Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Denison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The Backstory:
In early 2025, I was at a breaking point. I was navigating a separation from an emotionally abusive marriage, raising two young boys (ages 3 and under 1) largely on my own, and managing multiple chronic illnesses including fibromyalgia, arthritis, and PTSD. I had no college degree—I’d dropped out of high school in 10th grade due to family issues, got my GED at 16, and completed a medical assistant program at 17. I’d spent years working and teaching myself graphic design, marketing, and business development, but I had no formal education in the field I was passionate about.
The safe choice would have been to find a stable 9-5 job with benefits and a predictable paycheck. But that wasn’t an option for me—not with two kids who needed me home, not with a body that couldn’t handle the physical demands of traditional employment, and not with the fire inside me that knew I had something valuable to offer all businesses, big or small, with the same passion to succeed as mine.
The Risk:
I decided to officially launch The Rockwater Agency LLC—a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in psychology-driven marketing strategies for small businesses. I invested what little money I had into the LLC filing, built a website from scratch while my baby napped, and started reaching out to potential clients with nothing but my self-taught skills and a belief that I could help businesses grow by understanding the psychology behind consumer behavior.
The risk wasn’t just financial—it was deeply personal. I was betting on myself at a time when everyone around me was questioning my mental health, my capacity, and my judgment. I was choosing to build something from nothing while simultaneously rebuilding my entire life.
How It Turned Out:
Six months later, The Rockwater Agency is real. I’ve worked with clients on branding, social media management, website development, and comprehensive marketing strategies. I’ve learned to navigate client relationships, pricing structures, and the balance between delivering exceptional work and protecting my energy. I’ve proven to myself—and to anyone watching—that trauma, chronic illness, and lack of traditional credentials don’t define your capacity to succeed.
The agency is still growing, and some days are harder than others. But I wake up every day knowing I took the risk that mattered most: believing in myself when no one else did, and building a business that allows me to provide for my children while honoring my health limitations and using my unique perspective to help other small business owners thrive.
The risk taught me that sometimes the most dangerous thing you can do is play it safe—and that betting on yourself, even when the odds feel impossible, is the only way to create the life you actually want to live.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Who I Am:
I’m the founder of The Rockwater Agency, a psychology-driven digital marketing agency based in Arkansas that specializes in helping all businesses grow by understanding the science behind how people actually make decisions. My journey into marketing wasn’t traditional—I don’t have a college degree or formal business training. What I do have is over a decade of self-taught expertise in graphic design, marketing psychology, consumer behavior, and brand development, combined with a deep understanding of what it takes to build something from nothing.

How I Got Here:
I’ve been designing since I was a kid—creating digital magazines and floor plans just for fun. I dropped out of high school in 10th grade due to family circumstances, got my GED at 16, and completed a medical assistant program at 17. But my passion was always in understanding people—why they make the choices they do, what drives their behavior, and how businesses can communicate in ways that genuinely connect. I spent years working in marketing and graphic design for various companies, learning packaging design, branding, and digital strategy before launching The Rockwater Agency in 2025.

The name “Rockwater” comes from my lifelong connection to Arkansas lakes and water—places that have always represented clarity, calm, and transformation for me. I wanted a brand that reflected that same sense of grounding and growth.

What I Do:
The Rockwater Agency offers full-service digital marketing with a unique twist: every strategy is rooted in psychology and consumer behavior research. I don’t just create pretty graphics or post on social media—I build marketing systems that speak directly to how your customers think, feel, and make purchasing decisions.

Services include:
Branding & Graphic Design: Logos, business cards, brand style guides, and visual identity systems that communicate your values and connect with your audience
Website Development: Psychology-optimized websites designed for conversion, user experience, and search engine visibility
Social Media Management: Content creation, posting schedules, engagement strategies, and platform-specific optimization
Google Business Profile Optimization: Local SEO, citation building, review generation, and map pack domination
Advanced Digital Advertising: Retargeting and geofencing campaigns that keep your business top-of-mind
Content Strategy: Blogs, newsletters, and educational content that positions you as the expert in your field

What Problems I Solve:
Most businesses struggle with marketing because they’re told to “post more on social media” or “run ads” without understanding why those strategies work—or don’t. I help business owners cut through the noise by building marketing strategies based on real human psychology, not trends or guesswork. Whether you’re a brand-new business trying to establish credibility or an established company looking to scale, I create customized plans that meet you where you are and get you where you want to be.

