Strategic Communications & Advisory

Some stories
demand to be told
with grace.

When the stakes are highest, how you show up shapes everything that follows. Poise Consulting is where leaders turn when the work is too important to get wrong.

Submit an Inquiry Our Work

Presence is a choice. Poise makes it a practice.

Strategic Communications · Events · Personal Branding
Communications · Strategy · Presence
Scroll
Our Approach

Communication
is
leadership.

The moments that define organizations also define the people leading them. Poise is built for those moments.

Poise Consulting was built on one conviction: the quality of your communication is the quality of your leadership. The quiet internal memo and the public announcement both carry that weight. Strategy determines which way it lands.

We bring senior-level communications and public relations expertise to founders, executives, and organizations at inflection points. That might mean leading internal communications for a company mid-scale, building the narrative for a critical launch, or sitting beside a CEO in a moment that will be written about. The engagement looks different every time. The standard of work does not.

Honest counsel, clear accountability, and genuine respect for the people involved. That is the foundation of every Poise engagement. The goal is always the same: close the distance between the story you have and the one your audience needs to hear.

01
◈
Strategic Communications

Fractional leadership, narrative strategy, and execution across every audience and channel.

02
◈
Events & Experiences

Full-service event production from concept and venue through run-of-show to lasting impression.

03
◈
Personal Branding

Executive positioning, thought leadership, and public presence for leaders who want to be known for the right things.

Marjani Holliday, Founder of Poise Consulting
15+ Years in Communications
200+ Markets Reached
GSB Stanford Executive Education
Meet Marjani

The person behind
the steady hand.

Marjani Holliday is a strategic communications and public relations executive who has spent nearly two decades where brand, culture, and leadership meet. She built her career leading global PR at Golin, running award-winning campaigns for Amazon Prime Video, Toyota, L'Oréal, Nintendo, and Frito-Lay across 200+ markets, before stepping into the VP of Corporate Communications role at Velera. There she advised the CEO through a major merger integration and built the company's enterprise-wide internal communications function from the ground up. A Stanford GSB executive education alumna and UC Santa Barbara graduate, Marjani brings the same belief to every engagement: that communication, when grounded in authenticity and executed with real intention, does not just inform. It builds understanding, bridges divides, and moves people to act. Outside of the work, she is on a yoga mat, in a new city, or deep in a conversation about food, design, or culture.

Executive Communications Public Relations C-Suite Advisory Merger Integration Brand Strategy Media Relations Press Outreach Reputation Management Internal Culture Crisis Preparedness Stakeholder Engagement
What We Do

Built for the work
that cannot wait.

Poise works on retainer and by project, structured around what the engagement actually requires. Some clients need an embedded leader for the long term. Others need a precise, time-bound intervention. Both are welcome.

Core Offering
Fractional Corporate & Internal Communications

Senior communications and public relations leadership, without the overhead of a full-time hire. Poise embeds directly into your organization, building the structure, messaging, and media presence that the work deserves.

  • Communication strategy and plan development
  • Executive, internal, and external communications
  • Shareholder and stakeholder messaging
  • Announcements, talk tracks, and key messages
  • Speeches, press releases, and brand narratives
  • Public relations strategy and campaign development
  • Media relations, press outreach, and media list building
  • Brand reputation management
  • FAQ development and crisis communications support
  • Social content and digital communications
Experiences
Events & Experiential Production

From a forty-person dinner to a large-scale production, Poise manages every detail so the room does the work. The experience should speak louder than the logistics.

  • Concept development and creative direction
  • Venue sourcing and coordination
  • Vendor management and chef partnerships
  • Florals, decor, and aesthetic curation
  • Food and beverage programming
  • Run of show and on-site facilitation
  • Emcee and event hosting
Presence
Personal Branding & Executive Positioning

Your reputation is already telling a story. Poise helps leaders decide what that story should be, then builds the platform to tell it well.

  • Personal brand narrative and positioning
  • Thought leadership strategy
  • Speaking platform development
  • LinkedIn and digital presence
  • Media preparation and spokesperson coaching
  • Bio, speaker kit, and capability materials

Ready to work with someone who has done this work, at this level, and knows what it takes?

Submit an Inquiry Retainer & project engagements available
Speaking

A voice for the
moments that move people.

Marjani speaks the way she works: directly, without performance. Her sessions are built around ideas audiences can actually use, drawn from two decades of doing the work inside real organizations. She is available as a panel moderator, keynote speaker, and interviewer.

Panel Moderator Keynote Speaker Interviewer
Topic 01

The Communication Imperative

Communications has moved from a support function to a core driver of how organizations perform. This session examines what that shift actually looks like inside companies doing it well, and what leaders need to change to catch up. Audiences leave with a clear-eyed view of where their communications function stands and what to do next.

For: Executives, Founders, Leadership Teams
Topic 02

Showing Up with Poise

High-pressure moments do not build character — they expose it. This session offers a practical framework for executive presence and high-stakes communication, drawn from real experience inside complex organizations. The goal is not inspiration. It is preparation.

For: Emerging and Senior Leaders, Conference Audiences
Topic 03

Whole Leader, Whole Message

The leaders who communicate most effectively are not just technically skilled. They are grounded. This session makes the case that inner clarity — how you manage stress, process difficulty, and stay present — is what separates a good communicator from a trusted one. For leaders who want to close that gap.

For: Wellness Conferences, Corporate Leadership Retreats

Bringing Marjani to your stage, panel, or leadership event?

Submit a Speaking Inquiry Keynote, panel, and moderator engagements considered
Client Perspectives

The work, in their words.

“
Before working with Marjani, we had vision and momentum but the infrastructure to support it simply was not there. As an early-stage firm, we were moving fast and the gaps were showing. Bringing Marjani in as a fractional senior leader changed that. The PMO function was built from the ground up with real structure, governance, and process maturity that gave our team and our clients a completely different experience. On the communications and growth strategy side, the caliber of thinking and execution elevated how we showed up in market and directly contributed to stronger, longer client relationships. Marjani did not just fill a gap. Poise fundamentally changed how we operate.
F
Founder & Principal Strategic Growth Consultancy
“
I came in with decades of experience and a career most people would consider accomplished. What I did not have was a clear, intentional way to translate that into a public presence. My story existed but I had no architecture for telling it. Marjani helped me build that structure and find the through line I had been missing. Working with Poise gave me something I did not expect: genuine confidence in my own voice. I am now stepping into speaking opportunities and showing up publicly in a way that finally feels aligned with who I actually am.
C
Former C-Suite Executive Technology Industry
Work With Us

Every engagement
begins with a
conversation.

Poise works with a select number of clients at a time. Every engagement gets Marjani's direct attention, not a team of junior staff. Share a bit about your work and what you are facing.

Response Time All inquiries receive a response within 48 business hours.
Engagements Retainer and project-based arrangements available.
Speaking Keynote, panel, and moderator inquiries welcome.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared or sold.