Meet Kara Tolbert | Marketing Manager / Brand Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kara Tolbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kara, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
Well my plan certainly never included working in the cannabis industry, so trying to define an end goal for a career path that basically materialized of its own free will seems futile. In an industry with such vast growth potential I’ve learned how trusting my creative instincts and having the confidence to share out-of-the-box ideas can lead to many open doors. It’s rare to be in an industry where everyone is starting out from the ground floor. We all get an equal chance to figure out where we fit, & how far we can go in this ever-evolving business.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I currently work as a Designer & Marketing Manager for a cannabis company in Colorado. I oversee the direction, aesthetic, branding, design, and customer engagement for 7 brands within the company both locally & nationally. I have always been a creative person, but never imagined working in this new industry. The position sort of fell across my path at a time where I was looking for a career change. I took a chance, accepted the position, and within days knew that I was in the right place. I started small as a Social Media Manager for one brand, and have since been able to rise quickly within the company to head the Marketing & Design department. The energy of the industry and involvement of the company created an environment where I could confidently share my new ideas & be taken seriously without jumping through hoops or climbing ladders for years. They valued my input as an “outsider” and allowed me to bring new life to their brands. My favorite part about my success is that I am self taught. I didn’t go through years of college to earn a degree. Thats not to say that I haven’t worked hard to learn all the skills I need to succeed, or strive to continue to improve, but I hope it shows that the traditional path isn’t always the path you have to choose. You will still need work hard to get where you’re going, but you can do it your own way.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I spent my first 20 years at the ballet barre. This was my first step in to the creative world, and one that taught me discipline, perseverance, & the joy of creation. I dedicate much of who I am today to those many hours at the studio & on stage. Dance is the gift of discovering art within oneself, to feel art in this way is something I will never be able to describe, but forever be grateful for. So here’s a big shoutout to everyone adding art into their lives, no matter the form. These people keep our world fascinating.

Instagram: @karbearkt

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-tolbert-827b54115

Image Credits
profile photo: Davis McCutcheon