Urina Harrell was still a teenager when she began laying the foundation for what would eventually become Vox Pop Branding. At 19, while studying psychology and neuroscience at Duke University and balancing the demands of being a student-athlete, she found herself drawn toward a different kind of future — one that blended creativity, human behavior, and real-world impact.
Marketing quickly emerged as the natural intersection of those interests. But from the beginning, Urina saw it as more than a business function. She understood its influence — how it has propelled cultural movements, shaped public perception, and defined the trajectory of organizations for better and for worse. If she was going to build a career in this space, she wanted to do it with intention.
That philosophy became the backbone of Vox Pop Branding, named after the Latin phrase vox populi, or “voice of the people.”
“Marketing has been behind every good and bad movement,” she says. “I wanted to help brands grow in a way that leaves the audience better than you found them — whether they buy or not.”
Even launching the company required unusual resolve. At the time, college athletes were not permitted to profit from their personal brand, meaning Urina couldn’t pursue paid opportunities under her own name without risking her athletic benefits. Instead of waiting for the rules to change, she registered her business and moved forward.
What could have been a constraint became an early signal of the kind of founder she would become — pragmatic, forward-looking, and unwilling to postpone momentum.
A Path That Was Always Pointing Toward Ownership
Entrepreneurship was never a reaction to circumstance; it was something Urina had long imagined for herself. Growing up, she watched her mother excel professionally, often stepping into responsibilities that mirrored entrepreneurship without the autonomy that typically accompanies it. The lesson was subtle but lasting: proximity to opportunity is not the same as possessing it.
After earning her master’s degree in marketing abroad, she entered the workforce with a dual focus. By day, she pursued corporate roles that would sharpen her expertise. Outside of work, she continued building Vox Pop — what she now describes as her “9-to-5 entrepreneur” phase.
A later role at Walmart proved especially formative, offering a behind-the-scenes view of how buyers evaluate brands and make large-scale decisions. The experience refined her strategic thinking, but it also clarified something she had begun to suspect: meaningful change often moves faster inside smaller, more agile organizations.
When the moment came to choose where to invest her full energy, the decision felt less like a risk and more like an inevitability. Vox Pop wasn’t simply a side venture anymore — it was the work she wanted to be known for.
Refining the Vision
As the agency matured, so did Urina’s understanding of where her work could create the greatest impact.
Early on, Vox Pop partnered directly with small business owners. Over time, she recognized an opportunity to operate at a higher level of leverage. By collaborating with accelerators and foundations — organizations already supporting networks of entrepreneurs — her team could extend meaningful marketing resources to entire communities at once.
“We realized the best way to support small business owners was often through the groups already serving them.”
Another unexpected lane soon emerged. Through a series of relationships and projects, the agency stepped further into the world of sports, supporting professional athletes, contributing to foundation initiatives, and helping execute brand activations tied to some of the industry’s largest events.
Yet what stands out in conversation with Urina is not proximity to celebrity but her continued curiosity about the craft itself. She speaks less about who is in the room and more about observing how audiences engage, how brands create memorable experiences, and what ultimately drives connection.
Even at larger stages, her posture remains that of a student of the discipline.
Learning to Be Seen
For much of her career, Urina allowed the work to speak for itself. She spent years developing strategy, leading campaigns, and producing results without broadcasting her role in the process.
Eventually, she realized that visibility is not vanity — it is part of leadership.
“I felt like I had put my 10,000 hours in,” she says. “Finally vocalizing the work is what has placed me in these rooms.”
That shift quietly altered her trajectory. Speaking engagements, partnerships, and new opportunities began to follow, often originating from the simplest interactions.
Her advice to other founders is straightforward: talk to people. Not transactionally, but openly. Some of her most meaningful professional relationships have begun with everyday conversations — the kind that are easy to overlook but powerful in their cumulative effect.
Opportunity, she has learned, often begins with something as small as saying hello.
Building a Business but Not Building It Alone
Starting her business young meant learning many of entrepreneurship’s hardest lessons in real time. As Vox Pop expanded, so did the operational demands behind it — estimated taxes, payroll, and compliance quickly grew more complex than she had anticipated.
For a long time, Urina assumed this was simply part of running a business alone. Professional financial support felt like something reserved for companies much larger than hers.
After quietly considering Collective for some time, she decided to take a closer look. What immediately stood out was how closely the experience mirrored her own — founders navigating similar challenges and building with the same level of intention.
“Understanding the benefits of an S Corp alone paid for itself in the first conversation,” she says.
With payroll, financial visibility, and ongoing guidance consolidated in one place, the shift was immediate. The business became more efficient, but just as importantly, she gained the clarity to focus on growth rather than administration.
“Since signing up with Collective, my business has become more efficient,” she says. “Without it, we probably wouldn’t be doing as well.”
The experience ultimately reframed how she thinks about support, not as an expense, but as an investment in sustainability.
“I’m a solopreneur, but I’m not alone,” she says. “If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together.”
Growing Into the Size of the Dream
When asked what guidance she would offer her younger self, Urina doesn’t point to a single tactical decision. Instead, she reflects on scale.
“It saves you in the long run to think about your wildest dreams and build like you’re going to make them happen,” she says.
At 19, her ambitions were real — but even then, she hadn’t fully grasped how expansive they might become. Much of her recent growth has involved increasing the agency’s capacity to meet opportunities that once felt distant.
Today, as Vox Pop Branding continues to expand its reach across industries and platforms, that mindset shapes every strategic decision. Growth is no longer something to react to; it is something to prepare for.
Ownership, after all, is not just about starting — it is about building something resilient enough to evolve alongside your vision.
About Vox Pop Branding
Founded while Urina Harrell was still a student-athlete, Vox Pop Branding is a purpose-driven marketing agency dedicated to amplifying brands, foundations, and athlete initiatives. Grounded in the belief that marketing should positively influence communities, the agency blends strategy, psychology, and creativity to help organizations grow with intention.
About Collective
Collective is the first back-office platform designed for solopreneurs. We help business owners like Urina run their financial back-end, formation, bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes, all in one place.
Join Collective and simplify your business like Urina did: https://www.collective.com/
Ready to focus on what you do best while experts handle your business back-office? Learn how Collective can support your entrepreneurial journey at collective.com.
With over eight years in public accounting, Marissa has worked closely with small business owners to navigate tax strategy and compliance. At Collective, she translates complex tax concepts for self-employed individuals into clear, practical content—supporting them on their tax journey so they feel informed, confident, and empowered to make decisions for their business.