Nicole Rose Hornung

About

I’m a cross-functional operator and problem solver with 8+ years of experience across design, marketing, partnerships, and business operations. Most recently, I worked at an early stage startup as Chief of Staff, where I turned big ideas into clear, actionable plans that supported fundraising, marketing, and sales. At the core of what I enjoy most is building and nurturing community. I love connecting people, brands and ideas to create meaningful impact. I’m especially inspired by companies that prioritize community in the beverage, travel, wellness, and women-led startup space. I recently led the growth of partnerships and marketing at Sidework, building a bilateral program with 25+ suppliers and co-manufacturers, and shaping go-to-market strategies that align with product development.

Experience

• Chief of Staff · Sidework10-01-2024 – 12-01-2025

  End-to-end cross-functional leadership for strategic initiatives at Sidework, including fundraising support, marketing alignment, and sales enablement. Coordinated with brand partners, packaging suppliers, and product teams to ensure feasibility and creative alignment of beverage programs and go-to-market strategies in a fast-paced startup environment using a data-driven approach to decision making in partnership with leadership teams from marketing, ops, and product. Note: End date reflects an actual ending date in resume data; the role is presented with a concluded end date per source data and the current status in this merged profile is historical as of 2025-12-01, with endDate preserved as 12-01-2025.

• Senior Partnerships Strategist · Sidework10-01-2023 – 10-01-2024

  Built the partnerships function from zero, sourcing and creating relationships with 25+ ingredient suppliers, co-manufacturers, and strategic partners (including Spindrift, La Colombe, Califia Farms and Intelligentsia Coffee) across beverage categories. Developed beverage menus for demos, pitches, and trade shows — from ingredient sourcing and trend research to profitability modeling. Led the Sidework Marketplace, overseeing product listings, fulfillment, and marketing. Bridged the gap between brand partners, packaging suppliers, customers, and our product team to ensure each beverage program was both technically feasible and creatively aligned.

• Creative Strategist · Nicole Rose Creative09-01-2021 –

  I began graphic design freelancing in 2015 and have since evolved my business. In September 2021, I transitioned my freelance design business into a holistic creative design + strategy service. As a strategist and designer, I offer branding, web design and social media content as well as marketing strategy to entrepreneurs, small business owners and early stage startups.

• Graphic Designer · Hightower Advisors01-01-2020 – 09-01-2021

  I started with Hightower as a temporary contractor then was offered a full-time position after my first week on the job. In this role I have been able to define processes and workflows for the design team while also offering innovative, creative solutions to advisor-facing and corporate design challenges.

• Graphic Designer · Colliers International09-01-2015 – 06-01-2018

  I started with Colliers International | Hawaii as a marketing assistant. I was promoted to graphic designer responsible for broker marketing materials, listings, social media content, and internal marketing such as cards and lobby slideshows.

• Marketing Intern · Colliers International05-01-2015 – 09-01-2015

  Provide support to the Director of Marketing for Colliers International | South Carolina. Create marketing brochures, proposals, and presentations following brand guidelines; design social ads; draft press releases; support SEO and lead generation.

• Marketing Analyst · ECI Find New Markets06-01-2013 – 05-01-2015

  Managed several marketing campaigns for small businesses in South Carolina; created client websites and social media pages; developed marketing plans and timelines; used Adobe Creative Suite to design logos and marketing materials.

• Marketing and Communications SHP Student · Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC05-01-2012 – 08-01-2012

  Redesign Bendix website and sister site to align with B2B online marketing trends; update content for accuracy; assist with planning company events.

• Marketing Intern · Magnificat High School08-01-2010 – 05-01-2011

  Plan and promote alumni and student events; research user demographics for social media marketing; draft press releases.

Education

• School of the Art Institute of ChicagoPMFA, Visual Communication Design
• General AssemblyCertification, User Experience Design
• University of South CarolinaBachelor’s Degree, Public Relations, Sport and Entertainment Management
• Magnificat High SchoolDiploma

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