Melea McRae

Melea McRae had a very successful run leading up to her starting her marketing firm in 2016. She held executive positions at many organizations, including SKC, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and Trozzolo Communications Group. Her experience leading client-facing marketing departments led her to become a brand strategist.

She made the entrepreneurial jump in July 2016, launching Crux KC, which provides in-house marketing, outsourced – the “un-agency” – for small to mid-sized clients, combining the leadership of a fractional CMO with a marketing-department-as-a-service model to provide simple, intelligent, and affordable full-funnel marketing solutions.

Crux KC has worked with many clients over its six-year run, including Copaken Brooks, AdamsGabbert, ECCO Select, 27 Global, Q39, Lifted Spirits, KC Common Good, People of All Colors Succeed, and so many more. Their experience spans multiple industries, including commercial real estate, AEC, economic development, education, financial services, health care, non-profits, and professional services.

Its work has landed them many accolades, including winning the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Top 10 twice, Kansas City Business Journal’s Best Places To Work list, earning the Champions of Business from KCBJ, 2022 Best Companies to work for by Ingram's Magazine, and landing on the Inc. 5000 list in 2022.

In 2019 Melea launched a sister company with Rick Kahle called Crux-Xcelerate, focusing on accelerating revenue for emerging and small businesses. They can build a pipeline and position you for more funding, hire, develop, train your sales team, establish KPIs, and even be the sales closer.

Melea is dedicated to the KC community and has worked with so many of KC’s great non-profits. Today, she serves on the board of directors for the Enterprising Center of Johnson County, Down Syndrome Innovations, and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

She’s a Circle of Red member supporting the American Heart Association, co-chairing the 2023 Go Red for Women Luncheon, and benefitting the AHA and Blue KC’s Macaela Stephenson. In addition, Melea is a Fellow with the HEMP program, a board member of EnXchange, and Arvest Bank, and a member of the CEO’s for Real World Learning.

Melea was part of the Kansas City Business Journal’s 2021 Women Who Mean Business class and recipient of the Enterprising Women Magazine’s 2021 Enterprising Women of the Year Award.

I know she and her businesses will continue growing and positively impacting KC. Looking at what she has accomplished over the last six years, I know the sky is the limit, and I look forward to seeing all her future accomplishments.

Website: cruxkc.com