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Get to Know Us
At Square One Consulting, we understand that change is not always easy. Many of us struggle with "the way it's always been".
Let us be your unbiased third party. Our years of experience have taught us to always make success the priority, not historical precedence. Let us present transparent, honest recommendations that may grab attention of your leadership.
We are ready to help you develop strategies for not only surviving, but thriving in the future.
About
Laura Rudolph
Founder & CEO, Marketing Consultant
I’m Laura Rudolph, founder of Square One Consulting. I help small colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations cut through the noise and tackle their biggest marketing and communications challenges with clarity and confidence.
I started my career drawn to storytelling, but it was my shift into higher education that sparked a deeper passion for marketing and consumer behavior. Over the years, I’ve developed a knack for untangling complexity—whether it’s building enrollment systems, optimizing workflows or streamlining communication strategies. My focus is always on creating solutions that are practical, sustainable and actually make life easier for the teams I work with.
One of the most rewarding parts of my career has been my eight years as a Slate Captain, leading the successful implementation of Slate marketing and communications initiatives. I know firsthand how a well-executed CRM strategy can transform outreach and engagement efforts, and I love helping institutions harness that power.
At the heart of my approach is empathy—not just for the institutions I work with, but for the students and families they’re trying to reach. Great marketing isn’t just about strategy and execution; it’s about truly understanding your audience. What do they need? What are they worried about? What makes them feel seen and heard? When schools communicate with real empathy, they don’t just drive engagement—they build trust.
At Square One Consulting, my goal is simple: to bring clarity to the chaos and help organizations build strategies that actually move the needle.
Let’s create something impactful together.
What I Bring to the Table
✔️ Making Change Stick – I don’t believe in quick fixes. I build systems and strategies that actually last—so your team isn’t stuck reinventing the wheel every year.
✔️ Turning Chaos into Clarity – Messy workflows, inefficient processes, disconnected strategies? I love digging in, finding the root problems, and creating streamlined solutions that make life easier.
✔️ Marketing with Empathy – The best messaging isn’t just clever—it connects. I help schools craft communications that truly resonate with students and families while being realistic about team bandwidth.
✔️ Simplifying the Complex – Whether it’s Slate, enrollment funnels, or cross-departmental initiatives, I break things down in a way that’s clear, actionable, and (dare I say) even a little fun.
✔️ A 360° Perspective – With experience across admissions, marketing, student services, and athletics, I don’t just solve problems—I connect the dots between departments to create strategies that actually work.
Experience
Higher Education Consultancy
2019-present
Square One Consulting, LLC
Founder & CEO, Marketing Consultant
Help colleges, universities, and nonprofits simplify marketing, optimize Slate, and build sustainable enrollment strategies. Leverage experience as a Slate Captain to streamline workflows and improve engagement. Specialize in data-informed marketing, process improvement, and strategic communications to help teams work smarter, not harder.
Business & Health Care Consultancy
2021-present
Be Light Care Consulting, LLC, Richmond, Ky.
Fractional Chief Marketing Officer
Spearhead the integrated communication strategy for an innovative dementia education consultancy; secured major media placements, TEDx speaker acceptance, national awards, and celebrity interviews. Built strategic partnerships with companies such as Walgreens, P&G, and AARP. Helped grow the platform to 450K+ followers and led the development of a mobile app, subscription models, and educational products to expand accessibility and impact.
Higher Education
15+ years
Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.
Director of Enrollment Communications, Office of Admissions
Developed and executed the university’s enrollment marketing strategy, driving increased engagement and application growth. Created an award-winning yield campaign, contributed to year-over-year increases in completed applications, and launched engaging parent communication strategies.
Oversaw the campus visit experience, managing full-time staff and 14+ Ambassadors to enhance prospective student engagement. Served on the senior leadership team, managed vendor partnerships and budgets, and ensured data-driven decision-making across all recruitment communications.
Marshall University, Huntington, W.V.
Director of Recruitment & Development, School of Pharmacy
Served as the Director of Recruitment (Admission) and Development, managing the full spectrum of marketing and enrollment on behalf of the newly established School of Pharmacy; successfully met the enrollment goals for the first time in the school's history for two years running at the helm.
Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.
Sports Information Director, Athletic Department (NCAA Division III)
Lead athletic communications, serving as the sole media contact for 27 varsity teams. Managed all press releases, game coverage, media guides, web content, and promotional materials to enhance recruitment and visibility. Oversaw game-day operations, supervising 50+ student and community volunteers for live stats, broadcasting, and social media coverage. Also contributed to video production, graphic design, scriptwriting, and social media strategy.
Digital Recruitment, Office of Admissions
As first Digital Recruitment Specialist, lead all digital marketing, social media, and e-recruitment strategies. Created "Be a Pioneer" campaign, which helped recruit the second-largest incoming class in school history. Managed admissions social media, digital advertising, email campaigns, website content, and CRM tracking, while providing analytics to guide strategy. Led videography, graphic design and media buying to enhance recruitment efforts. Negotiated contracts for the university’s presence on key college search platforms.
Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.
Communications Specialist, International Affairs (Study Abroad)
Provided marketing leadership to grow IU from the 11th to the fourth largest study abroad office in the United States, facilitating the study of more than 4,000 students to international locations.
Education
West Virginia University
M.S., Integrated Marketing Communications
Specialized program covering all aspects of marketing & communications; course concentrations in consumer behavior, digital media, information design and campaign development
Eastern Kentucky University
B.S., Journalism
Intensive writing program focusing on all areas of journalism across multiple fields, in conjunction with layout/graphic design and photography