# Jacob Knudsen

> Jacob Knudsen is the Chief Marketing Officer of Blade HQ, the Lehi, Utah knife and everyday-carry retailer that has grown from a 2003 startup into one of the largest online cutlery stores in the United States. An industrial designer by training - he earned a BFA from Brigham Young University - Knudsen joined Blade HQ in the mid-2000s and spent roughly sixteen years as its Chief Creative Officer before moving into the CMO seat in 2023. His fingerprints are on the brand's design language and on the content engine behind a YouTube channel with more than half a million subscribers. He is also a serious balisong collector, a subject he walked viewers through on Blade HQ's Collector's Corner, and a co-host of the first episode of the company's Steel and Stories podcast.

- **Role:** Chief Marketing Officer at Blade HQ
- **Organizations:** Blade HQ
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BFA, Industrial Design, Brigham Young University
- **Known for:** Rose from Chief Creative Officer to Chief Marketing Officer across a roughly 19-year run at a single company, Blade HQ., Held the senior creative role at Blade HQ during the period in which the company appeared on the Inc. 5000 list four times (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014)., Part of the leadership team behind a Blade HQ YouTube channel that has grown past 580,000 subscribers and 1,100+ published videos since launching in February 2011.

## Career timeline

- **2001** — Begins studies at Brigham Young University, pursuing a BFA in industrial design.
- **2007** — Completes BFA at BYU and joins Blade HQ as Chief Creative Officer.
- **2007-2023** — Serves as Chief Creative Officer at Blade HQ, spanning the period in which the retailer earned four Inc. 5000 placements and built out its content and video operation.
- **2018** — Blade HQ's sister sites Bladeplay.com and Grindworx merge under the Grindworx brand (announced March 29, 2018).
- **2023** — Promoted to Chief Marketing Officer at Blade HQ.
- **2023** — Co-hosts Episode 1 of Steel and Stories: The Blade HQ Podcast with George Muhlestein, featuring Dave Wattenberg of Pro-Tech (published October 21, 2023).
- **2024** — Appears as the featured collector on Blade HQ's Collector's Corner, walking viewers through his early-era balisong collection (published October 25, 2024).

## Achievements

- Rose from Chief Creative Officer to Chief Marketing Officer across a roughly 19-year run at a single company, Blade HQ.
- Held the senior creative role at Blade HQ during the period in which the company appeared on the Inc. 5000 list four times (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014).
- Part of the leadership team behind a Blade HQ YouTube channel that has grown past 580,000 subscribers and 1,100+ published videos since launching in February 2011.
- Helped steer Blade HQ's Exclusives program, which produces limited-run and collaboration products with brands including Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, CIVIVI and Vosteed.
- Earned a BFA in industrial design from Brigham Young University and applied it to a consumer product retail category built on how objects feel in the hand.

## Latest updates

- **2024-10** — Featured as the collector on Blade HQ's Collector's Corner, presenting his personal balisong collection.
- **2023-10** — Co-hosted Episode 1 of Steel and Stories: The Blade HQ Podcast with guest Dave Wattenberg of Pro-Tech.
- **2023-01** — Moved from Chief Creative Officer to Chief Marketing Officer at Blade HQ.

## Links

- Website: https://bladehq.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-knudsen

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jacob-knudsen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-27