About

Hey, I'm Tara. Nice to meet you.

I’m a fractional marketing leader for B2B companies and credit unions that need someone to actually drive their marketing. Not just advise. Not just consult. Lead.

I’ve spent my career in the thick of it. Corporate marketing teams, startups, agencies. I’ve managed teams in every role I’ve held. I know what good marketing looks like when it’s working, what a waste of money looks like when it’s not, and how to tell the difference fast.

Where I've Been

I started my career in design at a large regional credit union, where I grew into leading their marketing. From there, I moved to the agency side, leading digital marketing and social media strategy for brands like Volvo Trucks North America. Then I went in-house as head of marketing for a commercial real estate startup, where I ran marketing across five brands simultaneously with a small team, building go-to-market strategies and tying every campaign to pipeline and revenue.

Along the way, I also built a photography business from the ground up and ran it for over 14 years. That taught me things a corporate career never could: how to sell, how to build something from nothing, and what it feels like when every dollar you spend is your own.

I started Tara Lilly & Co. in 2021 because I kept seeing the same problem. Growing businesses spending money on marketing with nobody connecting it to a plan. I knew I could help.

What It's Like to Work With Me

Direct, invested, and all in.

I'm direct.

If something isn’t working, I’ll tell you. If your agency isn’t delivering, I’ll tell you that too. I don’t sugarcoat and I don’t hide behind jargon. You’ll always know where you stand.

I'm genuinely invested.
I care about the work and I care about my clients. Your business isn’t a line item on my project list. When I’m in, I’m in.
I'm creative.
I don’t believe in recycled playbooks or doing what everyone else is doing. The businesses I work with want to stand out, not blend in. That’s what makes this fun.
I'm focused.
I only work with a handful of clients at a time. That’s intentional. You’re not getting passed off to a junior team or sharing my attention with twenty other accounts. When I’m your marketing leader, I’m your marketing leader.

What It's Like to Work With Me

I could list credentials and buzzwords. But here's what actually matters.
I’ve spent 15+ years leading marketing in corporate, startup, and agency environments. I’ve managed teams in every role. I’ve built go-to-market strategies, launched products, navigated rebrands, and helped businesses figure out what’s actually working and what’s wasting money.
I’m not an agency. I’m not a consultant who hands you a deck and disappears. I’m the marketing leader you don’t have yet.
Years in Marketing
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Environments (Corporate, Startup, Agency)
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Brands Managed Simultaneously
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Years Running Her Own Business
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My goal is to eventually work myself out of the job. I've been proudly fired by a number of clients. That's a mission accomplished.

Beyond the Marketing

Deeper connections with a side of fries.
I’m based in Charlotte, NC. I’m a former photographer (14 years), host of a YouTube series I jokingly call my talk show (“What Am I Even Doing?”), and someone who genuinely believes that business should be more human, more creative, and a lot less boring.
I like ideas that help brands connect with their customers more deeply, honest conversations, and working with people who actually care about what they’re building.

Let's Talk

If any of this sounds like the kind of partner you've been looking for, let's have a conversation.

No pitch. Just a real talk about where your marketing is and where you want it to go.
TALK WITH US
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