Steel Meets Steele
From ancient metallurgy to modern skyscrapers, steel has shaped human civilization. Though globalization challenged the American steel industry, innovations in sustainable steel production ensure its resilience, keeping it at the core of modern infrastructure and design.
Steele Marketing Strategies was forged out of a desire to solve complex challenges in crafting sustainable marketing strategies for scaling companies specializing in the built environment. Our clients’ unique goals lead our purpose, always resulting in strong, resilient plans, built-to-suit.
But for us, steel(e) is more than just a material—it’s a mentality. It digs deeper, bearing personal and familial resonances. Put simply—it’s our soul word. This small but mighty word encapsulates an unwavering mentality, approach, and an essential way of being.
Strength Forged in Love
Courtney Olson, Founder + President
My Grammy was the definition of a proper lady. She carried herself with grace, always dressed to impress, with her hair perfectly styled, makeup just right, and beautiful jewelry to complete the look. She was traditional, believed a woman should be "ladylike," and she tried her best to instill that in me. But I was a tomboy—more comfortable in athletic sweats than in pearls, more interested in running around outside than in perfecting my posture.
We loved each other deeply, but there was always a quiet gap between us, an unspoken understanding that we saw the world through different lenses. I think, in many ways, she didn’t fully see or understand me, just as I didn’t fully see or understand her. Love was never the question—there was plenty of that—but we both carried a layer of protection around ourselves, keeping parts of who we were tucked away.
That changed in her final days.
I sat beside her in the hospital as doctors moved in and out, weighing options and treatments, offering plans for "next steps." But Grammy had already made up her mind—she was done with treatments. She had decided, for herself and no one else, that it was time to rest, to be at peace. It was the strongest, bravest decision I had personally ever seen her make, and I was in awe of her.
As we talked, she asked me about my life—my work, my passions, the career I had built. And then, in a moment so raw and real, she looked at me with awe and said, "You have balls of steel, Courtie.”
I laughed—not just because hearing those words from her was so unexpected, but because in that moment, we saw each other, fully and completely, for the first time. The walls we had both carried for years fell away.
When it was time to say goodbye, I kissed her exposed collarbone and whispered, "You have balls, Grammy. And I am so proud of you."
She smiled. "...of steel, right?"
I smiled back. "Of steel."
That moment stays with me. Steel isn’t just a material. It’s strength, resilience, and the courage to stand in your truth. It’s my Grammy. It’s me.
I carry her with me every day—the words “of steel” tattooed in her handwriting on my collarbone, the same place I kissed her goodbye. My horse, Steele Lynne, bears her name. And Steele Marketing? It’s built with that same spirit. A relentless pursuit of strength, of resilience, of standing tall in who we are.
Because at Steele, we don’t just build marketing strategies. We forge them. With courage. With conviction.
With steel.
Built by Steel, Defined by Resilience
Victoria Michalski, Head of Creative
Upon arriving in America between the 1870s to 1890s, my dad’s side of the family landed directly in Chicago’s South Chicago neighborhood. Barring a short farming stint that played out in Michigan for his maternal grandfather, our family had been nurtured solely by this close-knit Polish neighborhood. For them this meant: living within walking distance of your whole family, be it a single floor or a block away (for better or worse); speaking Polish with a Chicago-native flair, but learning the basics of English from the young set of sisters on a stoop a few doors away (as a fifth generation American, I’m the first within my dad’s direct lineage to have English as a first language); celebrating weddings at the hall around the corner; walking down the block to St. Michaels or Immaculate Conception for mass every Sunday (whichever the current apartment was closest to); and taking the train to the Loop for whatever busy-ness Busia was getting herself into that day (and it was always something with her, in the very best way)--all thriving on the neighborhood’s seemingly reliable economic backbone of the robust steel industry, the epicenter of which was just four blocks to the east in Chicago’s South Works. My great-grandfather began work at this site when it was still known as Carnegie Steel, prior to becoming US Steel. My grandfather worked at LTV Steel, further south. Our family and their community was upheld by the industry for nearly a century. By the time it became my dad’s turn to enter the trade in the early ‘70s, time and opportunities were about to become limited.
