
Brand, Marketing &
Business Speaking
Speaker & Performer!
When is a business talk not just another business talk?
When it is also a performance!
Using my experiences as a business owner and brand strategist combined with my personal storytelling, I inspire and entertain audiences and groups as much as I educate.
Known for my enthusiasm and passion for helping businesses grow, I bring creativity, insight and a “spark” to any event.
“
Murphy is a standout in the crowd. When she speaks, she is truly engaging and commands their attention. It’s obvious they know they’re getting a lesson from one of the best.
Amy Jackson
Asheville Chamber of CommerceSpeaking Topics
- Creativity & Entrepreneurship
- Storytelling for Business
- Branding & Marketing
- Business Strategy
- The Brand Experience
- Support for Women in Business
- Non-Traditional Paths to Success
- Overcoming Adversity
- The Hero’s Journey
- Creativity & Inspiration
- Mission/Vision Workshops
- Your Purpose/Your Why
Speaking fees are negotiated based on location, length of talk and complexity.
Murphy Funkhouser: Speaker Bio

Murphy has worked for more than 20 years in branding and marketing and as the founder of the successful branding agency, Kudzu Brands, a private brand consulting firm BrandStage Consulting and, now, as a business and brand strategist under her own name.
Murphy brings to her clients, and her talks, a diverse background that includes experience in many fields and industries.
Murphy has taught at UNC-Asheville, AB Tech, Blue Ridge Community College, and Mountain BizWorks. She has also spoken to numerous business groups and non-profit organizations.
In 2018, Murphy received the Best in Business-Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Asheville Chamber of Commerce.
Murphy is on the board of the UNC-Asheville Management and Accountancy Department Advisory Board and the ACT Theatre Board. Her business, Kudzu Brands, won two Sky High Growth Awards from the Asheville Chamber and was chosen for the competitive Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Cohort 7 at Babson College. In 2018, she received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, she received the Girl Scout’s Woman of Distinction Award. In 2019, she was the commencement speaker for South College. She is currently obtaining her Master’s Degree in Communications and Storytelling from East Tennessee State University.
Murphy also has a powerful personal story and frequently speaks about her own non-traditional path to success and the power of grit, tenacity, and perseverance.