During her senior year at Molloy University, Kate Williams ’20 was already doing the kind of work many marketing students hope to land after graduation, helping shape the strategy behind a growing consumer product brand.
What began as hands-on work with a startup venture soon evolved into an opportunity to help grow Powerizer, a mineral-based cleaning product connected to Max Apel, the inventor behind the household cleaning brand OxiClean. For Williams, stepping into that role so early in her career meant learning quickly, adapting often, and applying the marketing and business skills she had developed during her time at Molloy.
Williams originally chose Molloy’s marketing program because of its broad range of courses and the collaborative structure of the Business Honors Program. Moving through many classes with the same cohort created an environment that often felt closer to a professional setting than a traditional classroom.
“Because you move through much of the program with the same group of students, you’re constantly collaborating and building on ideas together,” she said. “It starts to feel a lot like a real workplace environment.”
That sense of collaboration extended into some of the program’s most hands-on academic experiences. One project that left a lasting impression was her Capstone course, where students partnered with a nonprofit organization looking to modernize parts of its operations. Williams’ team focused on redesigning the organization’s website, an experience that later proved directly relevant to her career.
Since graduating, she has redesigned and managed several websites through business ventures and consulting work, often relying on the same foundational principles she first applied during that Capstone project.
“Molloy really emphasized understanding the bigger picture behind marketing,” Williams said. “It’s not just about creative ideas. It’s messaging, consistency, understanding your audience, and adapting as the industry changes.”
Another key takeaway from her time at Molloy was learning how to balance creativity with analytics. The program’s mix of creative marketing projects and more technical coursework helped her develop a mindset she now uses daily in digital marketing and e-commerce.
“The program really encouraged that balance,” she said. “I’m constantly switching between creative thinking and data-driven decision making.”
Perhaps most importantly, Williams says Molloy helped build the confidence she needed to step into real-world business opportunities early in her career.
“The biggest takeaway for me was confidence,” she said. “You’re never going to know everything in business, but Molloy helped me trust my ability to figure things out.”
That mindset proved valuable when she began working at HomePlace, a venture focused on sourcing and selling household products. The experience gave her the opportunity to apply her marketing skills in real time, shaping branding, messaging, and how products connected with consumers.
Through industry relationships built over many years, including a connection with Apel, the inventor of OxiClean, Williams soon became involved in helping grow Powerizer. The opportunity allowed her to step directly into the kind of hands-on brand building many marketers spend years working toward.
Today, she plays a key role in marketing and brand strategy as the company continues expanding its reach. As awareness of the product has grown, Powerizer has gained national exposure through appearances on programs such as CBS Mornings and live segments on QVC. The brand is also building momentum through online sales and subscription orders.
Looking back, Williams says the adaptability and collaboration she developed at Molloy have been just as valuable as any technical skill she learned in the classroom.
Her advice for current Molloy business students reflects that perspective.
“Take advantage of every project and relationship you can,” she said. “You never know which experience might open a door later on. The biggest thing Molloy teaches you is how to think, adapt, and stay curious.”
For Kate, that mindset has already opened the door to a career helping to shape a growing brand.
