Interview with Paige Velasquez Budde, Co-Founding Partner and CEO of Zilker Media

Paige Velasquez Budde is a veteran marketer, entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker.

She is a co-founding partner and the CEO of Zilker Media, an Austin-based agency that builds trusted companies and leaders. During her tenure as CEO, the Austin Business Journal has named Zilker Media one of the city’s fastest-growing companies as well as one of its best places to work, two years in a row. It has also been listed on Austin Inno’s list of “Coolest Companies.”

Paige is the author of the forthcoming book The Strategic Business Influencer: How to Build a Big Brand with a Small Budget (launching November 2025), which offers a research-backed framework to help business leaders create scalable, trust-based influence, even without big budgets. The book includes case studies from entrepreneurs across multiple industries and introduces Paige’s signature concept: the Influence ID.

She speaks to leaders about strategic business influence and people-driven marketing at many conferences and corporate events, including organizations such as Ernst & Young, JPMorgan Chase, Harvard Medical School, The University of Texas, Camp Gladiator, Entrepreneurs Organization, and the Women Presidents Organization. She delivered a TEDx Talk at the University of Texas Business School in March 2023. Her approach to people-driven marketing has been featured in media outlets such as Inc., Thrive Global, KevinMD, Texas CEO Magazine, Authority Magazine, Business News Daily, and Business.com.

She has led marketing campaigns and strategies for some of the world’s most recognized authorities. She has been named a finalist for the Austin Business Journal’s Women in Business and Austin Under 40.

Paige is passionate about community involvement and volunteers her time with several organizations. One is Texas Tower, a collegiate publicity organization for her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, where Paige teaches students about the PR and marketing industry. Paige loves spending time mentoring aspiring women entrepreneurs and leaders through programs like Kendra Scott’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at The University of Texas at Austin and ABBA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative. She is also a member of Entrepreneurs Organization, Women Presidents Organization, C12, and the Austin Business Journal BizWomen Leadership Council. She resides west of Austin in Dripping Springs with her husband, Jordan and son, Landry.

To learn more about her book and resources, visit www.paigevelasquezbudde.com
https://zilkermedia.com/

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