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Meet your
pardners.

Brand work, built right. A Phoenix consultancy with a wide-open range.

Basically
everything
relating to
your brand.

One strategic partner. From the first good question to the last production detail.

Brand & marketing strategy

Positioning, naming, brand architecture, and go-to-market planning.

Visual identity & design

Logos, full identity systems, packaging, and environmental design.

Digital & web

Sites, microsites, user experience, build, launch, and ongoing optimization.

Social & content

Channel strategy, content systems, and community management.

Film & photography

Concept, production, direction, and post-production for stories that move.

Creative consulting

Embedded strategy and creative direction when you need it.

Strategy with
some swagger.

Giddy Up Strategies is a strategic branding and marketing consultancy serving real estate, hospitality, and lifestyle brands. From naming and websites to full-blown brand campaigns, we build ideas that last.

When a partnership is built on shared goals, mutual understanding, and a united purpose, the results can be nothing short of extraordinary.

25+Years elevating brands
B2B + B2CWe speak both fluently
Phoenix, AZBuilt in the desert. Working everywhere.

Good people.
Good company.

Nick Hower

Nick Hower

Owner & Founding Partner

As the founder of Giddy Up, Nick is most passionate about stretching the limits of the visual medium. An entrepreneur at heart, Nick is always looking for ways to push the boundaries of what technology can do for our clients. He is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that help businesses succeed in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing digital landscape. With a focus on creativity and collaboration, Nick has earned a reputation for excellence in our industry. When he’s not spending time with his wife Kristin, two kids, three dogs, two cats and their bird, he can be found fly-fishing a remote body of water somewhere in the Western Hemisphere.

Athena B.

Athena B.

Dir. Film & Social

Giddy Up’s goddess of extreme adventure, Athena has been preparing for a job in film and social media since she started making skateboard videos at 13 years old. Today, when she’s not rock climbing or snowboarding, she actually gets paid to assist in all aspects of digital strategy and implemenation – from camera operation and editing to posting for clients. A graduate of Grand Canyon University’s film school, Athena is living her dream, collaborating with other team members to relay our client’s brands.

Mike Griak

Mike Griak

Senior Strategist

After playing hockey at Harvard, Mike received his MBA from Boston College. As the strategic lead, Mike develops and maintains client relationships as he helps them achieve competitive advantages. He has lead strategy and marketing efforts for several master-planned real estate developments and legal cases for Giddy Up Strategies. Mike knows his game. He draws upon decades of industry experience to position brands with thought and intent. Nothing he does goes without consideration.

Brian Vance

Brian Vance

Senior Brand Manager

Brian brings perspective, a love of dogs, and two beautiful, healthy kiddos wherever you find him. He also mixes in a little organization, a joy to connect like-minded people, & a composition book & pen which keep him on task. Yes, paper & pen. Friends of his will tell you that when engaging in a conversation, structure your questions carefully as he is not a fan of short answers! However, he’s a keen listener & will keep your project & brand direction onpoint. And he makes homemade dog treats!

Katie Kasl

Katie Kasl

Graphic Designer & Web

Katie doesn’t just make things look good—she makes them unforgettable. A typography enthusiast and InDesign aficionado (seriously, she calls it her partner-in-crime), Katie brings a sharp eye and clever mind to every project she touches. Whether she’s crafting crisp brand identities, wrangling web layouts, or finessing packaging design with flair, she’s all about precision, wit, and visual impact.

Gillian Rae

Gillian Rae

Brand Coordinator & Photography

A multidisciplinary problem solver, with lots of graphic design insight to boot, you’ll be just as apt to find Gillian knee deep in a plethora of photoshop files and spreadsheets as you will to find her stocking her desk drawers with sharpies! And, if you thought the weekend was for relaxing, think again…as most weekends she’s capturing lifelong memories as a wedding photographer. This jill of all trades has been consulting and building out all aspects of brand identity since 2016. With her get ’er done work ethic, she brings the perfect storm of field experience as a creative in tandem with her love of communication to artistically push projects forward, and provide individualized solutions to partners.