Cursor & Ink is on a mission to
Build transformative brands that propel service providers to new levels of growth and impact
What happens when the brand you started with isn’t built for where you are now?
You’ve grown and evolved… but your brand hasn’t kept up.
For service providers, that usually means the unique skill, perspective, and experience that shine through your work every day are somehow missing or underrepresented in your brand presence.
I believe that when we elevate expertise, we unlock potential.
A Potential for bigger stages and more authority.
A For more freedom and joy in your work.
A For the legacy that was the reason you started your business in the first place.
If you’re ready to realign your brand with who you’ve become and where you’re headed — you’re in the right place.
Hi there — I’m Kristen VanderHoek.
Consider me your brand fairy godmother… with a fancy pen and whiteboard instead of a wand.
I spent nearly 15 years helping executives in government, not-for-profit, and the private sector shape their brand and communications. Those years showed me how the right strategy can unlock growth and open doors to new opportunities.
Five years ago, I founded Cursor & Ink to help purpose-driven service providers who lead with their expertise do the same thing.
After all…
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A meaningful vision
gives you direction and purpose
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Beautiful visuals
grab your audience’s attention
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An authentic brand voice
builds connection with them
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A powerful message
gets them to act
But the real magic happens when you stop treating these 👆as individual pieces and turn them into a cohesive ecosystem.
I’m here to help you bring all these pieces together into a brand where every word and pixel are carefully chosen to celebrate your vision and shine a spotlight on your expertise. Whether you’re rebranding, leveling up, or just fine-tuning, we can work together to create a brand that doesn’t just look the part but drives real growth and impact.
When you choose Cursor & Ink, you’re saying yes to:
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Nothing I do is surface-level. I take a comprehensive strategic view of your business that ties every branding decision back to your high-level objectives and vision. By getting to the heart of what drives you as a company, I uncover fresh insight and clarity that reaches beyond your brand to how you lead and make decisions everywhere.
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Your brand's words and visuals should never be created in isolation. Instead, I treat all aspects of your brand as a cohesive whole where each part supports the other. The result is a more consistent and comprehensive brand experience that's rich with meaning.
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I bring nearly 20 years' experience working with executives in government, not-for-profit, and the private sector to the table. You could hire a freelancer… or you could hire a strategic partner who can help you grow as a leader in your business, industry, and community.
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In a sea of sameness, I’ll help you stand out. I combine market and audience research with an in-depth process for understanding what makes you unique to develop a positioning strategy that sets you apart by playing to your strengths.
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Your brand needs room to grow, so I build with one foot in the present and one foot in the future. This allows your brand to evolve with you and take advantage of new opportunities without losing your core identity.
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Your experience with Cursor & Ink is as elevated as the brand we’ll create together. Everything is carefully designed to give you the personal attention, high-level expertise, and collaborative support you need as you prepare for the next stage of growth in your business.
Core values
AKA the beating heart of my brand (in less than 200 words)
Distilling core values is one of my favourite parts of every project. Here are mine.
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Envision possibility
Nothing lights me up like unlocking the full potential inside a project or idea and letting it soar. I combine optimism and big dreams with a down-to-earth focus on actually getting there, guiding your transformation into a more confident and elevated version of what was always there.
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Keep it personal
Everything about my work is about building genuine relationships with real people. I listen carefully, work collaboratively, and step into your shoes. That’s how I empower you to express your true self through your brand.
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Do it right
I don’t take shortcuts or cut corners. I think cookie cutters belong in your baking toolkit, not your marketing toolkit. I value clear processes as an efficient and deliberate path to better results, and I invest time, thought, and care into doing the best work possible the first time around.
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Forge your own path
I am fiercely independent and refuse to bow to the “shoulds” that come with so much marketing advice. I help you take thoughtful action on your own terms so you can enjoy the freedom that comes with building something that is uniquely you.
The speed-dating icebreaker questionnaire
What’s your personality type? INTJ, Enneagram 3, Strengths Finder Input / Strategic / Learner / Focus / Maximizer. Organized, practical, intellectual (okay okay nerdy). Lots of big sister energy.
Ideal “get work done” playlist? Anything classical, especially choral. Add in a good rainy day outside my window and I’m set.
Bucket list travel destination? Winter: German Christmas markets. Summer: Countryside Italian villa — ideally with a nonna in the neighbourhood to teach me the fine art of pasta making.
Fave podcast? I’m more of an audiobook person — I almost always have a mystery on the go — but love a good tech podcast while I’m making my morning coffee. The Vergecast is my current fave.
What do you collect? Cookbooks! 55 and counting… not including my Kindle library.
If you weren’t a brand strategist, what would you be doing? Teaching history and reading way too many biographies about Elizabeth I. (I already do the second TBH.)