We’re More Than Your Marketing Firm. We Are Your Marketing Partner.
We are a team of creative professionals who have deep experience in the financial services industry.
Our team is aligned on the promise we make to our clients to provide proactive, creative and innovative solutions, bringing each firm’s unique vision to life.
Our experience in the financial services industry and our familiarity with the regulations allow us to build compliant and innovative marketing strategies that help our clients reach their marketing objectives.
We understand how competitive the industry is and what is required to stand out. And we know how to do it. That’s our edge.
What Guides Us
Our key tenets are our light posts, ensuring we remain in alignment with our values as our business, our clients and the industry evolve.
We foster an environment of continuous learning and constantly challenge what we know.
We are transparent with each other and our clients to ensure we’re consistently aligned.
We are respectful of our time and the time we seek from others.
We have a sense of purpose and strive to bring humor and joy to the people we interact with.
We believe by sharing our values, we attract the kind of people who will provide the quality of work and level of service our clients deserve. And on the flip side, attract clients who have respect for the services we provide.
Our Founder: Kristin Steele
In order to produce results and see the ROI benefits of implementing a strategic brand marketing strategy, there has to be a visionary creator at the helm. For the past twenty-two years, Kristin has been leading and implementing brand marketing and business development strategies for financial services companies. Through active listening to understand each client’s unique goals and objectives coupled with detailed analysis, she has successfully spearheaded the creation of brand strategies that increased deal flow, generated strong pipelines of new business opportunities and increased profitability for each organization she worked with.
Kristin began her career in marketing at Tudor Investment Corporation as an Investor Relations Specialist. This position was pivotal in Kristin’s career as it sparked her interest in both marketing and the financial services industry. From there, Kristin assumed increasingly senior roles at investment management firms, services providers to those firms and marketing agencies including Citco Fund Services, HSBC, Global Endowment Management, IKONIC Fund Services and MiddleM Creative.
Creativity, drive and relationships are Kristin’s greatest strengths. She thrives on all kinds of challenges, especially those where her clients see measurable growth as a result of the strategy they implement together. This passion is what prompted Kristin to launch her own strategic marketing firm - LaunchPad Creative. Here, Kristin’s goal is to design creative and measurable marketing and business development strategies to facilitate the successful launch of brands in the financial services industry.
Kristin holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and an MBA from Pace University.
Marketing Account Manager: Dakota Sweat
Meet Dakota, our Marketing Account Manager. With a demonstrated background in marketing for property management, SaaS tech, and private equity, Dakota can create meaningful content for LPC's clients, leveraging her knowledge to turn sometimes complicated ideas into user-friendly concepts that generate engagement leading to new business opportunities.
Dakota loves the fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of digital marketing. Staying ahead of the latest trends and creating new and exciting strategies every day drives her passion for marketing. Her love for storytelling enables Dakota to curate unique marketing materials for clients in a way best suited to their audience's needs.
Dakota has a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Communications from Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Marketing Account Manager: Emma Smith
Meet Emma, one of our Marketing Account Managers. With hands-on experience in HubSpot, email and social media campaigns, content writing, and digital strategy, she’s passionate about helping businesses reach their marketing goals.
Emma enjoys brainstorming fresh and unique ideas for her clients. She loves keeping up with all things new in the digital marketing field and believes there is always room for growth. Her passion for collaborating with her clients to craft their strategy helps generate brand awareness and builds engagement. Every business has a story, and she’s excited to learn yours.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC Wilmington and a Digital Marketing certificate from NC State.
Public Relations Manager: Elyse Bruton
As a strategic and creative public relations professional, Elyse Bruton brings a passion for storytelling and a results-driven approach to her role as Public Relations Manager at LaunchPad Creative. With a background in earned media, press relations, and executive visibility, Elyse helps financial services clients shape their brand presence and build meaningful media relationships.
Elyse thrives on uncovering the unique value behind each client’s mission—translating that into compelling narratives that drive engagement, recognition, and reputation. From securing top-tier media coverage to managing award programs and developing thought leadership campaigns, she works to ensure every client’s voice stands out in a competitive landscape.
Prior to joining LaunchPad Creative, Elyse supported national and niche campaigns across finance, sustainability, and public affairs sectors, most recently serving as a Senior Associate at Financial Profiles. She is known for her proactive media outreach, sharp writing, and ability to lead strategic communications programs from pitch to placement.
Elyse earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from George Mason University and holds certifications in social media marketing and design.