A Likely Story.

Focusing on the luxury wine, food, and hospitality industries, we use our combined 25+ years of marketing experience to get serious results.

Origin

Likely Story Strategies is a cheeky nod to the fact that all great marketing is just storytelling. And we all know when we've been told a whopper, the reaction can be "Hmm... a likely story!" But the truth really can be better than fiction.

Especially when you're a great storyteller.

A boutique, women-owned, full-service brand strategy and marketing agency working to amplify the stories of people who are driven and passionate about building their businesses.

Co-founded by industry veterans Katy Rogers and Tamara Bingham, Likely Story offers a comprehensive suite of services, including strategic planning, brand development, 360-degree campaign activation, and much more.

Katy Rogers

Founder

  • Katy, a Santa Barbara native, discovered her passion for food and wine while studying Agriculture and Wine Business at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. During college, she managed direct-to-consumer sales for boutique wineries and worked at a beachfront hotel, honing her skills in guest services and local culinary guidance.

    After graduating, Katy joined Jackson Family Wines, where she excelled in various roles, including Tasting Room Manager, Director of Direct-to-Consumer, and Director of Marketing for the Santa Barbara portfolio.

    In 2022, Katy co-founded Likely Story Strategies with Tamara Bingham. She also serves on the executive boards of the Santa Barbara Vintners, Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation, and World of Pinot Noir.

    Katy and her family enjoy traveling with Katy’s taste buds most often leading the way. Along with eating and drinking, Katy also enjoys the outdoors. Whether it be hiking, fishing or camping, you can find her enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

  • “Wanna Be” - Spice Girls

Tamara Bingham

Founder

  • Tamara moved from her hometown of Topanga, Los Angeles to Paso Robles in 2011, where she managed boutique, and luxury wineries and earned an MBA from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

    After completing her degree, she moved to Dallas, Texas, serving as a District Sales Manager for Francis Ford Coppola Winery for two years. Returning to California in 2016, she joined J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines as a Marketing Manager, overseeing print and digital advertising, national events, and influencer strategy.

    In 2019, Tamara joined Jackson Family Wines as a Brand Manager where she and Katy worked together to promote the wines of Santa Barbara County domestically and internationally. They loved working together so much that they co-founded Likely Story Strategies, so they could keep the party going forever.

    When she isn’t crushing business strategies, Tamara enjoys beach time with her husband, adorable toddler, and their spoiled dog.

  • “What I Got” - Sublime

Kelsey Kafka

  • Kelsey founded Swamis Swimwear, a sustainability-focused bikini brand, while swimming D1 at USC. With a background in social media and wine marketing, she has a creative edge and an eye for brand storytelling. She helps brands grow with intention and personality and brings a fresh perspective to every project she takes on.

  • “There’s Your Trouble” - The Chicks

Ivey Renyolds

  • Ivey is a wine industry pro who’s done it all – vineyard work, winemaking, and direct-to-consumer sales. With an insatiable curiosity and a drive to keep learning, she thrives on tackling new challenges in our ever-changing industry. Whether growing memberships or talking strategy, Ivey knows how to connect people to the story behind the wine – building genuine connections and driving growth.

  • “Shake It Off” - Taylor Swift

Kristin Luis

  • Kristin is a winemaker and entrepreneur with a Swiss Army knife skillset spanning winemaking, operations, and marketing. Founder of Cote of Paint, she’s redefining wine culture with an inclusive, approachable perspective. Through consulting and leadership roles, Kristin brings fresh ideas and business savvy to wine brands looking to stand out and connect with the next generation.

  • “The Chain” - Fleetwood Mac

Sam Weisman

  • Sam has run the gambit of careers, picking up skills in design, sales, operations, and entrepreneurship along the way. Her current venture is Noshes, a whimsical jewelry and home goods business which she founded and runs from her home-base in Los Angeles.  She developed a passion for the wine industry after studying wine at the CIA Greystone, and went on to manage boutique wine shops for several years. Her experience running businesses and her versatile background bring fresh perspectives to companies both established and just starting out.

  • “The Real Slim Shady” - Eminem

Chrissy Gray

  • Chrissy is a top-producing Realtor in Northern California with a distinguished background in sales and education. Having relocated to Roseville, CA from Monterey, CA, where she lived for 16 years working in direct-to-consumer wine sales and education, she has had the opportunity to help brands plan, grow, and exceed their goals. Her tenacity and charismatic spirit drive her to lead all projects with passion and purpose.

  • “Bette Davis Eyes” - Kim Carnes

We Bring Brands to Life

Ultimately, we started this business because we love what we do, and we love getting to do it together. It is never dull, and always inspiring and fun. Our mantra is: “there are no wine emergencies”.

Obviously, things may seem urgent in the moment, but we are selling wine (or food, or jewelry, or boba tea), not saving lives, so it should be joyful to do what we do.

We take our work seriously, but never TOO seriously.

And we never take it for granted that we get to be a part of building brands and products that are so special to people.

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