This interview is with Kristin Marquet, Founder & Creative Director at Marquet Media.

Kristin Marquet, Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media

Kristin, can you please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an expert in digital marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship, particularly within the health and wellness space?

My journey into digital marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship began with a passion for storytelling and helping brands carve out a meaningful space in people’s lives. With a background in PR and corporate communications from NYU, I initially worked in traditional PR, but I quickly realized the industry was shifting towards digital. I dove into digital marketing, branding, and data analytics, fascinated by how each component could tell a brand’s story in more personalized, impactful ways.

As I continued working with various brands, I was particularly drawn to the health and wellness space. It’s an industry driven by purpose and the desire to make a genuine difference in people’s lives, which resonated with my approach. I saw how a strategic blend of data-driven insights, powerful storytelling, and thoughtful branding could help health and wellness brands establish trust and create meaningful connections.

Over time, this focus has allowed me to shape Marquet Media into a trusted resource for lifestyle and wellness brands, and to launch FemFounder as a platform dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs. This journey has been about continually evolving with the digital landscape, always with the goal of helping brands thrive in the most authentic way possible.

What were some of the pivotal moments in your career that led you to focus on supporting female entrepreneurs in the tech and startup world?

There were a few key moments in my career that shifted my focus toward supporting female entrepreneurs, especially in tech and the startup world. Early on, I noticed a gap in the resources and mentorship available for women-led startups compared to their male counterparts. I worked with incredibly talented women founders who were innovating and building impactful businesses but faced unique challenges in securing funding and visibility in the tech ecosystem.

This experience was eye-opening and inspired me to advocate more intentionally for women in entrepreneurship. The launch of FemFounder was another pivotal moment. Seeing the need for a platform that not only provided resources but also amplified the voices of female entrepreneurs, I wanted to create a space that offered actionable insights, support, and a community.

And as I’ve continued working in digital branding and PR, it’s become clear that women entrepreneurs—especially in tech—have so much to gain from strong, authentic personal branding and data-driven PR strategies. Helping them harness those tools to scale their ventures has been incredibly rewarding. Each step has reinforced my commitment to empowering women to take up space and succeed on their own terms in the startup world.

You’ve clearly made a significant impact empowering women in business. Can you share a story about a time you saw one of your tips or strategies lead to a  ‘big win’ for a female entrepreneur just starting out?

One of the most memorable moments was working with a female founder who had just launched a wellness startup. She was incredibly passionate, but struggled with visibility in a crowded market.

After several conversations, I advised her to leverage her story—why she started the business, the unique health challenges she’d faced, and how her products could genuinely help others. We focused on developing a personal brand around her story, creating a data-driven PR strategy that highlighted her unique voice and credibility in wellness. I helped her secure a few interviews in niche health publications, and we collaborated on social media content that resonated deeply with her target audience.

One of the tips I shared was about the power of storytelling combined with influencer partnerships, even if they’re micro-influencers, to create authentic buzz.

Within a few months, she saw a substantial uptick in sales. Watching her gain confidence and traction in her business was one of those “big win” moments for me—it was amazing to see a simple shift in strategy bring her goals to life and open doors for her in ways she hadn’t expected.

That’s inspiring! What advice would you give to those entrepreneurs struggling to balance the demands of building a business with maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

For entrepreneurs, balancing the demands of business-building with health is about creating routines and setting realistic boundaries. My advice is to treat health like an investment in your business. You can’t lead effectively if you’re constantly burned out or running on fumes. First, schedule time for self-care just as you would for a critical business meeting—whether that’s a workout, a walk, or simply downtime. Next, prioritize sleep and proper nutrition. It sounds basic, but these are the foundations that give you the energy and clarity to make better decisions.

Also, integrate small wellness habits into your day: short breathing exercises between calls, a standing desk, or even reminders to stretch. And last, set boundaries around work hours and stick to them; this structure not only boosts your productivity but also preserves your mental health. Remember, sustaining a business is a marathon, not a sprint, and you’re your best asset in making it successful.

It’s a balancing act for sure!  Speaking of balance, many entrepreneurs, especially in the startup world, face financial challenges early on. What financial advice would you offer your younger self or someone just starting their entrepreneurial journey?