When he was six, my dad’s family moved 60 blocks south and a world away, to Calumet City, just as he was starting school. Moving to the suburbs from such a heavily Polish neighborhood, he had an uphill battle: he was only truly fluent in Polish. Stemming from his struggle and the of-the-time beliefs that surrounded his educational experience, to this day, my dad will falsely equate academic prowess with intelligence, often downplaying the unique breed of thrifty intelligence he does have. Give him a problem and within five minutes he’ll have brilliantly rigged together a broom handle, five paper clips, some random piece of crap only he would get off of Amazon, and that other seemingly useless thing that he was so lucky to have found two days ago to solve it. He’ll be beaming for weeks (currently, he has a story about scheming a way to save a bird that fell into a hollowed-out column, thoroughly impressing his neighbors).
Similarly, when you talk to my dad about welding, he gets passionate. Growing up, I couldn’t tell you a thing about steel or welding, but when my dad would talk about something he used to fabricate, the tone shift was so distinct it left an imprint. With a torch in hand, he was artful and brilliant. He was on a career path that matched the inner workings of his brain. To this day he’ll point to heavy machinery on the back of a passing semi and tell you what it is and how he used to build parts of it. With less than 10 years of experience in his field, he was the single, dedicated production unit working for an independent contractor where he was left to assemble teams of his colleagues and manage complex projects, like retrofitting Hummers for Desert Storm. At one job he welded while standing in two feet of water— it really doesn’t get more metal than that.
But all of these, among several other diverse opportunities, were packed into just over a decade of his career as his industry destabilized and layoffs were rampant— oh, and welding in water isn’t just metal, it’s dangerous. Throughout the ‘80s, my dad took what jobs he could get: bakeries, dealing antiquities among his buddies, the random welding job. He became a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, making the best out of the current job market, trying to return home daily with his health intact, dodging work with toxic materials and sullenly, but intelligently walking off of sites that posed dangerous conditions upon arrival. By the ‘90s, he finally found consistency with a building maintenance job that allowed him to take on welding assignments on an ad hoc basis, which he held until he retired. And the days he returned to his passion were always the best to hear about.
My dad’s history stands at the crossroads of my passion for artful thinking, resilient problem-solving, and the built environment—qualities that define not just my own perspective, but the foundation of Steele Marketing Strategies. Just like steel itself, great marketing isn’t just about strength—it’s about knowing how to withstand pressure without breaking.
At Steele, we build strategies the way my dad approached his work—with craftsmanship, ingenuity, and the ability to flex when necessary, all while staying true to the core of what makes a brand strong. Because resilience isn’t just a survival trait—it’s a competitive advantage. And like the way steel shaped my family’s history, we create marketing strategies that are built to endure.
Steel Is More Than Metal—It’s Mindset
Brandon Rousseau, Head of Digital
Strength in Adaptability
Steel is strong, but its true power lies in its ability to endure—bending under pressure without breaking, withstanding the elements, and adapting to the needs of the world around it. The same is true for people. Resilience isn’t just about being unyielding; it’s about knowing when to flex, adjust, and push forward in new ways.
Living Resilience
For me, resilience isn’t just a professional philosophy; it’s personal. Living with Usher’s Syndrome—a condition that affects both hearing and vision—has meant navigating a world that isn’t always designed for me. It requires adaptation, problem-solving, and a willingness to forge my own path. From anticipating obstacles to adapting how I navigate different environments, I’ve had to develop a mindset that doesn’t just accept challenges but transforms them into strengths.
That same mindset has shaped my approach to marketing and business strategy. Just as I’ve had to continuously adjust to an ever-changing environment, businesses must also be willing to evolve. Those that resist change, that remain rigid in the face of shifting markets, risk obsolescence. The strongest brands, like steel, are built to flex and withstand whatever pressures come their way.
The Intersection of Strength and Strategy
In my career, I’ve seen firsthand how businesses struggle when they hold too tightly to outdated strategies. I’ve also seen how they thrive when they embrace adaptability. Whether it’s rethinking a digital strategy, repositioning a brand, or navigating industry disruption, the key to long-term success is a mindset that embraces resilience.
A strong marketing strategy isn’t just about today; it’s about ensuring a brand is still standing, still relevant, and still thriving years from now. That’s why at Steele Marketing, we don’t just build marketing plans—we forge them with the same strength and adaptability that has allowed steel to stand the test of time.
Forged to Last
Strength isn’t about being unbreakable—it’s about knowing how to bend, adapt, and rebuild. In business, in marketing, and in life, it’s not just about withstanding pressure; it’s about using it to become something stronger. Like steel, resilience isn’t just about surviving; it’s about enduring, evolving, and thriving.
At Steele, we embody that mindset—because we are made of steel(e).
