We recently connected with Rosemary Phillips and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rosemary thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

I believe appreciation should be built into the culture of a brand, not saved for a holiday post or an annual sale. It shows up in the way you respond to comments, the way you highlight client wins, the way you tell customer stories, and the way you make people feel seen beyond the transaction.

Small businesses especially have a powerful advantage here. You’re close to your community, you know their names and you understand their stories. When you take the time to acknowledge that publicly and consistently it builds something much stronger than engagement. It builds loyalty.

I encourage my clients to move beyond generic “thank you for your support” posts and instead create moments of recognition. Feature a long-time customer. Share a behind-the-scenes story about why an order mattered. Celebrate a milestone together. Invite conversation. Respond thoughtfully. That human layer is what separates sustainable brands from transactional ones.

Appreciation creates emotional equity. And emotional equity creates longevity. In a digital world where algorithms constantly shift, one thing remains stable; people remember how you made them feel. When customers feel valued, they don’t just return they advocate. That’s the kind of marketing that lasts.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I didn’t set out to start an agency. I came into this work out of necessity. After spending a decade in the handmade bridal industry, I realized our business needed a serious digital overhaul. We didn’t have a large marketing budget, and the agencies we spoke with either price-gouged us or dismissed us as “too small” to be worth their time. So, I decided to learn it myself. I immersed myself in online marketing, platform strategy, branding, SEO, content development, everything. I tested relentlessly, refined our messaging, rebuilt our presence, and it paid off.

That transformation led to an opportunity I’ll always be grateful for: teaching at Schoolcraft College’s S.B.D.C. program, helping handmade business owners’ market themselves effectively on Etsy. That experience showed me something important I didn’t just enjoy building strategy; I loved empowering other business owners to understand it. In 2019, after a catastrophic injury and ongoing medical issues, I made the difficult decision to step back from our handmade business. It was a painful transition, but it created space for something new. Instead of building just one brand, I shifted my focus to helping many. That’s when Michigan Splash Marketing was born.

Today, I work primarily with small businesses, tourism-based companies, local artisans, and purpose-driven brands that want to build authority without chasing every trend or burning themselves out. My work centers on brand strategy first because understanding your company archetype is everything. From there, I conduct social media audits, build cohesive content ecosystems, refine platform positioning, and provide ongoing marketing support that feels sustainable and aligned. I also publish weekly breakdowns of social media updates so business owners can clearly see what actually matters and confidently ignore what doesn’t. The problem I solve is overwhelm.

Most small business owners don’t need to be on every platform. They don’t need to pivot every week. And they definitely don’t need to feel like they’re failing because an algorithm shifted. They need clarity, strategy and messaging that feels aligned and sustainable.

What sets me apart is that I build marketing around story first. I believe depth beats volume. Community beats broadcasting. Clarity beats chaos. I don’t sell hacks. I don’t push gimmicks. I help businesses create messaging that actually reflects who they are and then build systems that support long-term growth.

I’m most proud of the fact that my clients feel confident, not frantic, or reactive. Whether it’s a Detroit River tour company, a farmstead brand, or a handmade product business, my work helps them see their own value clearly and communicate it effectively. What I want potential clients and followers to know is this: marketing doesn’t have to feel like a meltdown. You don’t have to scream the loudest to be seen. And you don’t need a massive budget to build authority. You need clarity, consistency, and a strategy rooted in who you actually are. That’s what we build at Michigan Splash Marketing.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots in my life came when I stepped away from our handmade bridal business a business I had poured a decade into building.

For ten years, I lived and breathed that industry. Designing, creating, shipping, marketing, managing customers it wasn’t just work, it was identity. We built something meaningful. We built community. We built reputation. And then life shifted in a way I never expected. After circumstances changed, I was forced to slow down in a way I never had before. Physically, I couldn’t sustain the pace that a handmade production business requires. Emotionally, that was hard to accept. When you build something from scratch, stepping back feels like losing a piece of yourself.

But here’s where the pivot happened. During those years in bridal, I had taught myself marketing out of necessity. We couldn’t afford expensive agencies, so I learned platforms, SEO, branding, content strategy everything. I rebuilt our digital presence from the ground up, and it worked. I also helped build other brands websites and social accounts on the side.

When I stepped away from the bridal business, I realized something important: I didn’t just love building products I loved building strategy. I loved helping other business owners see their potential more clearly. So instead of closing a chapter and stopping, I redirected it. Michigan Splash Marketing was born from that pivot. I shifted from building one handmade brand to helping many businesses refine their voice, clarify their message, and build authority without burnout.

It wasn’t a glamorous pivot. It was born from limitation, grief, and uncertainty. But it became purpose. Looking back, I don’t see it as walking away from something. I see it as expanding. The resilience I learned in the handmade industry resourcefulness, grit, attention to detail now fuels everything I do. Sometimes the pivot you don’t plan becomes the one that defines you.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

Yes, Michigan Splash Marketing operates with multiple complementary revenue streams. In addition to brand strategy and ongoing client support, I’ve built digital resources, educational content, and consulting packages designed to serve businesses at different growth stages.

I also operate Hill Top Farmstead and Hills Remedy, which serve as both standalone brands and real-world case studies for sustainable, story-driven marketing. Building and marketing my own product-based business keeps me grounded in the realities my clients face from packaging and compliance to e-commerce and content creation.

Diversification allows me to stay creatively agile while modeling the very strategies I teach; clarity, community-building, and long-term brand equity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michigansplashmarketing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialwithsplash/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichSplash
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemarygrifforephillips/