Today we’d like to introduce you to Umai Marketing Karin Samelson And Alison Smith
Hi UMAI Marketing, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We first met at our “real” first job after college, working for one of the world’s top prom and pageant designers. While we quickly realized that world wasn’t quite the right fit for us, we found a lasting friendship instead. After two years, we parted ways to pursue very different paths.
Alison moved to Vietnam to teach English and explore her next steps, while Karin joined Vital Farms as one of its first employees. Karin’s talent for storytelling, social media and copywriting played a key role in helping Vital Farms grow into the publicly traded company it is today. Her success didn’t go unnoticed—she was soon recruited by Nulo Pet Foods to join their marketing team, where she broadened her expertise, managing campaigns, and collaborating with top influencers like Michael Phelps. When a round of layoffs impacted her role, Karin saw it as an opportunity to start something of her own.
Meanwhile, Alison immersed herself in the entrepreneurial community in Saigon after leaving her teaching position (shoutout to teachers—it’s no easy job!). She launched several small businesses to gain hands-on experience before becoming the first hire at an eCommerce education company. Despite limited experience, she quickly excelled in paid media management, full-funnel marketing strategies, and team leadership. Over two years, she helped grow the company 10x and eventually relocated back to Austin to build a team. Her new office was just a block away from Karin’s!
When Karin decided to go solo, she floated the idea of teaming up with Alison to create something even bigger.
Together, we envisioned an agency that not only delivers results for consumer packaged goods brands but also prioritizes its clients and employees. And so, UMAI Marketing was born.
Since then, we’ve been combining our skills, passion, and experience to help brands grow and thrive!
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?
Over the past six years in business, we’ve navigated numerous challenges, but one of the most defining periods came in the aftermath of COVID-19. Many of the brands we partnered with experienced exponential growth during the pandemic, particularly as food and beverage products became essential for at-home delivery. However, as the pandemic waned, new obstacles emerged—supply chain disruptions intensified, and investment activity slowed significantly.
In response, we doubled down on building systems and optimizing efficiencies across all aspects of our business. The challenges our clients faced pushed us to adapt and operate more resourcefully than ever, proving that we could streamline without compromising quality. This period taught us invaluable lessons about resilience and innovation, lessons that continue to shape our operations today.
We are deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration of our clients and partners during such a turbulent time. Additionally, witnessing the CPG community rally together in support of one another was truly inspiring. As the landscape begins to stabilize, we remain committed to the refined systems we developed—ensuring we deliver maximum value while safeguarding the quality and performance our clients rely on.
As you know, we’re big fans of UMAI Marketing. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
UMAI Marketing gives consumer goods founders and marketers the digital tools and support to grow better brands. We work with brands to share your mission, build your community, and sell your products.
We’re a boutique, Austin-based agency with a strong dedication to our clients’ goals. The Japanese word Umai means skillful, good, and delicious, in Japanese and it embodies our mission to create marketing that’s irresistibly inspiring and drives results.
Brands we’ve helped grow: Om Mushroom, Serenity Kids, Natural Stacks, Mother-In-Law’s Kimchi, CANTEEN Spirits, Puffworks, Wondercide, Waterloo Gin, Hardcore Carnivore, IRVIN’s, etc.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
LOVE: Dogs, food, hiking, music, travel, tennis
HATE: When small talk doesn’t lead to fulfilling conversation, crowded and noisy rooms, when Austin decided to get to over 110 degrees, traffic 🙁
Contact Info:
- Website: https://umaimarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umaimarketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/core3inspiration
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGKuJnIOX_6AVvV3FrgV0rg
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@umaimarketing
