Alyssa VanKleek — 30 Under 40 2026

Alyssa VanKleek wants hot tub retailers to stop thinking of digital marketing, the showroom, the CRM and the sales team as separate pieces of the customer experience.

Her career has centered on connecting them.

VanKleek entered digital marketing in 2013 and began working specifically with pool and spa businesses in 2018 at IMP Digital Marketing. She advanced through roles ranging from social media and digital marketing to account management and customer experience before joining Core Integrated Marketing last April.

As director of customer experience, she provides training and support for CimpleChat, Core’s CRM for the pool and spa industry.

“I truly love this industry and the people in it,” VanKleek says. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide range of dealers, from small-town family businesses to large, multistore operations, and each brings something unique.”

She believes marketing results can have very personal consequences, particularly for independent retailers whose businesses support their families and local communities.

That makes experimentation worthwhile. VanKleek remembers traveling to a client’s stores with video equipment and an ambitious shot list for a new campaign. One spontaneous idea involved filming a salesperson trying out five or six dry hot tubs to demonstrate how he fit in different lounges. The playful video dramatically outperformed the others.

“What made this moment meaningful wasn’t just the performance, but the confidence it gave me to trust my instincts, take creative risks and lean into ideas that feel authentic and engaging,” she says.

VanKleek sees an opportunity in making the hot tub buying process better reflect how consumers actually shop. Customers research online and expect transparency before entering a showroom, yet most still want to see and experience a high-ticket product before buying.

Her goal is to develop marketing, CRM and automation tools — including artificial intelligence — that support salespeople rather than replace them. Just as important is developing a team that understands the hot tub business itself, not merely the technology used to market it.

Outside work, VanKleek rides her quarter horse, Aspen, and shares that interest with her children. She and her husband are also avid Jeep enthusiasts who spend their free time off-roading and rock crawling, often in search of remote places well beyond the pavement.

Locations refer to company headquarters; honorees may work remotely or live elsewhere.