Mind Stone Marketing Group

What Mind Stone Marketing Group does

Mind Stone Marketing Group, LLC is a Tampa, Florida-based full-service marketing agency founded in September 2020 by Eric Blankenship, former Vice President of Marketing for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The firm is led by two principals — Blankenship (Founder & President) and Bill Abercrombie (Chief Revenue Officer, joined January 2021) — and delivers a broad portfolio of marketing services including fractional CMO leadership, marketing audits, brand development, strategic planning, advertising and media buying, promotions, public relations, digital marketing, digital media, social media, naming rights and entitlement negotiation, event sponsorships, business development, and athlete personal-brand management.

The agency's commercial offering is built on the founders' combined 50+ years of senior experience at sports, entertainment, and hospitality organizations (Tampa Bay Lightning, Amalie Arena, Ruth Eckerd Hall, The Heights District/Armature Works, Philadelphia 76ers via Comcast-Spectacor, Atlanta Hawks/Thrashers via Turner Sports). Underlying capabilities include proprietary marketing methodologies, data-driven audience targeting via customer profiling, traditional and digital media buying through negotiated media relationships, and direct access to sports/entertainment partnership inventory for naming rights and sponsorship deals. The firm does not disclose proprietary software, AI/ML tooling, or platform infrastructure; service delivery is consultant-led.

Mind Stone generates revenue primarily through professional-services engagements and fractional CMO retainers, with quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts (notably for naming rights and entitlement work). The go-to-market combines direct sales to enterprise sports, entertainment, and hospitality clients with relationship-based outreach to small, medium, and start-up businesses in the Tampa Bay area. The company is a privately held LLC with no disclosed institutional funding, and no parent company or subsidiaries; ownership is concentrated with the founders. Customers cited include the Tampa Bay Lightning, Amalie Arena, Ruth Eckerd Hall, The Heights District/Armature Works, Philadelphia 76ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, PDQ, Murphy Auto Group, OneTeam Partners, The Florida Aquarium, Florida Theatre, Freedom Boat Club of Tampa Bay, and others.

Name

Mind Stone Marketing Group

Legal name

Mind Stone Marketing Group, LLC

Website

https://mindstonemarketing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mind Stone Marketing Group is a Tampa, Florida-based full-service marketing agency founded in 2020, offering fractional CMO, brand development, digital marketing, sports marketing, and naming rights services to small, medium, and start-up businesses as well as sports, entertainment, and hospitality clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Fractional CMO Services: Part-time executive marketing leadership provided to businesses needing strategic direction without full-time CMO commitment. Revenue generated through ongoing consulting engagements.
2. Marketing Consulting & Contract Services: Project-based and contract services including marketing audits, brand development, strategic planning, advertising, promotions, PR, digital marketing, and social media management.
3. Sports Marketing: Services leveraging sports properties for brand promotion, including naming rights, event sponsorships, and athlete marketing partnerships.
4. Business Development: Strategic partnership facilitation using vast network of industry relationships to connect clients with key decision-makers.
5. Media Buying & Advertising: Traditional media planning (print, radio, television, outdoor) combined with digital advertising execution, leveraging media relationships for favorable pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Mind Stone Marketing Group is a full-service marketing agency that delivers fractional CMO services and an integrated suite of marketing consulting and contract services, including brand development, strategic planning, advertising and media buying, promotions, public relations, digital marketing, digital media, and social media. The firm also provides sports marketing capabilities such as naming rights and entitlement negotiations, event sponsorships, and athlete personal brand management, alongside business development services that leverage deep industry relationships to connect clients with strategic partners.

