AI Marketing Strategy Expertise
Meet the Team
Kristofer Lenz
Founder & Chief Marketing Officer
Oh hey there…
I’m Kris Lenz. For over 20 years, I’ve led growth and creative strategy across industries—watching marketing evolve (and sometimes devolve) in response to cultural and technological paradigm shifts.
Throughout the site, I refer to the “royal we,” but Kailos Marketing Lab is primarily… me. I tap trusted talent from my network when needed—for I know what I don’t know—but I’m the one on the other end of the line.
I founded Kailos Marketing Lab because I kept seeing the same gaps. As an in-house leader, I hired agencies, SEO firms, PR teams, and design studios. Too often, I got templated work disguised as “custom,” bloated retainers, and buzzwords in place of actual strategy.
Worse still, I saw a blind spot around AI’s emerging role in marketing—either ignored completely or slapped on as a gimmick.
Digital tools are evolving fast—but human nature hasn’t changed. Trust, consistency, and relevance still win. The brands we believe in earn that belief over time, through real connection and repetition.
That’s what I’m here to build: marketing that respects intelligence, leverages the right tools, and drives momentum that lasts.
My Story
I’ve always been a writer. Not just of words, but of meaning—of strategy, of growth, of what connects people to possibility.
Because at the root of everything we do—brand, marketing, leadership—there’s one constant: clear, effective communication.
I started my career in the buzzing energy of a downtown Chicago ad agency—working on global brands like the Gap family of brands, Visa, and Chase Financial Services. It was the dawn of digital marketing. A time when we were learning in real time how to capture attention and data. It was there I learned the fundamentals of brand positioning, message architecture, and how storytelling scales when backed by smart systems.
Eventually, I traded the agency hustle for something quieter—and deeper. I pursued a Master’s in New Arts Journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I studied digital design, journalistic research, and the art of narrative. And I also learned that “arts journalism” wasn’t a sustainable career path—but the skills I gained would shape everything that followed.
After grad school, I joined the headquarters of a global professional services firm, where I was immersed in strategic growth planning, sales enablement, and the mechanics of what makes complex organizations move.
I followed my heart west to Los Angeles and continued rising—first as a Director of Content Marketing, then as Creative Director, then Director of Growth Marketing, and eventually, Chief Marketing Officer. I built demand gen engines, guided GTM strategies, and architected brand positioning for some of the fastest-growing verticals in the business.
But more than titles or tactics, what defines my career is a deep curiosity—especially about emerging technology. I remember when the only way to track ROI was by asking the sales team. I’ve seen the data revolution transform how we market. And now, we stand at the edge of something even bigger: the AI-powered era of growth.
I’ve chosen to dedicate the rest of my career to this convergence—where timeless marketing principles meet next-gen technology. Where positioning, insight, and story remain the foundation, now amplified by AI’s speed, scale, and precision.
My mission is to help clients move faster, think bigger, and grow smarter—blending what’s human with what’s possible.
Let’s Grow
Contact us when you’re ready to supercharge your growth strategy.