MELEA MCRAE

Founder, CEO

Melea is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, business connector and adjunct professor with 30 years of experience elevating brands, amplifying missions and fueling business growth for B2B and B2C clients.

In 2016, Melea made the entrepreneurial leap and founded Crux KC, a fast-growing WBE headquartered in KC. Known as the “un-agency,” Crux is a full-funnel outsourced marketing solution customized for organizations of all shapes, sizes and verticals, combining the expertise of fractional CMOs who build the marketing strategy with a deep bench of experts in each marketing discipline to deliver on that strategy. Crux’s core competencies extend across the full marketing cycle, from research and strategy to branding and messaging, content development, tactical execution of marketing plans, and finally, measurement, analysis and insights to fuel business growth for clients.

In 2019, Melea co-founded Crux-Xcelerate, focused on sales coaching and development, aligning sales with marketing to positively impact revenue growth.

Crux is a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree, an Inc Best Workplaces honoree, a Kansas City Business Journal 2023 Fast 50 company and two-time Champion of Business, and a three-time KC Chamber Top 10 Small Business.

Melea is a Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) fellow and a member of the Forbes Communications Council and Kansas City Business Journal’s 2021 Women Who Mean Business class, and she serves on multiple boards in the region, including incoming chair of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre board of directors; Arvest Bank’s Kansas City board of directors; KU Advancement Board at the University of Kansas Academic Medical Center; Rockhurst University’s Deans Advisory Board for the College of Business & Technology; the ECJC (Enterprising Center of Johnson County) board of directors; Circle of Red supporting the American Heart Association; and the Children’s Mercy Research Institute Advisory Council. Melea earned her undergraduate degree from Webster University and an Executive MBA from Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management.

“The definition of Crux is the most important point, and we believe in getting to the point by providing exactly what our clients need to grow their business, increase engagement and elevate their brand from a marketing perspective, without any of the unnecessary fluff.”

EDUCATION

Executive MBA from Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management; Bachelor of Science in business management with a minor in marketing from Webster University.

FAVORITE KC SPOT

Tannin