★ ORDER OF THE DAY: dutch bros annihilator, hot, whole milk (skim is lying) ★ DEADLIFT PR: 285 lb · 3 plates loading ★ ON FEET: stan smiths today, jordan 1 bred for fridays ★ CURRENTLY READING: shoe dog (again) ★ DALLAS → SEATTLE ★ NOW HIRING: me, by may 2026 ★ ORDER OF THE DAY: dutch bros annihilator, hot, whole milk (skim is lying) ★ DEADLIFT PR: 285 lb · 3 plates loading ★ ON FEET: stan smiths today, jordan 1 bred for fridays ★ CURRENTLY READING: shoe dog (again) ★ DALLAS → SEATTLE ★ NOW HIRING: me, by may 2026
SK SURBHI.
VOL. 09 · ISSUE 26 · MARKETING, WITH TASTE
★ DUTCH BROS APPROVED ★

STRATEGY
SERVED HOT.

I'm Surbhi Karn — marketer, MBA candidate, opinionated about coffee, sneakers, and category positioning. Probably in that order.

Surbhi Karn signature

// elsewhere

Surbhi Karn at the Tower of London COVER · SPRING '26 @ tower of london

Years shipping

9+

Deadlift PR

285lb

previously seen at

Amazon/ Myntra/ Henkel/ Workana/ SMU Cox

// § 01 — the story

Built in
fashion.
Sharpened
in tech.

I started in apparel production at NIFT, learned how a thing actually gets made, then crossed over into marketing where everything else is just storytelling on top of operations.

Myntra taught me Indian fashion at scale. Amazon taught me category strategy at brutal scale. Henkel taught me that even defense adhesives have a brand voice (it's "trust, but verify").

Now I'm at SMU Cox getting an MBA, because I want to run the room, not just decorate it.

The bit your recruiter wants: Hire me before May 2026 and I'll come cheap-ish. Nine years across DTC, marketplace, and B2B. Brand strategy, GTM, content systems, all of the above.

// § 02 — selected work

RECEIPTS,
NOT VIBES.

Numbers attached. Decks available on request.

// § 03 — opinions, unsolicited

FIVE THINGS I'LL
DIE ON THE HILL FOR.

№ 01

A bad product cannot be out-content'd.

№ 02

If your brand voice needs a guideline doc, it isn't one.

№ 03

Dutch Bros > Starbucks. The lesson is in the loyalty.

№ 04

Strength training fixes more KPIs than dashboards do.

№ 05

Stan Smiths are not a personality. But they help.

// § 04 — the personal stack

IN ROTATION.

DB DAILY

in rotation · coffee

Brewing.

  • · Dutch Bros · annihilator, hot, whole milk
  • · Hot >>> cold. Even in a Texas summer. End of debate.
  • · Skim milk is lying. Whole or nothing — Ron Swanson rules apply

on feet · sneakers

Walking.

  • · Stan Smiths · daily, the uniform
  • · Converse Chucks · under the bar (flat sole, fight me)
  • · Air Jordan 1 Bred · for friday and feeling things

under the bar · lifting

Pulling.

  • · DL 285 · SQ 215 · BP 135
  • · 5/3/1 with accessories
  • · Goal: 3 plates by graduation

// § 05 — contact

SEND A
REAL BRIEF.

No "quick chat to pick your brain". No "exposure". Bring a problem and I'll bring an opinion.