Chris Essey currently holds several leadership and advisory roles across marketing, enterprise digital strategy, and community initiatives:
Founder & Digital Marketing Consultant, Essey Marketing
Leading a strategy-first digital marketing agency serving clients nationwide.
Digital Brand Strategist & Web Consultant, Nationwide
Supporting enterprise digital modernization, SEO, UX, and performance initiatives.
Director of Marketing & Business Development, 3Rivers General Contracting
Leading brand strategy and growth for a luxury residential and commercial contractor.
Chief Marketing Officer & Co-Owner, Active Cities
Driving long-term growth and engagement for a national active-lifestyle platform.
Writing is a foundational part of Chris Essey’s work and identity. Through newsletters and long-form essays, he explores marketing strategy, Stoic philosophy, leadership, resilience, and intentional living. His writing is grounded in real-world experience and designed to help readers think more clearly, make better decisions, and approach work and life with greater purpose.
Chris is the founder and author of Stoic Saturdays, a weekly newsletter dedicated to translating ancient Stoic philosophy into practical guidance for modern professionals. The platform has grown into a widely read publication with thousands of readers and has led to speaking engagements, university lectures, and a forthcoming book.
He also publishes the Essey Marketing newsletter, focused on digital strategy and sustainable growth, and Digital Marketing for Students, a weekly educational newsletter designed to simplify marketing fundamentals for early-career professionals. In addition, Chris writes long-form essays on Medium under Wilderness Within, exploring meaning, nature, mortality, and the inner life.
Philanthropy and service are integral to how Chris defines success. Through Essey Marketing, a portion of all revenue is dedicated to nonprofit organizations, scholarships, and community initiatives. His philanthropic focus includes environmental conservation, education, addiction recovery, and community access to outdoor spaces.
Chris supports and partners with organizations such as The Gwen Does Stuff Project, Right Track Addiction Services, and a range of environmental and educational initiatives. He also leads and contributes to community programs, scholarships, and volunteer efforts designed to create measurable, long-term impact rather than performative giving.
Guided by a Triple Bottom Line philosophy—People, Planet, Profit—Chris views business as one of the most powerful tools available for positive change when used intentionally and responsibly.
Chris Essey is a marketer, strategist, and entrepreneur focused on helping organizations grow in ways that are sustainable, thoughtful, and grounded in purpose. His work spans enterprise digital strategy, founder-led growth, writing, mentorship, and philanthropy, with a consistent emphasis on clarity over complexity and long-term outcomes over short-term wins.
Over the past decade, Chris has worked across a wide range of organizations, from Fortune 100 enterprises to early-stage startups, nonprofits, and community initiatives. His experience includes digital strategy, search engine optimization, content development, enterprise website modernization, UX optimization, and brand positioning. While the scale of his work varies, his approach remains consistent: understand the business first, align strategy with real goals, and build systems that earn trust and compound over time.
Chris is the Founder of Essey Marketing, a Pittsburgh-based digital marketing agency built on a strategy-first philosophy. Since its founding, the agency has worked with more than 80 clients nationwide, helping organizations grow through SEO, content strategy, website development, and full-funnel digital marketing. Essey Marketing is also defined by its commitment to social responsibility, dedicating a portion of all revenue to nonprofit organizations, scholarships, and community initiatives, with a strong focus on environmental conservation and education.
In addition to agency leadership, Chris serves as a Digital Brand Strategist and Web Consultant at Nationwide, where he helps guide enterprise-level digital initiatives. His work includes large-scale website migrations, SEO and content modernization, performance optimization, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, technology, compliance, and business teams. This role allows him to operate at enterprise scale while remaining grounded in execution and measurable impact.
Chris also leads Marketing and Business Development at 3Rivers General Contracting, a Southwestern Pennsylvania firm specializing in luxury residential and commercial renovations. There, he focuses on brand positioning, digital strategy, lead quality, and long-term growth. He is also the Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Owner of Active Cities, a national platform promoting active lifestyles and community engagement through sports and recreation.
Writing is a central part of Chris’s work. He is the founder and author of Stoic Saturdays, a weekly newsletter translating ancient Stoic philosophy into practical insight for modern life and leadership. He also publishes marketing education and long-form personal essays through additional newsletters and Medium, exploring topics such as purpose, resilience, work, and intentional living.
Beyond his professional roles, Chris is deeply committed to mentorship and service. He mentors students and early-career professionals through universities and industry organizations, focusing on practical skills, strategic thinking, and confidence-building. He views mentorship, philanthropy, and responsible business practices as essential components of meaningful success.
©2026 Chris Essey | Essey Marketing