Kathy Heasley

Founder and Principal

Kathy Heasley IMS

Greatest Professional Accomplishment: 
Starting a company founded on the values of hearing, teaching, collaborating, kindness, honesty, fun, dedication and impact, and being a part of its growth.

Passionate About: 
Helping people succeed, grow, fulfill their dreams and their life’s mission.

Dream Job: 
I’m living my dream job working with great people and making a difference in the lives of others.

Personal Philosophy: 
Give more than you ever expect in return.

Best Attributes: 
I know I’m a good listener.  People say I’m creative.

Key Strengths: 

  • Blending the heart and the mind into a cohesive foundational message that becomes the platform for all communications.
  • Integrating marketing and communications into your business planning and within your current organization.
  • Analyzing business issues and finding creative, results-based solutions.
  • Developing original products from concept through promotion.
  • Producing and directing "corporate music videos" and "corporate documentaries," two powerful tools for modern day communication and culture building.
  • Creating, producing and directing high end corporate stage programs and presentations that are strategic and blend the heart with the mind.
  • Writing just about anything.

Biography:
As a young girl in Pennsylvania, I was always the entrepreneur.  Sure
I had a paper route, but I also produced plays and haunted houses, had a craft business, programmed my own radio station, published magazines, ran a snow cone stand, wrote a screenplay, had my own book critic’s column and promoted roller skating parties all before the age of 13.

Why then did this kid from suburbia find it so difficult to choose a major when I entered Penn State, believe it or not, in the School of Agriculture? Thankfully, I "found myself" and graduated with a B.A. degree in Advertising from Penn State’s Carnegie School of Journalism and discovered that communications were my true life’s calling.

My professional life began at a Houston ad agency as a publicity writer for Ryland Homes and Friendswood Development Company.  That led me to Phoenix where I managed the advertising for the local Coca-Cola business.  It was during the “New Coke” debacle that invaluable lessons about business, branding and human nature were mine for the taking.  I took them.

Years later, I moved out of the agencies and into corporations, initially to head up the communications and marketing functions for American Founders Life, a mid-size, highly rated insurance carrier that needed help connecting with its field force and its policyholders.  Then my final stint before starting IMS was in the technology sector handling marketing for Microtest, a leader in the local area networking business of the early 90’s.  There I experienced how all marketing and communications disciplines come together to support and grow a business.

I used to think there was something wrong with me because with every new position, I landed squarely into a new marketing communications realm.  One minute I was a PR writer, the next a media buyer, the next translating tax code into language ordinary people can understand and the next writing marketing plans with technology distributors in Munich.  And that’s just a snapshot.  Who could have guessed that my career “problem” would turn out to be a career "blessing?"

I call 1984 to 1994 my ten-year business and communications crash course. Nothing could have been a better training ground for starting IMS, and I’m not done learning yet. 

Today I help companies and entrepreneurs figure out who they are, who they want to be and how to get there. I help them go from brand new to breakthrough by developing a brand with depth and emotional connection. And in the process, I work to create the cultures that deliver lasting results—beyond any one tactic.

I did things differently as a kid at age 12 and you might say I'm doing the same thing now. That's what makes life exciting.   I’m living proof, some kids never grow up, and that’s okay by me.