Absolutely, balancing finances in the start-up world can be one of the most challenging parts. If I could go back and give my younger self advice—or share it with anyone starting out—it would be this: prioritize financial planning as much as any other business skill. In the early stages, cash flow is everything, so set a budget and stick to it. Avoid the temptation to overspend on non-essentials and be frugal with initial investments; instead, focus on what will genuinely move the business forward.

Also, set aside a safety net, even if it’s modest. Emergencies happen, and having even a small cushion can keep you afloat without derailing the business. And finally, don’t shy away from exploring funding options, but take the time to understand the terms, whether it’s a loan, investment, or even bootstrapping.

Make financial decisions with long-term growth in mind rather than immediate gains, and remember that every smart financial move now strengthens your business’s stability and resilience down the line.

Investing can be a daunting topic for many. What role do you think investing plays in both personal finance and the growth of a startup, and what advice would you give to someone hesitant to start?

Investing is foundational, both in personal finance and in fueling a startup’s growth, and yet it can understandably feel overwhelming. For personal finance, investing is the path to growing wealth over time and securing a comfortable future, especially with the power of compounding. Even small, consistent investments can yield significant returns over the years, making it easier to weather unexpected expenses or downturns.

For someone hesitant to start, I’d say begin small and focus on learning. Try setting aside a modest amount each month into a diversified, low-cost fund, and watch how it grows. Starting small helps you build confidence without feeling overcommitted. On the business side, investing back into the company—whether it’s in technology, marketing, or talent—can make the difference between survival and thriving in a competitive market. Many successful entrepreneurs leverage profits to improve efficiencies, create new products, and expand their reach. My advice?

Think of every investment as planting seeds. It’s okay to be cautious, but remember that even calculated risks can yield great rewards, both personally and professionally. And always invest with your end goals in mind—whether that’s financial independence, business growth, or a blend of both.

Technology is constantly evolving. How do you stay updated with the latest digital marketing trends and tech tools, and which ones have you found most valuable in your own businesses?

Staying current in digital marketing is crucial, especially as tech and tools evolve rapidly. I make it a priority to set aside time each week to explore trusted industry sources like Adweek, MarketingProfs, and the Google Marketing Platform Blog. I also value online communities and networking with other industry professionals, as these offer real-world insights into trends and tools that are actually working.

In my businesses, I’ve found a few tools invaluable. Google Analytics and Search Console, for instance, are essential for tracking audience behavior and measuring SEO effectiveness. For email marketing, platforms like MailerLite provide an easy way to automate sequences and engage subscribers effectively. And I use SEMrush to keep a close eye on both keyword opportunities and competitor performance. The key is choosing tools that genuinely streamline operations and provide insights you can act on, rather than following every trend.

With the rise of AI, what are your thoughts on its potential impact on the future of digital marketing and entrepreneurship, particularly for women in these fields?

AI is set to transform digital marketing and entrepreneurship, especially for women who are carving out their space in these fields. One of the most exciting impacts is that AI can level the playing field by making powerful tools more accessible to entrepreneurs with limited resources.

For women in digital marketing, AI allows for a hyper-personalized approach to reach target audiences with meaningful, relevant content. It’s a powerful ally in streamlining repetitive tasks, analyzing audience behavior, and predicting market trends, which helps build more strategic and data-backed marketing plans. AI can be a game-changer for women entrepreneurs, especially those balancing business with other commitments. It offers tools that optimize workflows, automate administrative tasks, and assist in scaling operations efficiently.

However, it’s also essential to approach AI with a discerning eye, balancing automation with the human touch that makes brands relatable.

Finally, what’s one piece of actionable advice you would give to aspiring female entrepreneurs who dream of turning their passion into a thriving business?

One piece of actionable advice I would give to aspiring female entrepreneurs is to start small but stay consistent. Often, the journey from passion to a thriving business feels overwhelming because we think everything needs to happen at once. Instead, identify one or two key actions that move you forward each day, and commit to them. This could be anything from networking, creating content, refining your product, or reaching out to potential clients.

Each small step compounds over time and builds momentum. And remember to celebrate these small wins—they are the building-blocks of your business success.