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From start-ups to global corporations, I help companies launch, activate, and grow — without losing what makes them distinctly them.
Mercatus Consulting exists for the moments when in-house teams are stretched thin, stuck in a process, or sitting on a great idea that needs someone to own it. I embed quickly, identify the gaps, and get to work — whether jumpstarting a stalled project, building a strategy from scratch, or leading a complex scope end to end.
With 25+ years across brand, marketing, hospitality, financial services, CPG, technology, and agencies, I bring experience that doesn't just diagnose problems — it solves them.
What I bring to every engagement:
Brand Building & Narrative: Great brands are built on a clear, compelling story that moves people to act. I use the science of consumer behavior and data-driven insights to uncover what motivates your audience, then translate that into a brand platform every team can sell and rally around. My work has always started with one question: what story is clear enough and true enough to transform how people see you?
Executive Relationship Management: I've spent years navigating complex organizations — earning credibility quickly, communicating at the right level for senior audiences, and motivating the teams doing the work beneath them.
Business Development & Commercial Acumen: I connect ideas to revenue — turning fuzzy aspirations into tangible outcomes that all departments can sell, execute against, and see themselves in.
Strategic Consulting & Problem Solving: I design enterprise roadmaps and architect multi-workstream programs using structured thinking and sound judgment on the tradeoffs between speed, scale, and operational reality. Clarity — not complexity — is always the goal.
Program & Delivery Leadership: Strategy without execution is just theory. I've led complex, global engagements — managing risk, aligning stakeholders, and maintaining program integrity at scale to get things across the finish line.
People Leadership & Talent Development: I build and mentor teams by blending management, coaching, and culture-building — and I'm equally comfortable leading large-scale projects without a direct line of resources, relying on relationships and persuasive communication to drive results.
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HEATHER JACOBS
As the principal of Mercatus, Heather Jacobs is a senior marketing and brand leader with over 20 years of experience turning complex global strategies into aligned, measurable action across matrixed organizations. Known for her ability to build trust with C-Suite executives, continent leaders, and cross-functional teams alike, Heather brings a rare combination of strategic vision and executional discipline to every initiative she leads.
Her career spans brand building, marketing strategy, loyalty, and organizational transformation across hospitality, financial services, and consumer goods — with deep roots at Marriott International, where she has shaped some of the company's most iconic brand moments, including the global creation of Marriott Bonvoy and the cultural evolution of The Ritz-Carlton. Heather has a proven track record of leading high-stakes, multi-continent initiatives that require both rigorous planning and the ability to earn buy-in from senior stakeholders at every level.
Whether she is building an annual strategic plan, orchestrating global leadership forums, or integrating a new brand into a complex organization, Heather leads with clarity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to results that last.
Prior to founding Mercatus, Heather held leadership positions at Marriott International, Delaware North, and Navy Federal Credit Union. For over a decade, she provided brand management, marketing, planning and communications services to Marriott International brands and corporate departments' special projects. Heather also served as the Director of Client Services at Micromarketing, E-centives, and Catalina Marketing.
Heather holds a BA from the University of Mary Washington and a Masters degree from the Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School.