Hi, I’m Michael Jensen
A business consultant and educator with over 20 years of experience working with innovative companies and startups.
Career History
My career began in tech-based economic and workforce development for an applied R&D company. I supported and led industry studies, job programs, and small business assistance projects. After obtaining my MBA, I worked internationally in Brussels, Belgium, on energy and information technology projects in Europe and Africa. Returning to the USA, I launched Market Invasion, LLC and began teaching college courses in management, international business, and entrepreneurship as a tenure-track faculty member. I also developed the Venture Lab – a pre-incubation startup support program for disadvantaged microenterprises that includes a makerspace, microloan program, ghost kitchen, and education technology testbed.
Approach
Many entrepreneurs and innovators I have worked with over the years are experts in their technology or field of research, but they lack marketing know-how. A poor understanding of how to identify and reach customers leads to exceptional ideas languishing post-launch. I enjoy working with these experts to clarify their understanding of customer needs in order to develop fresh outreach tactics and plans. I gather data through interviews, focus groups, observational studies, and secondary sources; employ market segmentation, customer journey maps, user personas, and other analytical techniques; and build creative marketing strategies that emphasize digital marketing tactics.