Tara Hayes

Lead all public communications across the Abaxx ecosystem, including Abaxx Exchange, Abaxx Spot, SmarterMarkets™, Base Carbon, and Abaxx Technologies (CBOE: ABXX, BCBN | OTCQX: ABXXF, BCBNF).

• Built and executed the go-to-market strategy for Abaxx Exchange, launching 10 physically delivered commodity futures benchmarks. Positioned Abaxx as the first credible challenger to CME and ICE in over a decade, accelerating institutional awareness and directly contributing to onboarding of trading and clearing firms.
• Led global launch and GTM communications for Abaxx Spot, a new gold trading platform in Singapore. Directed content and campaign strategy to establish the market narrative around futures-spot convergence, and modern gold infrastructure.
• Secured executive placements in Bloomberg TV, WSJ, CNBC London/Singapore, and Forbes, positioning Abaxx leadership as authorities in energy transition markets, commodity finance, and next-generation market infrastructure.
• Scaled SmarterMarkets™ into a top 1% global podcast by audience size. Converted owned media into a business development and brand authority engine across global energy and financial sectors.
• Directed the public launch of Base Carbon, repositioning carbon finance as a core institutional strategy, distinct from ESG, driving investor interest and visibility in a competitive climate finance market.
• Built and operationalized a cross-functional communications framework to align media, marketing, events, and investor messaging. Increased speed-to-market and message consistency across five business units.

Led U.S. retail expansion for the world’s most recognized cannabis brand, overseeing growth across Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

• Launched 13 stores in 12 months across three highly regulated states—including Boston and Chicago, establishing a dominant retail footprint in saturated markets.
• Accelerated same-store revenue by 2.5x to 7x in core regions through market-specific demand generation and localized campaign strategy.
• Directed development of high-performing loyalty and retention programs, generating $9.5M in attributable revenue YTD through email marketing and CRM-driven repurchase behavior.
• Built GTM and compliance-adapted marketing playbooks to scale expansion across divergent legal frameworks while maintaining brand integrity and performance visibility.

Advised early-stage GTM efforts for a blockchain-based contract lifecycle platform introducing legally structured smart contracts.

• Defined core brand messaging, product positioning, and foundational content strategy to support investor, partner, and customer engagement.
• Shaped go-to-market strategy and education pathways for a first-of-its-kind smart contract product, helping establish early category definition and market language.
• Produced executive-facing materials to support capital raises and strategic partnerships.

Led GTM communications for the U.S. debut of the world’s first AI-powered manicure robot, driving national awareness and early adoption.

• Launched Clockwork into the U.S. market through a targeted earned media strategy, securing coverage in CNN, The New York Times, Allure, Good Morning America, and Mashable.
• Crafted brand positioning, launch messaging, and public narrative to define a new consumer robotics category and attract early customers and investors.
• Built the foundational marketing strategy, including customer education, press assets, and content planning, setting the stage for future retail and partnership expansion.

Led agency transformation for a creative shop serving liquor, cannabis, and CPG brands, overseeing brand strategy, communications, and business growth.

• Directed the integration of newly acquired Meyvyn, merging physical and digital teams to build a full-stack offering, more than doubling annual revenue while managing 35+ client portfolios.
• Led brand strategy and GTM for Dos Hombres Mezcal and incubated Petalfast, a cannabis sales and distribution startup that opened a new revenue line for the agency.
• Delivered market-defining campaigns, including launching John Barr Whisky’s first Spanish-language initiative and staging the U.S. retail debut of La Maison du Chocolat.
• Transformed a gas station in Maine into one of the state’s first adult-use dispensaries, positioning a regulatory milestone as a cultural brand moment and earning national media coverage.
• Repositioned A.P. Keaton from a POS-focused studio to a national agency partner delivering full-channel brand strategy and communications.