We recently connected with Megan Bond and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Unlike most people, I was not able to start my business on the side and then leave my job after I had traction. I worked in financial services, and any outside business activities that I did, even just volunteering, needed to be improved. I knew that my company wouldn’t approve me starting our on my own, I quit and started my business the next day.
I had NO idea what I was doing. I wasn’t sure where to go, how to find more resources, or what to do. A lot of entrepurenurs tend to have family members who were also entreprenurs, but I didn’t have that. This was also before ChatGPT where you could just ask for help. I didn’t even know what questions to Google.
From idea to execution, I made the decision to quit my job and start a new business very quickly.

Megan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Megan Bond, the founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Panther City Marketing, a Fort Worth–based digital marketing agency built around one simple idea: small businesses deserve big-agency strategy and results without the corporate red tape.

I started my career in creative strategy and brand communications more than a decade ago, and what drew me to marketing was the intersection of storytelling, psychology, and measurable results. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of local and regional brands refine their message, improve visibility, and turn digital impressions into loyal customers.

Panther City Marketing specializes in Google Ads, SEO, social media campaigns, and conversion-optimized websites—but what truly sets us apart is our ability to connect strategy and execution. We don’t just make something “look good”; we make it work. Every campaign is built to generate leads, increase sales, and strengthen long-term trust between our clients and their audiences.

Our clients come to us when they’re overwhelmed by inconsistent results or frustrated with agencies that can’t explain where their marketing dollars are going. We solve that by combining transparent communication, data-driven performance tracking, and genuine partnership. Clients know exactly what’s being done, why it matters, and how it’s driving growth.

What I’m most proud of is how many of our partnerships have turned into multi-year collaborations—and how many local businesses have grown from “word-of-mouth only” to being dominant in Google searches and social feeds. From family-owned retailers to professional firms and community brands, we’re helping them compete—and win—online.

At the heart of it all, I want people to know that marketing isn’t about noise; it’s about clarity. My mission is to help good businesses be seen for the value they already provide.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started my business with a shoestring budget – $1,000 in start up capital, which was really just to purchase a laptop. One of the great things about digital marketing agencies is that they have a low start up cost, but that is also a major drawback from the industry.

Because anybody with a laptop and internet connection has everything you need to run a digital agency, you have a LOT of people who start agencies who have no idea what they are doing. This means that a lot of people end up hiring an agency that has no idea what they are doing, and so companies spend a lot of money on marketing that doesn’t end up working.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

I am generally very debt avoidant, but it is almost impossible to run and grow a business without some help with cashflow. I have a line of credit that I use occassionally to help cover gaps between clients’ payment and employee payday. One day, I went into the bank to draw from my line of credit, and it was closed! The banker I had been working with had left the bank, and nobody was passed my loan to let me know we needed to redo it. Thankfully my bank account never went negative – just too close for comfort.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://panthercitydigitalmarketing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panthercitymarketing/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/megan-brown-marketing

Image Credits

Megan Parks Photography