Leslie Klenke

Leslie Klenke joined the Entrepreneur’s Center (EC) as Director of Marketing in 2023 after running a thriving marketing consulting business for the past six years. 

Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Leslie has over 20 years of creative experience under her belt. Before she transitioned into marketing, she received an AAS in Visual Communications from Sinclair Community College and a BS in Visual Communication Technology with a minor in Entrepreneurship from Bowling Green State University. Shortly after college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she was an Art Director for an apparel company.

Leslie made her first career pivot after receiving a book deal. She proudly wrote and designed her first book, Paleo Girl. After managing all of her own marketing and press following the book’s release, she caught the attention of her publisher, who offered her a position as the Director of Marketing & PR for their parent company, Primal Nutrition Inc. The company soon started developing a condiment line known as Primal Kitchen, which sparked her love of consumer packaged goods (CPG) food brands.

As a member of the founding and pre-acquisition Primal Kitchen team, Leslie was connected to countless CPGs, startups, and industry leaders who were seeking out her marketing support. She relocated to Austin, Texas—a hub for food startups—and her marketing consulting business, ONE11 Consulting, essentially started itself.

By the end of 2020, she returned to the Gem City. Passionate about entrepreneurship and her hometown, Leslie couldn’t be more grateful to have found a home at the EC. She’s eager to expand the EC’s reach to positively impact more Dayton startups and small businesses.