Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Rudkin.
Hi Kathy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve known from an early age that I wanted to work in advertising, which is something not many people can say. I went to college with a clear goal and earned a degree in Advertising with a minor in Marketing. While still in school, I worked for a newspaper, where I learned both sides of the business — I sold the advertising and then laid it out myself. That early experience taught me how strategy, sales, and creative execution all work together. During my senior year of college, I took a receptionist position at an advertising agency. Within a year and a half, I worked my way up to Assistant Account Executive and then Broadcast Production Manager. At just 24 years old, I realized I could do this on my own — and decided to take the leap.
In 1992, I founded Rudkin Productions in Oklahoma, starting the agency out of a spare bedroom. Within the first year, we landed major accounts including the Parade of Homes, a large hospital system, and a wealth management firm in Bermuda, and the work quickly gained recognition at the ADDY Awards winning Best of Show.
In 1995, I relocated the company to Texas. I began in a one-room office in a strip center, expanding multiple times within that same center as the business grew. Even after the move, I continued flying back and forth to Oklahoma for seven years to personally service existing clients and maintain strong relationships.
As growth continued, I knew it was time to build something permanent. In 2008, I designed and constructed a state-of-the-art facility on Interstate 10 in Boerne, Texas, creating a headquarters that could support a growing team and long-term expansion.
For more than 33 years, Rudkin Productions has helped businesses, nonprofits, and regional brands grow through TV, radio, print, events, and community partnerships all over Texas. Many clients have stayed with us for decades because we treat every project like it’s personal.
As marketing shifted into the digital world, I saw the need to expand again. In 2022, I launched Digital Domino Marketing, our digital-first division that blends advanced tools like Google Ads, paid social, SEO, geofencing, location listening, and data mining with strong creative storytelling. Together, this combination gives clients the best of both worlds — traditional branding and cutting-edge digital strategy.
Today, Rudkin Productions and Digital Domino Marketing serve clients locally, nationally, and internationally — proof that a woman-owned business can grow steadily, adapt boldly, and thrive for more than three decades while staying rooted in its values.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning an advertising agency has never been a smooth road — it’s more like riding a non-stop roller coaster. The industry runs on constant deadlines, shifting priorities, and a steady stream of urgent requests. Many businesses operate in crisis mode without realizing that agencies are supporting multiple clients who all feel just as urgent, which can create a constant state of pressure and adrenaline. One of the ongoing challenges has been staffing. Marketing budgets fluctuate with the economy, and as an agency owner you’re always walking a fine line between having too much staff during slower seasons and not enough during high-demand periods. There have been incredible years, and there have been leaner years — both come with their own lessons.
Like many businesses, we were tested in 2020, but we stayed open and operational because our clients needed us more than ever. Helping businesses communicate clearly and quickly during uncertain times reinforced the value of what we do.
The biggest lesson has been learning to adapt before you’re forced to. Our industry is constantly evolving, and to stay relevant you have to pay attention to the writing on the wall. That mindset led us to diversify our services and create a subscription-based digital model, allowing us to better serve small businesses while building resilience into the agency.
It hasn’t been easy — but it’s been worth it. The challenges have shaped how I lead, how I plan, and how I continue to build a business that can weather change and keep moving forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At the core, I’m a builder — of brands, of teams, and of impact. Through Rudkin Productions and Digital Domino Marketing, my work focuses on helping businesses, nonprofits, and organizations tell their story clearly and effectively. We specialize in integrated marketing — combining traditional media, digital strategy, creative storytelling, and data-driven tools — so our clients can grow in a way that’s both strategic and sustainable.
What I’m most proud of, however, goes far beyond advertising. One of the things that truly sets my work apart is Aid the Silent, the nonprofit I co-founded with my daughter, Emma Faye Rudkin who is deaf, to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families. I donate 100% of our agency’s advertising and marketing services to the nonprofit so that every dollar raised goes directly to programs that change lives. Last year alone, Aid the Silent served more than 3,500 families, and in 2024 this work was recognized with the Vistage National Impact Award for its impact and philanthropy.
A signature example of this work combining with my advertising agency is the Good Vibrations Music & Arts Festival, which my team alongside with Aid the Silent fully plan, produce, and marketed. This all-day, fully deaf and hard-of-hearing accessible festival brings together the deaf/HOH and hearing communities in a way rarely seen before. Through ten hours of live captioning, ASL interpretation, t-coiling, vibrating backpacks to “feel” the music, a sound wave wall, and an LED dance floor that syncs to the music, thousands of attendees experience music together in an inclusive, meaningful way. The festival was awarded Best of Fest for Charity Music Festival in Santa Barbara, presented by Jeff Bridges, Kenny Loggins, T-Bone Burnett, and the Coen Brothers.
This season of my career has been especially meaningful. I was recently nominated by my local NAWBO chapter for the Lifetime Achievement Award that will be awarded in March — an honor that initially caught me by surprise, but one I’ve come to deeply appreciate as recognition of a journey built on consistency, service, and leadership. Shortly after, I learned I had been named NAWBO’s Top 10 Women Business Owners in the United States, with the final recognition to be announced this May in Washington, D.C.
What I’m most proud of isn’t the awards — it’s the journey. The incredibly talented team I get to work with every day, the clients who trust us with their businesses, and the opportunity to use creativity and leadership to make a real difference. That combination of purpose, people, and perseverance is what truly sets my work apart.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know, it’s that success doesn’t happen overnight — and it doesn’t happen alone. Every meaningful thing I’ve built has been shaped by people, perseverance, and a willingness to keep showing up even when the road was hard.
I’ve learned that business is at its best when it’s rooted in purpose. You can build something profitable and still build something that serves others. In fact, the two don’t have to be separate. Some of the most meaningful work of my life has come from using my professional skills to help people who needed a voice, encouragement, or access — and that work has given me far more than any award ever could.
My hope is that anyone reading this — especially women building businesses or navigating seasons of change — will trust their instincts, stay curious, and not be afraid to adapt. Say yes when the opportunity feels bigger than you. Surround yourself with good people. And remember that the work you do can create ripple effects far beyond what you ever see. I’m grateful every day for the journey, the team beside me, and the chance to do work that truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rudkinproductions.com
- Instagram: @rudkinproductions @digitaldominomarketing
- Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalDominoMarketing/videos
- Twitter: Rudkin Productions
