About Michael Kraabel
Connect With Me
I’ve always believed it was important to help cultivate the next generation of marketing and brand leaders. As such, I carve out a portion of my time each year for strategic engagements.
- Keynote Presentations
- Academic Guest Lecturing
- Executive-Level Coaching
- Brand Consulting
- Mentorship
- Networking Assistance
Strategic Leadership and Vision
- Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success in leading marketing strategies that have directly contributed to increased revenue, market share, and brand visibility.
- Strategic Planning: Ability to develop and implement comprehensive marketing strategies that align with the company’s objectives and market opportunities.
- Innovation: A history of leveraging innovative marketing techniques and technologies to maintain a competitive edge.
Comprehensive Marketing Expertise
- Multi-Channel Marketing: Extensive experience in overseeing campaigns across various channels, including digital, social media, email, content marketing, SEO/SEM, and traditional media.
- Brand Management: Skills in building and managing a brand’s presence and reputation across multiple markets and demographics.
- Customer Insights: Expertise in utilizing customer data and market research to inform strategies, improve customer experiences, and drive decisions.
- Product Marketing: Experience in developing marketing strategies that effectively communicate a product’s value proposition and drive product adoption.
Digital Proficiency
- Digital Marketing: Deep understanding of digital marketing strategies, including content marketing, digital advertising, social media, and email marketing, along with a grasp of analytics tools to measure performance.
- Marketing Technology: Familiarity with marketing automation platforms, CRM systems, and the latest marketing technologies that facilitate personalized and efficient marketing efforts.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to leverage data analytics to inform strategy, optimize campaigns, and measure ROI effectively.
Leadership and Management Skills
- Team Leadership: Strong leadership qualities with experience in managing and developing high-performing marketing teams.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with other departments (such as sales, product development, and customer service) to ensure a cohesive approach to market growth.
- Communication: Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of articulating marketing strategies to stakeholders at all levels, including board members.
The Anti-Bio: Unveiling the Person Behind the Professional
Traditional biographies often present a polished, linear narrative, highlighting achievements and career milestones. While informative, they can miss the essence of the individual—the passions, experiences, and personal journeys that truly define them. An anti-bio offers a more holistic view, weaving together the professional and personal threads to reveal the person behind the title.
Meet Mike Kraabel: A Journey Beyond the Resume
“Let me tell you about Mike Kraabel—it’s a story worth hearing, trust me. You know how most bios feel like someone polishing their trophies? Mike’s story isn’t like that. It’s real. It’s got twists, triumphs, and some missteps along the way, but that’s what makes it resonate.
Mike grew up in Minnesota—classic Midwest values kind of guy. But don’t mistake him for some cookie-cutter stereotype. Even as a kid, he wasn’t content to follow the usual path. After college, where he majored in Political Science, he was supposed to dive into the world of politics or law. Instead, he found himself drawn to the world of advertising and marketing. Something about storytelling and connecting with people clicked for him in a way no political science lecture ever could.
His career started in the trenches of advertising back when print ads and TV spots ruled the world. This was pre-internet boom, and then—boom!—the Dot-Com era hit like a tidal wave. Mike jumped into the chaos and rode that wave for all it was worth, working for some big agencies and brands.
He became a Creative Director, then an Executive Marketing Leader, and eventually founded his own agency, Voyager. Voyager wasn’t about cookie-cutter campaigns or marketing fluff. It was about real, human connections—making brands matter to people in ways that felt authentic. It’s not easy to pull off, but Mike thrives in that challenge.
But Mike’s not just a marketing guy. He’s a storyteller, and I mean that in the fullest sense of the word. He’s made films—beautiful, thoughtful projects that showcase his ability to tell stories in different ways.
And then there’s Bishop+Rook, a company he started that was all about combining his love for classic cars, travel, and photography. You can see how his mind works: he finds a passion and figures out how to turn it into something bigger, something that connects people. Of course, not everything about running your own business is glamorous, and he’ll be the first to tell you about the lessons he learned the hard way. But that’s Mike. He’s not afraid to own his failures because he knows they make the successes more meaningful.
When he’s not working, he’s exploring—literally. He’s an avid traveler and photographer, always chasing the next horizon. But he’s also reflective. He’s thought a lot about the role technology plays in our lives, which led to The Unplug Project. It’s his way of encouraging people to slow down, step away from the screens, and reconnect with what really matters.
You know what makes Mike different? He doesn’t see people as metrics or demographics. He sees them as, well, people—with stories and struggles and dreams. That’s why his work in branding feels different. It’s not about selling; it’s about connecting. And that’s Mike in a nutshell: someone who’s always looking for a way to bring people—and their stories—together.”