“Empowering entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth.”
Mark Jacobsen is a seasoned business, brand, and marketing strategist whose professional journey spans over 30 years of empowering entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth. Based in Edmonds, Washington, Mark is not only a consultant but a serial entrepreneur who has launched nine startups. This tangible experience enables him to share real-world learning and insights with his clients, allowing them to avoid costly mistakes and implement effective strategies for growing a healthy and vibrant company.
This street-smart, experience-driven approach to achieving evergreen growth sets him apart as a trusted advisor to leadership teams and founders across a broad spectrum of industries.
As the founder of Mark Jacobsen Co, Mark has leveraged his extensive experience to develop a proprietary business growth development process called, Sustainable Growth Methodology or SGM. SGM is a proprietary methodology that is comprehensive, dynamic, and nonlinear. Its three interdependent elements are Framing, Synthesizing, and Optimizing. This robust process allows business leaders to focus and align their organization toward their preferred future, enabling the company to achieve evergreen, sustainable growth.
Whether he’s guiding a startup through its go-to-market strategy or helping mature companies rediscover or redefine their Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and competitive edge, Mark’s approach is rooted in firsthand experience combined with proven and relevant strategies, processes, and tactics.
Mark’s career is marked by an impressive list of high-profile collaborations. He has worked with globally recognized brands such as Starbucks, Amazon, Microsoft, Best Buy, Eddie Bauer, Costco, Herman Miller, and Vulcan—relationships that speak to both the caliber of his expertise and his ability to generate results in competitive, ever-changing markets.
In parallel, Mark has spent the past two decades building Venture Brands, a company, brand, and product development innovation group that partners with investors, business owners, brand managers, and company operators to create consumer experiences that resonate deeply and authentically. The goal is never just to sell—but to build brand legacies that inspire loyalty and cultural relevance.
Earlier in his career, Mark co-founded Centric Brand Anthropology, a unique branding agency he launched with a PhD. Anthropologist Michelle Barry that blended anthropological insights with semiotics, architecture, and design to create meaningful brand experiences rooted in cultural context.
Before Centric Brand Anthropology, Mark worked at The Hartman Group, a consumer research firm with 17 PhDs, where he served as Creative Director and Sr. Brand Strategist. He began developing his ability to merge research-driven insight with human-centered design—a methodology he still champions today.
Mark’s influence extends beyond client work. He has been a guest speaker at the University of Washington Business School several times and an active figure in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community. He was a founding member of Seattle EO (Entrepreneur Organization) and is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of innovators. His academic foundation in Social Science and Advertising from Flagler College laid the groundwork for a career characterized by strategic insight, design thinking, and a passion for innovation.
Mark Jacobsen brings a rare combination of creative acumen, business intelligence, and cultural awareness to every venture and advisory role. He doesn’t just build businesses—he helps build futures, making him an invaluable partner to entrepreneurs and organizations ready to grow with purpose and precision.
Character
Mark Jacobsen demonstrates unwavering integrity, entrepreneurial grit, and a deep commitment to helping others succeed, built on decades of firsthand experience as a founder and advisor.
Knowledge
With over 30 years of expertise across business growth strategies, branding, marketing, and business development, Mark brings a deep understanding of market dynamics, human behavior, and innovation strategies that fuel long-term growth.
Strategic
Mark excels in identifying opportunities, shaping vision into actionable strategy, driving value across industries, and consistently delivering results for startups and globally recognized brands.
Communication
Mark, an inspiring storyteller and collaborative leader, engages teams, clients, and communities with clarity, authenticity, and a talent for translating complex insights into impactful narratives.
