Meet James Kaatz

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Kaatz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My wife and I have an autistic daughter. Anyone with an autistic child understands that when it comes to mealtime, it’s a little bit extra challenging. There were only about 3 places in the world that we could all eat without going to battle and one of those was a local restaurant here in Houston named the Houston Texans Grill. It was in the City Centre shopping area.

After getting off of work one day, we decided we’d head over there and grab a bite to eat. As we were going up the stairs our daughter, who was about 10 at the time, ran to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. My wife and I eventually caught up to her and we saw the sign on the door that said “Thank you for the last 5 years, we’ve gone out of business”.

So our daughter being young didn’t exactly understand why they went out of business so we had to start explaining economics to her. As we went somewhere else to eat, my wife and I kept asking why it went out of business. They had everything that should make a restaurant successful. They had a great space, great food, and a great bar. They even had one of the Texans come in every Tuesday for a live radio remote. As we continued talking, we figured it out…they had a lack of marketing.

My wife and I each had over 10 years of marketing experience at that point and we started discussing how we could have potentially been able to help that restaurant stay open by applying the principles we were doing for other corporations at that time.

It was at that moment that we decided to open our own marketing business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I co-founded an award-winning full-service media and marketing company that is based in the Vintage Park area of Houston. We take an incredible amount of pride in helping to drive revenue for companies through high-quality digital marketing.

What sets Illumination Marketing apart is our commitment to integrity, quality, and transformative growth both within the organization and in the broader community. We believe in transparency and accountability to know where every dollar goes and how much it makes back.

Every decision and action at Illumination Marketing is influenced by a strong set of core values, including integrity, quality, and education, ensuring that each client receives not only expert-level service but a partnership based on honesty, sincerity, and innovation.

Where we got to today was not easy, but built by doing the small things with amazing consistency. The biggest lesson that we’ve learned is that if you believe, you can accomplish anything. There will always be ups and downs, but that’s what makes you appreciate the journey.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The itinerary would be a vibrant mix of culture, cuisine, and outdoor adventures, showcasing the best the city has to offer. Start the week with a visit to the Houston Space Center for a glimpse into the cosmos, followed by a leisurely afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts. Enjoy a concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion and maybe even a hike through one of the Houston parks.

For dinner, enjoy the diverse culinary scene with Tex-Mex at Ambriza and authentic sushi from Uchi. Finish the week off with a steak from Taste of Texas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife, Angela, is the whole reason that we are in the position we’re in today. It was her drive and dedication to helping the community that was the catalyst for us beginning our business. Nothing would have happened without her and we wouldn’t have impacted 100’s of businesses over the last several years without her.

Website: https://www.marketingillumination.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/marketingillumination

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketingillumination/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mktillumination

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marketingillumination

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/illumination-marketing-houston

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/illuminationmarketing

Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pw8bKPRjjPpc8TCD6

Image Credits
The Illumination Marketing team.