About Andrea

As one of the region’s most sought-after strategic thinkers, Andrea Arco founded award-winning marketing communications firm Arco + Associates in 2005. In 2021, with 11 employees and over a million in revenue, Andrea sold her business; she is now focused on bringing her marketing and business acumen to a select group of clients as a fractional CMO.

Since the beginning of her professional career, hundreds of organizations, entrepreneurs, and business leaders across the nation have been impacted by Andrea’s distinctive ability to drive change. When presented with a marketing challenge or business opportunity, her quick (yet thoughtful and thorough) advice always proves valuable.

Since Arco + Associates was founded in 2005, Andrea has earned a number of accolades including: St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s Top Women Business Owner honor, Women in Business Gold Award, St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s Top PR & Marketing Firm for more than 5 years, Silver Stevie Award for women-led businesses, Enterprising Women of the Year Award, and more. She’s been recruited for speaking appearances at the Midwest Women Business Owners’ Conference, St. Louis Business Journal Women’s Conference, Missouri Athletic Club Business Development Group, SMPS Leadership Series, Enterprise University, and Women Future Conference 2019. She has been published in USA Today, The Boston Business Journal, Women’s Business, The National Law Journal, The Pittsburgh Business Times, and more. In 2020, Andrea published a chapter in the Best Selling anthology, The Anatomy of Accomplishment: Your Guide to Bigger, Better, Bolder Business Results.

Prior to starting Arco, Andrea directed the marketing efforts at two Boston-based law firms, held senior copywriter positions at advertising agencies along the East Coast, and worked as the Marketing Director at The University of Virginia’s Engineering School. She graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC with degrees in communications and journalism. She was the only Master’s candidate to be awarded a full scholarship to the Corporate Communications program at Duquesne University. She holds advanced certifications in corporate communications, public relations, and business marketing. Andrea is currently an Adjunct Instructor at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. She also authored a children’s book in 2013 which, after publication, won a Mom’s Choice award and an honorable mention at the Paris Book festival. The book, Wally McBap Needs A Nap, was named Book of the Year by Creative Child Magazine in 2014.