About Us
Actually, It's Not About Us.
It's About You.
Your challenges, aspirations and world-changing dreams...
It’s not easy pioneering new markets and boldly going where no human has gone before – which is exactly why you do it.
We participate as a trusted, experienced voice to help manage and solve your diverse range of strategic business challenges, such as:
- Determining optimal company/product positioning and messaging
- Identifying go-to-market priorities
- Providing feedback and marketing direction
- Onboarding and inspiring talent
- Creating compelling content
- Driving key initiatives, from digital lead generation campaigns to sales enablement
By teaming with in-house and virtual teams unique to your situation, we orient resources and investments to create and execute your best possible “business wins.”
Technical Domains
- IT Security
- ICS/SCADA Security
- IoT Security
- Enterprise Software
- Cloud/SAAS
- Mobile/SP Software
Our Leadership
Allison J. Taylor
Founder and CEO
Allison J. Taylor is a Silicon Valley marketing consultant, corporate leader, and obsessively curious entrepreneur, mindfully helping technology leaders and their teams grow and succeed. Allison has brought over 20 software solutions and services to market for corporate, mid-size and start-up technology companies, representing over $3 billion in revenue across 35 countries. She founded her first company at age 24, and currently serves as Founder and CEO of Thought Marketing LLC, where she manages all client engagements and runs the business. Her hands-on strengths for clients include global strategy development, cross-functional teamwork, creative problem-solving, messaging & positioning, research, and writing.
Experience:
- Start-up & global Fortune 500 executive leadership positions
- Balanced blend of corporate, product, business and communications expertise
- Corporate business strategist – Enterprise Software, SAAS
- Product marketing director – Security, Networking
- Middle East journalist
- Corporate communications leader
- Creative ad agency founder
- Editor and Writer
- Mentor
Favorite Reads:
Favorite Walk Tracks:
Our Differentiator
Thought Marketing LLC, based in Silicon Valley, offers a rare combination of serious, highly ethical professionalism mixed with fun-inspiring energy. We like to call it: “serious marketing brains, without the serious attitude.” In addition, Thought Marketing LLC specializes in technology marketing strategy and product management insights. We are not affiliated with similarly named agencies.
Whether global multi-nationals or fledgling start-ups, our clients turn to us for senior talent that can jump in, determine a rational course of action, and drive teams to happily get “cool” things done.
Our marketing experience is especially strong in IT Security, ICS/SCADA Security, IoT Security, Enterprise Software and Cloud/SAAS/PAAS/IAAS. (Yes, we read about those topics, even when nobody’s looking).
Based in Silicon Valley, we live, breathe and love world-changing initiatives that merge business and technology – especially ventures that improve life for those of us still here on Earth (although we are open to Mars colonization projects).
Our Approach
Our methodology is founded on the proven principles of active listening, diligent research and realistic planning that sets measurable, impactful goals.
Our first step is to evaluate the client’s unique situation, then propose an initial plan of action.
After senior leadership collaboration and tuning, that plan becomes our team’s guidepost to do “whatever it takes” to turn success metrics into reality.
We bring in fresh thinking, research and a sharp and experienced eye, working closely with in-house teams or outsourced vendors to hit our success metrics.
Along the way, we build friendships and relationships through honest communication and a passion to do great and memorable things. A dose of sarcasm and a sense of humor ensure we never let arrogance or egos get in the way.
To date, 100% of our business is through the “good karma” of unsolicited referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Our Team
Dr. Caroline Drakeley
Caroline has been a core part of the Thought Marketing virtual team for over 11 years as a marketing consultant skilled in executing strategic initiatives.
Caroline’s experience spans both corporate and agency integrated marketing services in brand development and management, traditional and digital marketing communications, as well as social media management. Having founded and managed a technical communication firm for over 12 years, Caroline’s past program management experience, technology skills in MarTech and web development, and customer relations services provide Thought Marketing’s clients a solid execution framework.
A continuous learner, Caroline explores best practices in innovative, yet effective, digital marketing and communication tactics for optimum client results. With an array of media and channels available, the right mix is critical for advancing clients’ goals.
Caroline holds a B.A. from the University of California, Davis; an MBA from California State University, Sacramento; and a Doctorate in Organizational Studies from Wright State University.
Our Circles
We scale capabilities as needed by integrating expertise from our trusted circles of talent, including videographers, market researchers, pricing analysts, localized agencies and partner design teams.
Our Clients
Thought Marketing LLC works with global leaders and influencers across the technology sector, including established companies (e.g. Honeywell) launching or catalyzing new ventures and select startups (e.g. Celigo) establishing themselves in future markets. Our clients value our varied and deep experiences, including our knowledge from Silicon Valley, one of the most competitive tech markets in the world. Client feedback has pointed to our thoughtful and confidential approach, and senior-level guidance that feels like an extension of their own team.
We help eradicate both business and marketing obstacles such as unclear positioning, stalled growth, poor business models, misaligned teams, and disconnected execution. Thought Marketing LLC work spans strategy and design, leadership coaching, creative storytelling, digital strategy, and hands-on technology marketing and business counsel. This combination of capabilities is rare and difficult to find. We know, because we regularly work with varied teams around the world. Bring us your problem. We’ll help you solve it. If we can’t, we’ll connect you to someone who can.
It means we bring “serious” deep experience, sound judgment, and measurable strategy to every engagement, while staying human, collaborative, and enjoyable to work with. We take our clients’ businesses seriously, not our egos, and that humility helps Thought Marketing LLC clients move faster, work smarter, and reach better outcomes.
Staying humble helps us thrive in both avante-garde elite tech circles — that value exceptional creative intelligence — and in mainstream client engagements — which require practical programs and reliable leadership.
Our slogan captures some of this hidden meaning. “Serious attitude” in English can denote a person who places their ego and vanity above the team. We study hard and work hard, but we don’t believe exceptional abilities have to pair with disconnected arrogance. Our ability to work across teams from every culture and all walks of life is an edge that helps our clients move rapidly from good to great.
No, Thought Marketing LLC, founded by Allison J. Taylor, delivers a full range of strategic B2B go-to-market and business services as a Silicon Valley based tech sector consultancy, highly successful since 2010. Thought Marketing LLC is led by highly experienced senior executives who can play a multitude of roles for tech executive clients, to differentiate and grow their global businesses and ventures. Thought Marketing LLC devises marketing and sales strategies and motions, designs creative narratives, coaches junior talent, and drives corporate initiatives (as just a few examples — see more under Our Work). In addition, Thought Marketing LLC focuses on product management thought leadership and recently published Power Up Product Management: A Quick Start Guide.
In contrast to trusted and established Thought Marketing LLC, a newly formed entity calling itself Thought Marketing Agency appears focused only on content using an agency model.