Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elizabeth Upshur. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Many marketing consultancies rely heavily on third-party data, external tools, and generic playbooks. They build audiences that look great on paper—based on trends, search activity, or demographic profiling—and call it a day. But I believe that approach leaves too much on the table. What sets me apart is my focus on first-party data—the information my clients already have about their customers and prospects. This data provides unique insights that are often overlooked by others.
For me, it’s not just about who a brand’s customers are “supposed to be”; it’s about discovering who they really are—and why they make the decisions they do. I go beyond surface-level targeting to challenge assumptions and dig into the data that my clients already have but may not be using effectively.

For example, I worked with a property technology (prop-tech) company that assumed larger workforces would mean better opportunities. By diving into their data, I discovered the real driver of success: targeting slightly smaller offices in expensive real estate markets. Adjusting their strategy led to millions of dollars in new business.

In another case, a restoration company targeted older buildings, thinking they’d have more issues like fires or floods. My analysis revealed a gap in their approach: they were overlooking new construction. By engaging with buildings during the construction phase, we unlocked a brand-new revenue stream.

My approach uses first-party data to build strategies that are highly personalized, scalable, and deeply aligned with customer needs. This not only delivers better results but also ensures that brands maintain direct, meaningful relationships with their audiences—essential in a world increasingly dominated by platforms and algorithms.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m the founder of Up With Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping B2B companies achieve their revenue goals. My career spans over 20 years and diverse industries—from roles at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Marriott International to starting a Danish bakery in New York City. This variety of experiences has shaped my creative and strategic thinking.

In 2021, after becoming a mom during the pandemic, I started consulting to prioritize meaningful work and flexibility. At Up With Consulting, I specialize in strategies like go-to-market strategy, account-based marketing, revenue operations, and email marketing for growing tech and SaaS companies. My focus is on delivering tailored solutions that drive sustainable growth.

What sets me apart is my commitment to uncovering the hidden potential in every client’s customer relationships. By leveraging their own data, I help them create strategies that are unique to their business, ensuring long-term impact.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn a content-first approach when developing a marketing strategy. When I worked in-house for established brands, I often took my audience for granted. There was always a baseline level of engagement, and my focus was on optimizing that engagement to drive results. I spent a lot of time A/B testing creative and copy to fine-tune messaging. The approach was straightforward: start with the message and then identify the audience for it.

In my consulting practice, I work with companies introducing new products and creating entirely new categories. This flipped my playbook upside down. These companies aren’t leading established markets—they’re building them. Suddenly, we were creating content for something no one even knew to search for. Traditional incremental tactics like A/B testing subject lines or tweaking the placement of a call-to-action button didn’t address the core challenge.

I’ve found far better results by starting with the customer. Examining our data to understand who our customers are and mapping their journey from discovery to decision provides natural guidance on what content to create and where to find signals that a prospect belongs to our target audience. Even more, a deep dive into who we create value for and the pain points we solve can inspire meaningful product innovation tailored to that audience.

Ultimately, being customer- or prospect-centered is the essence of good marketing. Using our own data keeps us honest about whether we’re genuinely creating content that resonates with prospects. This approach also respects the audience and reinforces the idea that the business we gain from it is truly “earned.”

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Without a doubt, my existing and former clients have been my greatest source of new business.

I’ve never been entirely comfortable with the concept of “personal branding”. I’ve always been wary of coming across as transactional in my relationships. I approach my work with a sense of principled humility, which keeps me open to new ideas and genuinely focused on the client’s needs, but keeps me from developing a perfectly polished elevator pitch for myself.

Starting Up With Consulting was an opportunity to test what some might call a naive hypothesis: that the quality of my work alone would be enough to “sell” my services. My approach has been to patiently build a network of clients where I’ve done my very best work—people who will think of me when they face new challenges.

This long-term mindset has been a huge advantage. It allows me to lean into who I am authentically. I’m passionate about the work itself, and this approach gives me the freedom to spend extra time to exceed expectations—not as a cost, but as an investment in the relationship. It also gives me the flexibility to prioritize relationships over contracts when there’s a conflict between the two. This is how I’m building a business that feels not only sustainable but also fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.upwithconsulting.com

Image Credits

Portraits: Picklepuss Photo
Desk: Elizabeth Upshur