Derrick Kwa
@derrickkwa
I’m a growth marketing strategist who turns category insights into measurable revenue and durable brand demand.
What I'm looking for
I’ve been in digital marketing for >10 years, building growth for both DTC and B2B. I work best when I have real ownership and autonomy, with clear goals to drive revenue and contribution margin.
My approach starts with understanding the market—category structure, buyer behavior, price perception, meaning & memory—so growth comes from owning the right spaces and building long-term demand. I’m equally comfortable in the data side (analytics, experimentation, cohort and contribution analysis) and the qualitative side (positioning, messaging, and the brand story).
I’ve led end-to-end growth strategy and execution for early-stage brands, often as the only marketer. Selected outcomes include helping Once Upon a Pancake scale ahead of acquisition by HarperCollins, and leading Sway Medical through acquisition by HealthyRoster.
Whether it’s acquisition, CRO, email, or measurement systems, I prioritize grounding decisions in market truths rather than standard playbooks. I bring tool flexibility and self-sufficient execution, so teams get momentum without unnecessary complexity.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Lead Account Strategist
Yamu Media
Jan 2024 - Present (2 years 4 months)
Led strategic growth for a portfolio of B2B SaaS and DTC startups, managing execution specialists and driving revenue and contribution margin improvements.
Performance Marketing & Growth Lead
Pink Orange Media
Jan 2022 - Jan 2024 (2 years)
Built acquisition and analytics infrastructure for international education brands, shifting focus toward efficiency and lead quality through experimentation and reporting.
Growth Consultant
Independent Consulting
Jan 2019 - Jan 2022 (3 years)
Provided growth strategy and execution for early-stage DTC and B2B teams, focusing on customer creation through positioning, lead-quality improvement, and downstream revenue tracking.
Fractional Growth Consultant
SocialStarters
Jan 2020 - Jan 2021 (1 year)
Advised and executed digital acquisition strategy for a social enterprise, focusing on practical growth execution and measurement-driven iteration.
Full-Funnel Growth Lead
Once Upon a Pancake
Jan 2019 - Jan 2020 (1 year)
Owned full-funnel digital growth strategy and execution for a DTC children’s education product, scaling revenue ahead of acquisition by HarperCollins.
Digital Marketing Manager
Beautonomy
Jan 2018 - Present (8 years 4 months)
Owned paid channels, CRO, email marketing, and influencer outreach for a high-growth consumer beauty marketplace.
Founder & Growth Consultant
Thousand True Fans
Built and ran a boutique growth consultancy focused on message and positioning to drive demand for early-stage businesses.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
University of Washington
Coursera 4-course Machine Learning specialization, Machine Learning
2017 -
Completed the Coursera Machine Learning 4-course specialization in 2017.
altMBA
altMBA program, Marketing
2015 -
Completed the altMBA program in 2015.
Coursera
Coursera course: Algorithms: Design and Analysis (Part 1), Algorithms
2013 -
Completed the Coursera course 'Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 1' in 2013.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Website
derrickkwa.comJob categories
Skills
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