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

Hi Kika, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
There wasn’t a lot of thought process behind starting my own business. I really wanted to make science films, but I didn’t go to film school. I wanted to do science branding and design, but I had no experience in marketing. I was, basically, un-hirable for the job that I wanted because I was coming at it from a non-traditional background.

I started my own business simply because it was the work that I wanted to do, and I didn’t see another path forward. Like many, I am a reluctant business owner stumbling my way through the process.

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.
We are a creative agency for scientists, so our art is connected to the work of researchers from all over the world. We have clients that study beetles, glaciers, human and wildlife diseases, big charismatic mammals, and tiny little specs of bacteria. Physicists, engineers, technologists, and conservationists. We are never bored, that is for sure!

So our work mirrors that of a traditional PR or marketing firm, but we don’t sell products. Our only goal with clients is to make complicated scientific research more accessible and compelling for public audiences. We use media to share the value and power of the scientific enterprise.

And there are not a lot of businesses like us! Probably because there isn’t a lot of money in science relative to doing PR for businesses or corporations. But we are proud to use our skillset to advance knowledge and help expand science literacy. We are amplifying the work of people and ideas we believe in, which makes the work meaningful every day.

To answer some of your other questions, I spent most of my adult life as a practicing scientist but in my formidable graduate school years had roommates working in marketing, strategy, and design. I watched my roommate leverage psychology, behavior, and design to sell like the 400th Doritos flavor and wondered, couldn’t we use those same skills for promoting scientific research and knowledge?

And that is the origin story of the company in a nutshell!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love living in Boulder, Colorado because there are loads of things to do and great places to spend time with friends! Number one on my list is an early morning hike at Chautauqua Park, for a perfect view of the flatirons, followed by brunch at the Chautauqua Dining Hall, which overlooks one of Boulder’s best playgrounds. For older kids, you can let them run freely to and from the playground, while you relax (just ask for that corner table on the deck).

In our blazing hot summers, I recommend the Eldorado Springs pool, which (despite its recent renovation) maintains its 1950s retro vibes. Arrive early to enjoy the picnic sites in the grassy area next to the pool, and make sure to save a little time for a hike in the canyon before or after your swim.

I could go on and on about hiking spots. The Sanitas Valley Trail is a local favorite, which can be followed with tacos and craft beer at the similarly named Sanitas Brewing — the best happy hour spot in town. Dogs and kids welcome!

Top the week off with a freezing tubing trip down Boulder Creek through the middle of town, and a Saturday morning stroll down the beloved farmer’s market, and I think you’ve made a pretty good run on our offerings!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to the people who took a chance on this vision before we had a portfolio. Before we were anything more than an idea! Dr. Sharon Collinge, our first film client, and Emily & Elana at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, who selected us for a huge project early on, that forced us to get our act together! And of course, my partner Ty, who carried the financial load for our family for years, and who remains our biggest cheerleader!

Website: https://www.impactmedialab.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactmedialab/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kika-tuff/

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