Product overview

Mind Stone Marketing Group is a full-service marketing agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of marketing services. The core offering centers on Fractional CMO services, providing executive-level marketing leadership to small, medium, and start-up businesses. The agency delivers an integrated suite of services including brand development, strategic planning, digital marketing (encompassing digital media, social media, and digital advertising), advertising and media buying, promotions, public relations, and sports marketing (including naming rights, event sponsorships, and athlete marketing). Business development services round out the offering, leveraging deep industry relationships to connect clients with strategic partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fractional CMO Executive-level marketing leadership provided on a fractional basis, creating strategic plans, recruiting talent, and developing programs without full-time commitment. Designed for small, medium, and start-up businesses that need senior marketing direction but cannot justify or afford a full-time CMO hire.
• Sports Marketing Sports marketing partnership design and execution that uses founder relationships and industry insights to maximize partnership value for brands. For brands seeking to leverage sports properties, teams, and venues for marketing ROI.
• Business Development Strategic partnership development leveraging a network of industry relationships to connect clients with key partners for brand elevation. Aimed at businesses seeking growth through strategic relationships rather than purely through marketing spend.
• Marketing Audit Review and analysis of a client's marketing strategies, programs, and initiatives to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Typically used as an entry-point engagement for new clients.
• Brand Development Development of brand strategy beyond name and logo to create a distinctive brand identity that resonates with target customers. For businesses seeking a stronger brand foundation and positioning.
• Strategic Planning Comprehensive marketing planning to stabilize the business, develop new programs, and position the client for future growth.
• Advertising & Media Buying Media planning and buying across traditional channels including print, radio, television, outdoor, and unique executions, leveraging media relationships for negotiated rates.
• Promotions Promotion activations designed to amplify marketing messages and drive awareness, engagement, and revenue.
• Public Relations Strategic storytelling and media relations leveraging relationships across media outlets to generate publicity for client brands.
• Digital Marketing Digital and social advertising, search engine marketing, email marketing, and SMS programs designed to drive online business impact.
• Digital Media Website development and optimization services including Google certification, ADA compliance, and mobile optimization.
• Social Media Social media strategy and management serving as the voice for brands to engage fans and drive conversions.
• Naming Rights & Entitlement Naming rights and entitlement partnership negotiation services for major revenue-impact opportunities, including multi-year partnerships. Targeted at venues, teams, and brands seeking high-value entitlement deals.
• Event Sponsorships Event sponsorship development providing direct revenue and amplification of marketing efforts through strategic partner alignment.
• Athlete Marketing Personal brand management services for professional athletes that leverage combined background in sports, marketing, and brand partnerships to build athlete brands, create partnerships, and generate incremental revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tampa Bay Lightning exceeded revenue expectations every year during Eric Blankenship's tenure as VP of Marketing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BrandtminorOthersBrandt is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page. Nature of partnership not specified in detail.
• Coloosa Sound AmphitheaterminorOthersColoosa Sound Amphitheater is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Faces of South TampaminorOthersFaces of South Tampa is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Freedom Boat Club of Tampa BayminorOthersFreedom Boat Club of Tampa Bay is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• The Fulfillment LabminorOthersThe Fulfillment Lab is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• The Motor EnclaveminorOthersThe Motor Enclave is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Murphy Auto GroupminorOthersMurphy Auto Group is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• OneTeam PartnersminorOthersOneTeam Partners is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• PDQminorOthersPDQ is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• PulseminorOthersPulse is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Secure SolutionsminorOthersSecure Solutions is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Xochitl Cocina MexicanaminorOthersXochitl Cocina Mexicana is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• Florida TheatreminorOthersFlorida Theatre is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.
• The Florida AquariumminorOthersThe Florida Aquarium is listed as a partner/client of Mind Stone Marketing Group on the Partners page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LYFE Marketing: LYFE Marketing is a digital and social media marketing agency focused on small and medium businesses, offering strategy and execution across social, content, and paid digital. Its SMB-centric, full-service delivery model closely mirrors Mind Stone's smaller-business segment.
• Hawke Media: Hawke Media is a California-based full-service marketing agency that offers fractional CMO and outsourced marketing services to SMBs and mid-market companies. Its model — recurring executive marketing leadership plus integrated execution across digital, social, and brand — most closely mirrors Mind Stone's full-service, fractional-CMO-led offering.
• New Breed Marketing: New Breed Marketing is a full-service B2B marketing agency serving mid-market clients with strategy, demand generation, digital, and content capabilities. Its target buyer (mid-market companies seeking outsourced marketing leadership) and integrated service model overlap heavily with Mind Stone's mid-market segment.
• Chief Outsiders: Chief Outsiders is a nationwide network of fractional CMOs serving growth-stage and mid-market companies. Its core offering — part-time executive marketing leadership — is the most direct comparable to Mind Stone's flagship Fractional CMO service, and it competes for the same buyer profile.
• SmartBug Media: SmartBug Media is a full-service inbound marketing agency serving mid-market B2B and B2C companies, with capabilities across brand, content, PR, digital, and web. Like Mind Stone, it positions integrated strategy-plus-execution for companies that need senior marketing leadership without a full in-house team.

Broad incumbents

• 160over90: 160over90 is a full-service creative and cultural marketing agency with deep sports and entertainment credentials, including work with NCAA, NFL, and major brands. Its sports/experiential focus and brand strategy capabilities overlap with Mind Stone's sports marketing practice, though it operates nationally at much larger scale.
• VaynerMedia: VaynerMedia is a large global digital-first agency offering brand strategy, creative, media, and social across consumer and sports clients. It competes for the same sports/entertainment and SMB-to-enterprise buyers but at a substantially larger scale than Mind Stone.
• Octagon: Octagon is a global sports marketing agency owned by IPG that represents brands, athletes, and properties across sponsorship, naming rights, and experiential. It operates in the same sports marketing partnership and naming rights space as Mind Stone, but at significantly larger scale and global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MindStoneMarket
• Facebookfacebook.com/MindStoneMarketing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mindstonemarketing
• Instagraminstagram.com/mindstonemarketing
• Pinterestpinterest.com/MindStoneMarketing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mind Stone Marketing Group