After more than twenty years working across marketing, product management, and strategic planning, I saw a persistent gap in how companies approach marketing.

Most organizations don’t lack ideas—they struggle to turn complex information into clear, compelling stories that truly differentiate their offerings. In my most recent role as Vice President leading Product Marketing at a global specialty coating materials company, I worked closely with technical teams to translate data-heavy content into narratives that customers could easily understand and act on. It was challenging—and it revealed how often strong products are held back by unclear messaging.

I also saw firsthand how costly and inefficient marketing can be. Many organizations lack sufficient in-house resources and turn to external agencies—only to face eye-watering price tags. Rebranding projects can run into the hundreds of thousands, website rebuilds can exceed $50,000, and even reformatting a 20-slide presentation can cost several thousand dollars. Add to that long turnaround times—months for a website refresh or weeks for a simple presentation template—and the frustration only grows when agencies deliver surface-level design work disconnected from real business and marketing strategy.

For small businesses, the challenge is even greater. Marketing is essential for growth, yet professional services are often financially out of reach.

That’s why I founded EdgeForge.

EdgeForge was built to deliver affordable, efficient, and effective marketing—without agency overhead. By forging strategy, storytelling, and design into a single, integrated approach, I help companies sharpen their positioning, clarify their message, and create marketing that drives real business impact.

Marketing can work harder, smarter, and faster.

Sophie Zhou

Founder, EdgeForge