Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Kramer.
Ariel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Eight years ago I started exploring the world of public relations and marketing. I was just about to graduate and apply to law school when I discovered being a lawyer wasn’t for me. I had dreamed of getting into family law and defending children who needed an advocate. After interning in this field for a year, it was clear to me that I was never going to be able to emotionally detach from the job. I realized I could still give back to this community by volunteering rather than making it my full time career. It was time to switch paths.
During my senior year of college, I simultaneously interned at a PR firm and helped my father with content marketing and getting media attention for his start up. It was then I decided that I really liked finding creative ways to tell others stories. After much thought, I decided to start my own business.
In 2013 I started my PR and Marketing boutique agency Klover Communications which has led me to many great opportunities I am extremely grateful for.
Throughout the past four years I have served as the Chief Communications Officer of CELLINK, a Nasdaq listed biotech company focusing on 3D bioprinting. I have also worked with various tech companies around the world with their PR/marketing strategy and recently began to get more involved in the local SoCal scene with OC4 Venture Studio. and Startup Grind.
I love working with a variety of people and businesses, I believe this is the best way to foster creativity!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say smooth is one of the last words I would use to describe my journey. Then again, what entrepreneurial journey IS smooth? Before I lived in California, I spent five years in Sweden. It was quite the transition from NYC! I started my business prior to moving to Sweden to create my own job.
That in itself had its own set of struggles but trying to build a reputation from scratch in a new country was much harder than I imagined. I knew it would be challenging but you can never prepare yourself for all the obstacles you will face. From trying to learn a new language, to building relationships, to finding a place where you feel like you fit in, is a lot to take in at once.
At first I thought my business would serve as a way for me to build experience in order to secure a full time steady job in Sweden. I thought that’s what I wanted, but after on-boarding several clients and thoroughly enjoying what I was doing, my mindset began to change.
I had a few clients back in the states but knew I wanted to grow my client roster internationally. It took me a whole year before I was able to get my first Swedish client. I was young, inexperienced and needed to build my credibility. It took countless hours of networking, traveling and studying multiple industries to get to the place I am today – but the learning never stops. I have found it extremely helpful to seek out a seasoned mentor or two that you can go to for unbiased advice. You need someone that will be honest with you and help point you in the right direct.
It might not always be what you want to hear, but it will be what you need to hear. As you progress in your career, make sure you know your worth and how you should be treated. Surround yourself with people both in your personal and professional life who want you to succeed.
Please tell us about Klover Communications.
I work primarily with content marketing, public relations and branding for tech companies. I love helping companies shape their story and build a narrative that will help easily convey their message to their target audience and connect with these individuals on a deeper level.
I want each company I work with to become leaders in their industries. As I mentioned earlier, I have been fortunate enough to serve as the Chief Communications Officer of CELLINK, the leading 3D Bioprinting company. I joined the team shortly after the company was founded in 2016 and have had the privilege to work with the team throughout their journey from a start up to a publicly traded company with over 200+ employees. It has really been like seeing a child grow up. Even though I am not a founder, I feel like a proud parent every time we reach a new milestone and accomplish something we have been longing for as a team.
In 2018 I was named one of the top 25 women in 3D Printing. It was an incredible honor to be recognized for my work with shaping CELLINK’s marketing and branding through content and PR. Today, I work with a very talented marketing team who share the common goal of establishing CELLINK as the top leader in the field. It’s great to feel so passionate about what we are doing and the impact we will have on the future of healthcare and science in general.
My work with CELLINK has led me to share my knowledge and experience of growing a company’s marketing and PR strategy from scratch. I believe working on multiple projects has helped spark ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of if I was only honed in on one company. I take my experiences and pull things from each to see how I can use what I have learned to improve my work and develop new ideas.
I have enjoyed working with an array of companies in different industries from around the world. My international career has helped me in more ways than I can count. You need to see things from different perspectives to be successful.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Find others in your field who you can relate to on both a personal and professional level. You need to feel at ease with the person who will mentor you and have a level of trust and respect with one another. Be clear about your expectations when finding a mentor and networking. I can’t stress this enough. Expectations are everything. If you’re clear about what you are looking for from the beginning, it will save you a lot of time in finding the right people to connect with.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.klovercommunications.com
- Instagram: kungfupanda43
- Twitter: arielkk3
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-kramer-38b06254/
Image Credit:
James Cortez (Main photo), CELLINK background photo (Paul Dinh), Moderaing photo (Pioneers conference)
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