Columbia, MO
Hello,
I'm Colby Kraus
I’m a digital marketer, web designer and developer based in the heart of the Silicon Prairie in Columbia, MO. I love working with small business owners and startup founders to help grow their business.
A little about me
Thanks for stopping by! For the past 8 years, I’ve excelled in growth marketing teams at some notable startups in the Midwest region. Recently, I joined the growth marketing team at Tillful, where I'm proud to be part of a team building a more inclusive economy for small businesses in the US.
I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and energy for solving problems, which has proven a valuable asset in my career. My super power is applying a blue collar work ethic to a digital industry, enabling me to get stuff done. I believe the best customer experiences come from genuine empathy, when combined with a friendly, optimistic and energetic attitude.
January 2022 – Current
KrausWeb.com
With over 8 years of experience, I launched an agency-of-one in early 2022 to help small businesses and startups with their growth marketing plans. KrausWeb is the digital moniker for my freelance services, which includes: digital marketing, web design and development. I am currently taking on new clients, so feel free to say hello!
April 2021 – Current
Tillful.com
In early 2021 as the pandemic altered our personal and professional lives, I sought a change. I joined Tillful as a founding member of the in-house marketing team, managing growth and product marketing. Backed by ING Ventures, Experian Ventures and other notable investors, Tillful is empowering small business owners to leverage business credit to growth their business. We build tools to help track, improve and grow business credit for small business owners in the US. Based in San Fransisco, I work remotely in Columbia.
October 2017 – April 2021
EquipmentShare.com
I joined this YCombinator-backed startup in late 2017 as the 2nd full-time marketing hire. Working closely with the founders, I spearheaded our growth marketing as my team helped the company grow from 3 brick and mortar locations to more than 50+ locations over a 3 year period. EquipmentShare is currently #44 on YC's Top Companies list and regarded as one of the most notable and well funded startups to come out of the Silicon Prairie. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to contribute to the growth of a billion dollar company.
May 2013 – December 2016
SuretyBonds.com
I started my professional journey in startups at SuretyBonds.com, based in Columbia, MO. I began as an intern and earned a full-time job upon graduating from the University of Missouri. I learned the core concepts of digital marketing and web design on a team of 6. We collaborated to drive growth as the startup was acquired by a large insurance company. They continue to be the #1 online surety bond agency in the nation.