I also specialize in working with businesses that feel overlooked or underserved by traditional marketing agencies—veteran-owned businesses, solo entrepreneurs, service-based companies, and anyone who’s been told they need a massive budget to see real results. My pricing is transparent, my approach is collaborative, and I genuinely care about your success.

What Sets Me Apart:
1. Psychology-Driven Marketing: I don’t guess—I use proven principles of consumer behavior, decision-making science, and neuromarketing to create strategies that actually convert. My tagline is “Marketing Based on How People Really Think,” and I mean it.
2. Transparency & Education: I believe in empowering my clients. I don’t gatekeep information or use industry jargon to confuse you. I explain what I’m doing, why it works, and how you can maintain momentum even after our work together ends.
3. Lived Experience: I’m building this business while raising two young kids, managing chronic illness, and navigating personal challenges that would have stopped most people. That resilience and resourcefulness shows up in how I problem-solve for clients—I understand limitations, tight budgets, and the need for strategies that work in the real world, not just in theory.
4. Customization Over Templates: Every business is different, and cookie-cutter solutions don’t work. I take the time to understand your goals, your audience, and your unique value proposition, then build a strategy tailored specifically to you.

What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m proud that I built this agency from nothing—no investors, no business loans, no safety net. I’m proud that I’ve helped clients gain visibility, generate leads, and feel confident in their marketing. But most of all, I’m proud that I didn’t let my circumstances define my potential. I took every obstacle—lack of formal education, chronic illness, single parenting, financial instability—and turned it into fuel to build something meaningful.

What I Want You to Know:
If you’re a business owner who feels overwhelmed by marketing, unsure where to start, or frustrated by agencies that overpromise and underdeliver—I see you. The Rockwater Agency exists because I believe every business deserves access to smart, strategic, psychology-backed marketing, regardless of budget or industry. I’m not here to sell you a one-size-fits-all package or disappear after I take your money. I’m here to be your partner, your strategist, and your biggest advocate.
Marketing doesn’t have to be confusing or expensive. It just has to be intentional. And that’s exactly what I help you create.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing Teams with Heart and Structure:
While my team at The Rockwater Agency is small at the moment, team management is where I’ve thrived throughout my career, and it’s a skill I’m deeply passionate about. I believe the key to maintaining high morale and getting the best out of people lies in striking the right balance between personal connection and professional structure—understanding that leniency and policy aren’t opposites, but partners in creating a healthy, productive work environment.

The Philosophy:
The most important thing I’ve learned about management is this: lives outside the office are just as important as the work we do inside. Your team members aren’t just employees—they’re whole human beings with families, health challenges, personal goals, and struggles you may never fully see. When you acknowledge that reality and build flexibility into your management style, you don’t just retain good people—you inspire loyalty, creativity, and a level of commitment that no paycheck alone can buy.

Balancing Leniency and Structure:
I’ve seen too many managers swing to one extreme or the other—either being so rigid that employees feel like cogs in a machine, or so lenient that accountability disappears and the work suffers. The sweet spot is understanding that structure provides safety and clarity, while leniency provides grace and humanity.
For example, I believe in clear policies, deadlines, and expectations—everyone should know what success looks like and what’s required of them. But I also believe in asking, “What do you need to do your best work?” and actually listening to the answer. Maybe that means flexible hours for a parent managing school drop-offs. Maybe it means mental health days without guilt. Maybe it means checking in when someone’s performance dips, not with judgment, but with genuine concern: “Are you okay? How can I support you?”

