Karen Larson

About

Karen Larson has been doing this work for over 40 years — and she’s still genuinely excited about it. As Co-Founder and Brand Strategist at Clear Brand Strategy (CBS), she helps B2B companies in manufacturing, industrial, and technical spaces figure out who they are and show up like they mean it. That means brand strategy, websites, content, and the kind of marketing infrastructure that actually moves the needle.

Before co-founding CBS in 2020 with her partner Jamie Saunders, Karen spent decades in the trenches of graphic design and branding, working with corporate clients, large nonprofits, and manufacturers who needed more than a nice logo — they needed a real strategy. She’s seen the industry shift from paste-up boards to Photoshop to the current era where AI tools and template platforms are reshaping how creative work gets done.

And that’s exactly what she wants to talk about.

Karen has watched designers wrestle with a real tension: professional-grade tools like Adobe Illustrator aren’t going anywhere, but platforms like Canva have changed the conversation about who gets to “do design.” Instead of picking sides, she thinks the smartest designers are learning to use both — strategically. Her course digs into how working creatives are actually combining these tools in their day-to-day workflows, where each one shines, and how to stop treating it like an either/or debate.

When she’s not helping clients build brands or developing courses, Karen is a practicing fine artist with work showcased at karenlarsonart.com. She also runs LMstudio.com and somehow finds time to keep up with two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who have zero interest in brand strategy.

You can find her at clearbrandstrategy.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.