Today we’d like to introduce you to Randi Skinner.
Hi Randi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Entrepreneurship has always been in my blood. I’m a third-generation entrepreneur, so I grew up watching what it meant to build something from the ground up—seeing both the risk and the reward that come with creating your own path. I went to school for entrepreneurship, knowing early on that I wanted to chart my own course, but my journey started in sales and project management.
Those roles taught me how to solve problems, manage people and priorities, and understand the heartbeat of a business. But what I found myself drawn to most was the storytelling—the way marketing could connect the dots between what a company offers and the people it serves. I loved that intersection of creativity and strategy, and I realized that good marketing isn’t just about promotion—it’s about alignment. You can’t have an effective marketing plan if it isn’t integrated with your sales and overall vision.
That realization led to my pivot into the marketing world, where I gained experience across both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Each role taught me something different about how businesses grow and what causes them to stall. Eventually, I reached a point where I wanted to take everything I’d learned and build something that reflected my values and vision.
With encouragement from my husband, Aaron, and the motivation that came from becoming a mom for the first time, I decided to take the leap and start my own agency. That bold step—combined with the partnership and shared vision of my now business partner, Heather Steele—became the foundation for VBM Strategy.
Today, we help founders and leadership teams connect their vision, values, and marketing strategy through our Vision Value Model™ framework. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how that clarity transforms not only businesses but the people behind them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No entrepreneur is going to say it’s been a smooth road—and honestly, if they do, I question if they’re doing it right ha. Trying, failing, and pivoting is part of the journey. The willingness to keep moving forward, even when the path shifts, is what defines the work.
Over the past six-plus years as a business owner, my biggest challenges have come from balancing my innovator self with my implementation self. I’m someone who naturally loves to create, build, and reimagine—but with that comes the discipline to slow down, focus, and execute. Learning to balance vision with structure has been a constant (and humbling) lesson.
Another challenge has been unlearning the old “hustle” mindset. Early in my career, I believed success meant constant motion—but I’ve learned that true growth comes from clarity and intentionality. Protecting my time, leaning on my team, and trusting my mentors and partners have been key to staying grounded. I’m not willing to give up what I value most—my family, freedom, and creative energy—just to check a box or chase an arbitrary definition of success.
And finally—scale. It’s one thing to build a business; it’s another to build one that doesn’t depend on you for every decision, idea, and client interaction. That’s been a big focus for me and for our company, VBM Strategy. The work we do with clients around vision and value has pushed us to practice what we preach—to design systems, empower our team, and create a business that’s built to grow beyond the founders.
Entrepreneurship has been equal parts challenge and transformation, but I wouldn’t trade any of it. Every hard moment has shaped how I lead, how I build, and how I help others do the same.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At VBM Strategy, we help business owners, CEOs and leadership teams connect what they do with what they want. We’re a strategy and marketing firm built on the belief that clarity is the ultimate growth strategy—because if you don’t know where you’re going, no amount of marketing tactics will get you there.
We specialize in what we call Blueprint Marketing Strategies (vbmstrategy.com/marketing-strategy-blueprint), powered by our proprietary Vision Value Model™. It’s a framework that helps founders define what they want their business to do for them—personally and professionally—then align their marketing, messaging, and growth strategies around that vision.
We don’t start with tactics like social media, email campaigns, or websites. We start with purpose. From there, we help organizations build plans that are integrated, intentional, and rooted in their values. Whether it’s a business preparing for expansion, planning for succession, or trying to re-ignite clarity after years of running in the weeds, we’re known for helping people see their business differently—and fall back in love with what they’re building.
What sets us apart is that we don’t see marketing as a service—we see it as a strategic change agent. Our work goes deeper than deliverables. We’re in the room with owners and teams asking the right questions, helping them make aligned decisions that protect what matters most—what we call their PiPP priorities: People, Impact, Process, and Profit.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of how human our work feels. Our clients often say, “I finally feel clear again,” and that’s the best compliment we can receive. That clarity—when a founder can breathe again, when a team finally connects their daily work to the bigger picture—that’s what we built this company for.
If readers take one thing away, I want them to know this: Your marketing isn’t separate from your vision—it’s how you bring it to life. At VBM Strategy, we help you build a strategy that not only grows your business but also protects the life you’re building it for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vbmstrategy.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randiskinner/