Why Balance Matters:
When life outside of work is chaotic—whether it’s illness, family stress, financial pressure, or personal crisis—it will affect performance. Pretending otherwise doesn’t make you a strong manager; it makes you an ineffective one. On the flip side, when employees feel supported, valued, and trusted, they show up differently. They go the extra mile. They problem-solve instead of clock-watching. They care about the work because they know you care about them.
I’ve managed teams where people told me they’d never felt more seen, heard, or respected in a workplace. That didn’t happen because I was a pushover—it happened because I held people to high standards and gave them the space to be human. I celebrated wins, addressed issues directly but kindly, and never made anyone feel like their worth was tied solely to their productivity.

What I Bring to Rockwater:
As Rockwater grows, this philosophy will be the foundation of how I build my team. I want to create a workplace where people feel safe to bring their whole selves, where mental health and work-life balance aren’t just buzzwords, and where we hold each other accountable because we care about the work and each other—not out of fear.
High morale doesn’t come from pizza parties or empty praise. It comes from respect, trust, clear communication, and the understanding that we’re all navigating life while trying to do meaningful work. When you get that balance right, you don’t just manage a team—you build a culture. And that’s what I’m committed to creating at Rockwater Agency.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Books and Resources That Changed How I Lead and Build:
My approach to entrepreneurship and management has been shaped by a combination of intentional learning and lived experience. Here are the resources that have had the biggest impact on how I think, lead, and build The Rockwater Agency:

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear

This book completely transformed how I approach productivity and goal-setting—both for myself and for how I guide clients. The idea that small, consistent actions compound over time resonates deeply with me, especially as someone managing chronic illness and building a business in the margins of life. I don’t believe in hustle culture or burnout as a badge of honor. I believe in systems, habits, and incremental progress. This book taught me that you don’t need to overhaul your entire life to see massive results—you just need to get 1% better every day.

“The 80/20 Principle” by Richard Koch

The Pareto Principle—the idea that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts—has been a game-changer for how I prioritize both in business and in life. When you’re a solo entrepreneur with limited time, energy, and resources, you have to focus on what moves the needle. This book helped me identify high-impact activities, eliminate busywork, and build strategies for clients that focus on what actually drives growth, not just what looks productive.

“The 5 AM Club” by Robin Sharma

While I don’t always hit 5 AM (especially with young kids and unpredictable health), the core message of this book—owning your morning, protecting your energy, and investing in yourself before the world makes demands—has been transformative. It taught me that how you start your day sets the tone for everything else. Even if my “morning routine” is just coffee, a few deep breaths, and 20 minutes of focused work before the chaos begins, that intentionality makes all the difference.
Psychology and Marketing Resources:

I’m constantly reading about consumer behavior, decision-making science, and neuromarketing. Books like “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini and “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman have deeply informed how I approach marketing strategy. Understanding why people make the choices they do—and how to ethically guide those decisions—is the foundation of everything I do at Rockwater.

Podcasts and Real-World Learning:

I’m a huge believer in learning from people who’ve been in the trenches. I listen to entrepreneurship podcasts, follow small business owners who share their real struggles (not just highlight reels), and pay attention to what works in the real world, not just in theory. Some of my best lessons have come from observing what doesn’t work and asking, “How can I do this differently?”

My Own “Book”:
I also keep what I call “The Book”—a running document of lessons learned, client insights, personal reflections, and strategies that have worked (or failed). It’s part business journal, part survival guide, and it’s one of the most valuable resources I have. Writing things down forces me to process, learn, and improve continuously.

The Common Thread:
What ties all of these resources together is a focus on intentionality. Whether it’s building better habits, focusing on high-impact work, protecting your energy, or understanding human behavior—success isn’t about working harder or longer. It’s about working smarter, staying curious, and never stopping learning. That’s the mindset I bring to The Rockwater Agency, and it’s what I help my clients cultivate in their own businesses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therockwateragency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_rockwater_agency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573197941831
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-denison-7024ab36a/