We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Omotosho a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I still remember the morning I earned my first “real” dollar in this business. Not from a friend. Not from a referral. From someone who heard me speak for the first time and decided. This woman knows what she’s doing.

I walked into a BNI meeting feeling both nervous and ready. At that point, I had been quietly getting great results for people in my network. 3x ROI here. 1000+ leads there. But I hadn’t fully owned my authority yet.

Everyone went around sharing what they did. When it was my turn, I kept it simple and talked about what mattered. The wins. The data. The systems behind the wins. I remember feeling something in the room shift as people leaned in and I leaned back in too.

After the meeting, someone came up to me and said, “I’ve been thinking about running ads for months. I didn’t know who to trust. I’d like to talk some more.”

We booked a discovery call right there in the lobby. No fancy funnel. No complicated pitch. Just clarity and trust doing the heavy lifting.

A few days later, he became my first official client. I remember closing that call, and thinking. This is real now.

That first non-network dollar wasn’t just revenue. It was confirmation that results, integrity, and clear communication speak louder than anything else. And honestly, that energy still fuels how I serve every client today.

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.

I’m Stephanie Omotosho, the founder of The Modern Ad. I help service-based entrepreneurs scale with a combination of smart Meta ads, AI, and automation so they can grow without being chained to content or chaos. I describe what I do as building “quiet engines of growth.” My clients get to work less, earn more, and feel in control of their businesses again.

I didn’t start my career in marketing. I spent years in corporate finance, data analytics and program management, leading big projects and learning how systems, people, and decisions actually work behind the scenes. That training shaped everything I do now. I don’t just run ads. I analyze patterns, study buyer psychology, and build reliable systems that turn strangers into customers.

I stepped into this industry because I saw how many brilliant POC founders were burning out trying to build something impactful. They were posting nonstop, trying various tactics, duct-taping tools together, and still not getting consistent sales. The moment I realized I could help them create growth without the grind. That’s when The Modern Ad was born.

Today, I run a hybrid agency and consulting practice. We manage Facebook and Instagram ads for local and online service providers. We also build custom AI assistants, automation systems, and marketing infrastructure. My goal is simple. I help entrepreneurs reclaim time, reduce mental load, and scale in a way that feels sustainable.

What sets my work apart is the way I blend data, psychology, and integrity. My clients trust me because I tell them the truth. If their offer isn’t conversion-ready, I’ll say it. If their funnel is leaking, I’ll fix it. If their ads aren’t working, I’ll explain exactly why. I don’t believe in “just turn the ads on.” I believe in strategy, clarity, and systems that compound.

I’m most proud of two things. First. the results. Helping a company 10x revenue in 6 months. Generating thousands of potential customers for coaches at under $2 each. Driving 33x returns for small businesses. And second. the feeling people walk away with. Clients tell me they feel supported, understood, and more confident than they’ve felt in years. They tell me working with me feels like having a partner who genuinely cares about their success.

If someone is discovering me for the first time, here’s what I want them to know. I’m here to help you build a business that doesn’t drain you. One that runs with clarity, ease, and intention. One that grows even when you’re with your kids, on vacation, or simply resting. That’s the vision behind my work. And it’s the standard I bring to every project and every client I serve.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was this idea that working harder automatically creates better results. I grew up as a high-achieving, first-generation immigrant who believed excellence was earned through sheer effort. Longer hours. More precision. More responsibility on my shoulders. That mindset helped me survive in corporate. It nearly broke me as an entrepreneur.

In the early years of my business, I tried to outwork every problem. If an ad underperformed, I rebuilt everything from scratch. If a client needed something, I delivered it immediately, even if it meant working late into the night after putting my kids to bed. If growth slowed, I assumed I wasn’t doing enough.

But the turning point came during a season when I was managing multiple clients, juggling my 9-5, raising two kids, and trying to be everywhere for everyone. I was exhausted but still telling myself. Push harder. You can outwork this.

One day, after yet another 14-hour stretch, it hit me. I wasn’t building a business. I was building a trap. A business that required me to be superhuman was a business destined to collapse.

That realization forced me to unlearn the belief that effort equals outcome.

I started studying leverage instead of hustle. I invested in automation, AI, and operational clarity. And the moment I integrated those tools into my own business, everything shifted. My time expanded. My delivery became more consistent. And my results improved.

That’s why AI and automation became a core part of what I offer today. Not because it’s a hot topic. But because I lived the version of business where success is tied to how exhausted you are.

And I didn’t want that anymore. Not for myself, or my clients.

The reality is, ads perform better when the backend is structured. Funnels convert better when follow-up is automated. Sales grow faster when your systems don’t rely on willpower. AI and automation aren’t replacing the human touch. They’re removing the unnecessary weight so founders can finally operate at their best.

Unlearning the “work harder” mindset gave me my time back. It restored my creativity. It made me a better mother and a sharper strategist. And it’s the lesson I now pass on to every client. Growth isn’t earned through exhaustion. It’s earned through alignment, simplicity, and the courage to stop doing everything alone.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think I built my reputation by becoming the person who could actually connect the dots for people. Not because I set out to be that person, but because I kept seeing the same pattern. Founders were getting bits and pieces of advice from everywhere. Fix your funnel. Post more. Spend more. Change your niche. And none of it worked long enough to create real momentum.

So when people came to me, I didn’t try to impress them with big promises. I just told the truth about what was really going on in their business. Sometimes the issue was their offer. Sometimes it was their systems, or lack thereof. And sometimes the ads weren’t the problem at all. I got comfortable saying things most ad strategists avoid saying. Like “this won’t convert yet,” or “you’re not ready for ads,” or “your costs are going to be higher than you think.” And I said it even if it meant losing the sale.

What surprised me is how much people valued that honesty. Instead of feeling judged or discouraged, they felt relieved.

I think that’s when my reputation started to build. Clients realized I wasn’t just pressing buttons in Ads Manager. I was looking at the whole system. The positioning. The messaging. The buyer journey. And eventually, their backend, automation, and AI strategy too. I didn’t see myself as an ads person. I saw myself as someone who helps the business make sense.

Another thing that helped is that I never promised the world. I set realistic expectations. I told people the truth about their numbers, their potential upside, and what it would take to scale. And ironically, that grounded clarity is what made clients trust me even more. They knew I wasn’t trying to sell them a fantasy. I was helping them build something sustainable.

So if I had to sum it up, I think my reputation came from consistency, candor, and a genuine desire to help people understand their business. I cared about the results, of course. But I also cared about the person behind the business. To me, that combination creates a kind of quiet trust that travels farther than any marketing campaign ever could.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themodernad.com
• Instagram: @themodernad