunity, wealth, and power for women, queer, and BIPOC founders and other purpose-driven organizations, we build an economy and a society that is more inclusive and just, and therefore more sustainable.

Since I began this work in 2020, I’ve crafted my business to prioritize accessibility above all other things. That’s why it’s called Open Lines and why I am developing courses and writing a book–so that it can be used by as many folks as possible. That’s also why I offer consulting on a sliding scale, and why I provide free and discounted instruction to founders and organizations that I believe in.

On the page below I’ve provided resources showcasing the wonderful diversity of my clients and their causes, as well as their thoughts on the results of our collaboration. 

Please feel free to choose your own adventure and pursue what interests you about my work by browsing the website and reviewing the details I’ve provided below.

Thank you for your time and your consideration.

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* Data provided upon request.