Darel Scott

About

Hello! I’m Darel, a creative operator with 5+ years of experience growing and leading teams, designing systems, and creating culturally resonant works. I'm skilled at scaling marketing operations, optimizing workflows, and driving measurable growth in fast-paced startup environments. For five years, I served as the Founder & CEO of Earth in Color, a media company and food club connecting Blackness and Greenness. After sunsetting Earth in Color, I started Hott Studio, a brand and marketing agency for early-stage ventures. Although I’ve worn many hats as a solo founder— from CEO and creative director to editor-in-chief and project manager—I thrive deep in the weeds of brand marketing and operations, establishing processes and systems that help teams navigate the chaos and ambiguity of the creative process.

Experience

• Co-Founder, Head of Operations & Design · Hott Studio2024

  Hott Studio is a brand and marketing studio helping forward-thinking companies share ideas that make the world more beautiful, more innovative, and more just. We specialize in strategy, creative, and production, spanning digital and physical projects.

• Senior Content Developer · Local Projects06-01-2024 – 10-01-2024

  Produced high-impact, research-driven content for multimedia museum exhibitions, transforming complex content themes into engaging storytelling while collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to craft messaging for diverse media formats.

• Founder & CEO · Earth in Color01-01-2019 – 01-01-2024

  As Founder and CEO of Earth in Color, a media startup connecting Black culture and sustainability, I led all facets of business growth, from fundraising to content marketing. I successfully raised and allocated $0.5M, extending the company’s financial runway by 50%, and drove substantial community growth, reaching 100,000+ Black early adults through organic marketing across print, digital, social media, and events. I executed a $150,000 brand partnership campaign, engaging both in-person and online audiences, and achieved engagement through a Mailchimp newsletter, converting 10% of social media traffic into an email ecosystem with 2x industry-standard engagement rates. I have a proven track record in editorial leadership, having edited and produced 80+ long-form stories that highlight cultural connections to the environment and food. I built and managed a diverse roster of photographers, illustrators, and artists, ensuring quality and timely delivery through well-defined creative briefs and streamlined project management using Airtable, Notion, and Google Suite. Additionally, I led the optimization of our website’s UI/UX, improving user experience and conversion rates, and directed the creative vision for an interactive print publication that distributed 300 issues. I scaled operations while cultivating a high-performing, inclusive team and establishing robust systems for talent management and content production. My leadership in both creative and operational aspects helped drive social impact in the food and sustainability sectors, combining expertise in business operations with creative strategy.

• Entrepreneur in Residence · Grist11-01-2020 – 12-01-2022

  As an Entrepreneur in Residence at Grist, likely contributed to innovative projects and initiatives focused on sustainability and environmental journalism.

Education

• Stanford UniversityMaster of Science
• Stanford UniversityBachelor of Science

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