We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Frederick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.

Stephanie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I think there are a lot of factors that go into someone being successful, but my top three are; having a “why” or a mission, a willingness to try (and fail), and having a lifelong-learner mindset.

Honestly, the “why” that fueled me to start Smart Girl Marketing was to create an income stream to pay off my student loan debt – something I feel like a lot of millennials can relate to.

Over the last several years in my business, I’ve tried different approaches, offers, and ways of doing things. Some have worked…and others haven’t. I think for entrepreneurship in particular, you need to be open and comfortable with the idea of not having all the answers mapped out, and accepting the possibility of failure. The trick is getting back up from that failure, learning from it, and continuing ahead.

I think embracing new information and skills and taking on a lifelong-learner mindset is essential for success. As an MBA grad, I’ve been in some form of formal education for the majority of my life, but where I think I’ve learned the most is being in situations and “figuring it out”, or seeking out courses and other resources to help me level up.

There’s always new technology and skills to learn that can support your success and with resources like YouTube, MasterClass, Skillshare, etc., it’s easier than ever to be continually learning and growing.

Do you have any stories or anecdotes that illustrate your point or how you developed your view?

I think I’ve developed this view throughout my life and experiences. I grew up in a working-class family, raised by a single mother, and saw that to survive (and thrive) you needed to be persistent and adaptable.

I got my first “job” at 12-13, making money through odd jobs like babysitting and later working for a fast-food chain, and had to work for a lot of what I had. In college, I had to get scrappy, working multiple part-time jobs to put myself through school and I think that further engrained my viewpoint on success.

Stephanie, 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 a 12-year marketing and communications professional, starting my career in journalism and then in corporate communications before taking the jump into full-time entrepreneurship.

I got involved in the marketing industry as an evolution over time. I’ve been a voracious reader and writer since childhood, and marketing and creative work allowed me to translate that creativity and drive into something meaningful.

While I’m a writer by trade, I fell in love with graphic design during COVID, and that has become a bigger part of Smart Girl Marketing’s services in the last few years. I see marketing as a holistic process and enjoy working in teams and having variety in the projects and deliverables I work on, so the marketing agency format felt like the perfect fit.

Because I feel like so many elements of marketing are intertwined, we made it a point to be a go-to hub for the building blocks entrepreneurs need to successfully market their businesses.

I work as a Fractional CMO for companies, creating everything from marketing strategy to social media content, and almost everything in between.

I really resonate with the saying, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” I know that saying often has a negative connotation, but I see that varied creative skillset as a competitive advantage.

When people ask what I do, I tell them that I consider myself a “creative problem solver,” which I think is the true essence of marketing. The “problem” is growing brand visibility and competing in the market, and we solve that problem through a combination of marketing, messaging, and creative.

I think what sets me apart from others in the marketing space is my “no-fluff” approach. If after a client consult, I don’t think that they’re ready for a service or that it wouldn’t benefit them in reaching their audience, I’m not going to recommend it just to make the sale. I’m big on substance and storytelling over flashy graphics and gimmicks.

I also think that my credentials help me to stand out. I’ve got the creative side AND the business side, so I can bring clients that extra value. If I see something that I think will help them grow their business, even if it’s not directly related to marketing, I’m always willing to share.

I’m proud of what our team has been able to accomplish with our clients – both quantitatively and qualitatively. For example, we’ve had clients start with us on social media management that have refused to film Reels, and by meeting them where they’re at comfort-level wise and helping to boost them up, the next thing you know they’re looking forward to filming and showing up online.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word-of-mouth referrals and being present on social media channels and entrepreneur-focused Facebook groups have been our biggest client sources through the years. People that aren’t using social media to grow their brands are leaving money on the table. It needs to be a larger part of an overall client acquisition strategy, but identifying where your ideal client “hangs out” online, and creating high-value content consistently, can be an amazing way to bring in new clients.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

If you’re looking to build an effective and happy team, I think you need to start by bringing in the right help on the operations side of the business. Hiring my Director of Operations was a game-changer. Tapping into her zone of genius for building strong teams let me focus more on my zones of genius and we saw immediate growth in our team and client roster.

When it comes to managing a team with strong morale, I think communication and understanding are incredibly important. A lot of the women on my team are mothers, community leaders, and business owners in their own right. There are going to be times when a deliverable is delayed because a bat has flown into someone’s living room and they’re trying to chase it back outside (true story) or we need to shuffle around responsibilities for family vacations, and it’s about creating an environment where your team feels they can approach you and be honest about what’s going on. I’m also a big believer in asynchronous work that gives team members the flexibility to work in the pockets of time that fit their lives versus a 9-to-5 approach.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.smartgirlmarketing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartgirlmarketing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smartgirlmarketingofficial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanietipple/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/smartgirlmarketing/

Image Credits
Eilish Bailey Photography