Kiki Plunkett
Founder / Strategist / Researcher / Sometimes Floral Designer
Los Angeles, CA
Q What do you do?
“I’m a hybrid researcher, strategist, and brand builder leading projects for partners across agencies and companies of all sizes, from Fortune 100 to early stage startups.”
I have over a decade of experience in brand strategy, innovation consulting, and startup advising at firms including Fahrenheit 212, Artsy, Google, Anomaly, and DDB. I thoughtfully advise founders, build brand worlds, translate vision into go-to-market positioning, and uncover what users really want and need.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I worked damn hard!! I've always let the quality of my work speak for itself — I never let that slide. Going to grad school in New York was also a life-changing experience that brought me to the city that inspired me most, and expanded my network like nothing else.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I’m a bit of a swiss army knife. I can quickly integrate with a team, and lead everything from consumer research, to brand positioning, to product strategy. I approach my work with genuine human interest. I’ve seen many consultants interpret user data without understanding who that person is, what they care about, what they’re struggling with. Those nuances lead to the insights that make a product experience or brand world impactful.
Q What are you working on right now?
I just wrapped a comprehensive consumer research study for a startup building a mental wellness mobile app. I spoke to people all over the US about their relationship to mental wellbeing and faith, and designed personas for my client to help them understand how to reach people at different stages in their journey.
Q What’s your style?
My professional offering is quite different from my creative style — I am obsessed with hospitality design and interior styling, and I do floral design for fun. You can check out my inspiration @generalist_world
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Creative direction and the design of IRL experiences.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Getting my name out there and cutting through the noise.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would actually just want to do a creative with them for fun — come up with a concept, design a floral arrangement, shoot and edit it. I love doing creative exercises with the input of another person!
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I told myself to follow what moved me. In my early 20s, I spent a lot of time seeking out professional experiences with a safety net — path to promotion, big brand name employers, familiar job titles, etc. It got me to where I am, but I didn’t make as much space for creative pursuits that fed me internally and enabled me to have the autonomy I do now.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would talk to a web3/blockchain expert to understand how it is going to be integrated into more functional use cases beyond NFTs.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Brand strategy and positioning, consumer insights, user research, experience design.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My dream collaboration would be to design the experience of an experiential physical space — hotel, retail, brand popup, etc. — alongside super creative collaborators. Read: something where the output is off the screen, and immerses the consumer in a beautiful experience.
Q What is your rate?
Typically, I would price out a custom project fee taking into account time required, deliverables, level of end client interaction, etc. I can absolutely be flexible for the right project, especially for solo-preneurs and smaller-scale collaborators.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Shoot me an email at kiki@occasionalconcerns.com with as many details as possible — who you are, what you’re looking for help with, timeline, and budget.
FYI — I can't share brand strategy or research work here due to client confidentiality, but I would be happy to share case studies when you reach out.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Ren Balasia is my creative inspiration for everything floral design. She’s an incredible giving teacher and creative soul. Check her out @renkofloral.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Flowers ;)
This member profile was originally published in May 2023