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Built from real consulting work with teams that know how to execute.
Marketing Frameworks Built on 20+ Years of Strategy
Small businesses and nonprofits face a marketing problem: scattered channels, unclear ownership, and no shared language across teams. The Marketer’s Compass solves this by breaking marketing into five interconnected areas—Core, Character, Community, Channels, and Conversion—giving you a framework to diagnose what’s broken and build systems that work.
We also offer consulting services for organizations ready to implement these frameworks with expert guidance. And for those starting alone, our ELPs provide step-by-step implementations you can do at your own pace.
who i am & how this started
My name is Felipe Carreras. In 2022, I left a career in digital strategy and transformation to start Steps & Stops. I wanted to work directly with small business owners and nonprofits doing meaningful work but stretched thin on marketing.
What I discovered quickly: nonprofits especially needed something prescriptive. Not theory. Not trends. Actionable, high-performing systems for teams without dedicated marketing staff.
That insight led to the Marketer's Compass—a framework that organizes marketing strategy into manageable pieces. It's built from 20+ years leading digital transformations and working with teams from Google, Adobe, and Amazon. I've seen what works across industries. This framework distills that into something any team can use.
In 2024, I published "Steps & Stops: Modern Methods and Timeless Tools for Building Your Success." The book introduces the Steps & Stops Strategy and Five Flames Model—foundational frameworks for personal and organizational growth. They work alongside the Marketer's Compass. Strong fundamentals outlast trends. Everything I build starts from the same conviction: real systems beat hacks every time.
Why Trust Us?
What set Felipe apart was not just his marketing expertise—it was his ability to balance structure with soul. He gave us tools to be more consistent and strategic, while always reminding us to lead with empathy, humanity, and mission.
We’ve tested these frameworks in the real consulting room—not in theory, but against actual marketing challenges working with thought leaders. We’ve also learned what doesn’t work by spending tens of thousands on systems that promised everything and delivered nothing but “shelf esteem”. What we built here is the opposite of those empty promises.
Our experience in digital and marketing strategy wasn’t one track on repeat. It was a slew of different problems faced and resolved, each one teaching us what actually works when the pressure’s on. That’s what you get: frameworks built on skepticism, not motivational hype.
Whether you’re fixing what’s broken, building what’s missing, or leading teams through the chaos—this is practical discipline, not social media theater.