We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samantha Smith & Traci Bushur a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Samantha Smith thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

This question always feels a bit loaded because success is so subjective and success looks so different for everyone. As co-founders, for us, success is largely about maintaining our friendship, finding balance in business decisions, and ensuring that the company reflects both of our personalities and visions equally.

We actually met while studying abroad in London in 2019, which was a pivotal time of self-discovery for both of us. One of the key things we learned was how much we crave adventure, meeting new people, and exploring different cultures. Travel is a deep part of who we are, and having a business that allows us the flexibility to hop on a plane at any given moment provides us with a sense of fulfillment.

And of course, financial success is also important — after all, a girl’s got to eat! While we love our work and our clients, we also need to be able to provide for ourselves and our future families (and fund our expensive taste).

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.

We are the co-founders of On Brand Marketing Co., a female-owned digital marketing agency that specializes in branding, digital strategy, website design, and social media management. We’re passionate about creating authentic, personalized, and results-driven marketing strategies that truly reflect the essence of a brand. Our journey into this industry began in 2019 when we became friends while studying abroad in London. That experience was a pivotal moment in both our personal and professional lives. It was there that we realized our shared love for adventure, creativity, and working with others to bring big ideas from bold brands to life.

As a brand-focused agency, we work with a diverse range of clients—from medical aesthetics and wellness to law, fashion, and more — helping them create meaningful connections with their audiences. We pride ourselves on offering a full spectrum of services, including custom branding, website design, social media management, email marketing, and content creation. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to working closely with each client to ensure their story is told authentically. We want every design, post, and piece of copy to feel like an extension of who they are — whether it’s through the visual aesthetics of their brand or how we communicate their values and mission.

We solve problems for our clients by helping them articulate their unique value proposition and positioning in the market. From creating engaging digital experiences to developing strategies that drive conversions, we focus on the details that matter most to their success. Our work goes beyond just producing content; it’s about creating a cohesive, long-lasting brand presence that resonates with the target audience and fosters strong relationships. What we are most proud of is the relationships we’ve built with our clients — many of whom have become our friends. Their success is a direct reflection of our collaborative work, and we love being part of their journey.

When people think of us, we want them to know that we are passionate, dedicated, and fully invested in their success. We believe in creating work that not only looks good but also delivers results. We are committed to continuously learning, staying ahead of trends, and fostering creativity and collaboration. If there’s one thing we want potential clients and followers to know, it’s that we’re not just a digital marketing agency — we’re an extension of their team, here to help them succeed and grow in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

A huge part of our success has been the genuine care we put into every project. We truly view our clients as partners, and we invest ourselves in their businesses as if they were our own. This level of care resonates with clients, and it’s reflected in the positive word-of-mouth that has been a driver in our growth. When our clients see the impact of our work, they usually share their experiences, which has been a huge driver for our reputation and continued success. It’s these authentic connections and the real results we help create that have solidified our place in the market.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

They say the first five years are the toughest for any business, and we’re coming up on our fourth, so we haven’t quite made it yet. Looking back on the first time we lost a client, I {Sam} remember thinking this was going to be a true test of our resilience. Up until that point, we hadn’t faced much adversity — this was our moment to sink or swim. It was a tough blow, not just financially but emotionally, especially given that it happened the week before Christmas. After taking a day or so to process, we regrouped and decided to reinvest all the time and energy we’d been pouring into that account into our own brand. We set clear short-term and long-term goals and began posting more consistently on our social media — something we hadn’t been prioritizing as much since, as many business owners can likely relate, it’s easy to neglect your own marketing when you’re focused on clients. Within a month, we not only recovered the lost revenue, but we landed a warm lead that ended up paying us double the amount we’d lost. Whenever we face challenges now, we look back at that experience and remind ourselves that if we could survive that, we can overcome anything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.onbrandmarketingco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onbrandmarketingco/

Image Credits

For the 2 images looking in the mirror and the one with the newspaper: Maggie Adams
For all of the other images: Bekah Wriedt Ridings