Paul Earle Jr.

Paul Earle is an entrepreneur, writer, and educator with significant experience in branding, innovation, new product development, new venture formation, and IP licensing.

At Kellogg, Paul’s most recent endeavors focus on ways design and creativity can establish a sustainable competitive advantage. Of note is his role in cocreating “By Design,” a unique new experience bringing together students and top creative leaders.

As a practitioner, Paul founded and heads A Day In The Sun,® an Evanston, Illinois-based futures lab that both advises clients on brand innovation, and cofounds its own brand ventures.

Paul’s perspectives in teaching entrepreneurship and creativity stem from extensive experience in the arena. He is a cofounder of, and remains a significant contributor to, new-to-the-world brands such as GOODLES®, a breakthrough in macaroni and cheese that as of late 2024 is one of the fastest-growing new brands in all of North America retail; Big Nose Kate®, a trailblazing western whiskey; and Small Wonder®, a new line of powder concentrate haircare products providing salon-grade performance without all the waste. Paul’s partners on these enterprises include a number of extraordinary entrepreneurs and product makers, a number of sophisticated early-stage venture capital funds, and a number of famous Hollywood actors who serve as brand ambassadors.

Prior to opening A Day In The Sun® in 2017 via its predecessor E&Co., Paul was cofounder and Executive Director of Farmhouse, the innovation center at the renowned global creative agency Leo Burnett. Amongst a number of achievements at Farmhouse was the creation—from scratch—of the High Noon® vodka brand in conjunction with a top global wine and spirits company. High Noon® has grown from those first rough sketches at Farmhouse to one of the largest spirits brands in the United States, generating over $1Billion per year in sales.

Earlier tours of duty include roles at River West Brands, a brand intellectual property acquisition and redevelopment company he founded that eventually became part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC); Kraft Foods, where Paul learned the trade of brand management and sales; and Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, where Paul first witnessed the potency of  a great creative idea.

Paul’s written works have appeared in publications such as Forbes, Fortune, Innovation Leader, and the compendium Kellogg on Branding. He has hosted numerous podcast episodes and recently cocreated and hosted a Webinar series called Design Heroes™.

Paul earned an MBA from Kellogg and a BA from Hamilton College. He proudly sits on the Board of Trustees at Hadley, the prominent learning platform for the blind and visually impaired. Paul lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two boys, and cavapoo.