About
Why Northstar exists
Our founding story, principal bio, and credentials are being finalized — check back soon, or reach out directly and we'll fill in the gaps.
David Brown
Founder & Principal
David Brown has spent more than two decades doing what most consultants only advise on: running the day-to-day finance, operations, and marketing of real businesses. As Partner at Abrams and Associates, he managed three $1M+ businesses end to end — payroll, accounting, vendor relations — and implemented budgeting and forecasting strategies that lifted profitability by 40%. Earlier, as Office Manager and Marketing lead at SC Steel Inc., he cut company debt and grew profit margins by 50% through tighter job reporting and budget analysis.
That range — finance discipline paired with brand and marketing instincts — is what he brings to Northstar Meridian's clients. He's built and grown brands from the ground up (his own agency, Ianacreate, has launched five), driven double-digit gains in awareness and engagement for organizations like Victor Valley Family Resource Center, and produced marketing work for clients including Behr Paint, School's First Credit Union, and the St. Louis Seahawks. He holds a B.S. in Advertising from the Art Institute of California.
Why we do this
David Brown built his career on a combination most consultants only talk about in theory: he has personally run the finance, operations, and marketing functions of the businesses he's led — not just advised on them from the outside.
As Partner at Abrams and Associates, David has overseen three $1M+ businesses, managing payroll, accounting, and vendor relations while building the budgeting and forecasting systems that increased profitability by 40% and operational efficiency by 30%. At SC Steel Inc., his job reporting and budget analysis work reduced company debt and grew profit margins by 50%. As Creative Director and Bookkeeper for Victor Valley Family Resource Center, he ran both the books and the brand — developing standards that lifted awareness by 35% and growing social and email engagement by 25%, while also managing daily accounts payable and receivable.
David's marketing and brand work runs just as deep. Through Ianacreate, the freelance advertising practice he founded in 2006, he has launched and grown five company brands from concept to market. His client and campaign work spans Behr Paint Corp., School's First Credit Union, C.S.U. Fullerton, Hilco Fixture Sales, and the St. Louis Seahawks, covering everything from brand strategy and production design to media buying and digital campaigns. He holds a B.S. in Advertising from the Art Institute of California and an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Chaffey College.
For Northstar Meridian's clients, that means one advisor who can look at a business's numbers, its operations, and its brand at the same time — and tell you honestly which one is actually holding growth back.