Echo’s Not-So-Secret Weapon for Driving Strategic Relationships
Nurturing meaningful connections with clients and colleagues is key to Echo’s success. Our business development manager, Dr. Katherine Salazar, brings this philosophy to life by fostering strong, trust-based relationships that drive growth and collaboration.
Katherine has a knack for making client interactions feel personal, taking a diplomatic approach that often feels more like friendship than sales. As a result, she isn’t just growing Echo’s client base—she’s building a network of advocates, collaborators, and true believers.
The Inadvertent (but Ideal!) Path to Echo
Katherine’s journey to Echo underscores the power of genuine professional connections. She shares, “A great lunch and a wonderful conversation with a mom I built a bond with over a decade ago led me to this next step in my career.”
That mom was Echo’s Managing Director, Vivian Slater. During early morning daycare drop-offs and late pickups, the two forged a friendship that eventually led Katherine to Echo. “We bonded in the parking lot, and today, I’m fortunate to call her my friend and colleague.”
It’s fitting that someone who prizes authentic relationship-building now thrives in a role where connections are everything.
Beyond Transactional Interactions
When discussing her approach to business development, Katherine won’t pitch you a script or a list of tactics. Instead, she talks about building bridges. “I like to take my work beyond the dollars and cents, determining how we can achieve mutual growth and a lasting relationship,” she says.
This principle guides all of Katherine’s client interactions. Whether meeting with a new prospect or supporting an existing partnership, she focuses on listening, understanding, and aligning goals before discussing a transaction.
“When I’m meeting with a client and their eyes light up as soon as the picture of our strategy becomes clear to them, that’s the magic moment,” she says. “When they realize how our strategy will empower them to achieve their goals, I know we’ve created something exceptional.”
A Commitment to Meaningful Work
Katherine’s professional career has included campaigns that do more than drive sales—they drive change. One of her most memorable professional experiences was leading a Cause Relationship Marketing (CRM) initiative for Valeant Pharmaceuticals, where a percentage of sales supported the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).
“The impact went beyond sales goals,” she says. “It created a meaningful partnership opportunity for the company, the audience, and NCADV, ultimately benefiting domestic violence survivors.”
She brings this same blend of marketing strategy and social conviction to Echo daily, ensuring that our work doesn’t just meet KPIs—it makes a difference.
A Natural Fit for Echo’s Collaborative Culture
When asked about her ideal workday, Katherine doesn’t hesitate. “Creating new programs with a client! I thrive on a challenge, and love developing innovative solutions that exceed expectations.”
Looking to the future, Katherine is excited about AI’s role in marketing, not as a replacement for human insight and experience but as a tool for enhancing it. “We must grow with technology to ensure we’re always offering clients the most cutting-edge options.”
Though Katherine is one of the newer kids on Echo’s block, she quickly adapted to CEO Andrew Vo’s dynamic leadership style. “I love that he works so fast! He is not afraid to invest in innovative tools and is passionate about the success and growth of Echo.”
Beyond her professional expertise, Katherine loves to sing karaoke, a hidden talent she has indulged in when visiting Chicago and even once in China. (We’re still waiting for her to strut her stuff at the next Echo Happy Hour!)
Cultivating Enduring Partnerships
Katherine’s approach boils down to one simple truth: “I can’t be anyone other than me. I like to smile and create relationships. I am passionate about marketing, and it shows.”
Katherine’s authenticity, strategic mind, and relentless drive have already made her an invaluable member of the Echo team. Whether cultivating new client relationships or identifying new ways to blend marketing with meaningful social change, she proves that the best business development isn’t about selling but connecting.