Why I Still Freelance (Even With a Job I Love)
How a single bad review turned into a decade-long mission to help small businesses win at marketing.
In 2013, I started a freelance business because of a Google review.
Not because someone left me a bad one—but because I watched a company I cared about get hit with a barrage of fake, harassing reviews from a disgruntled ex-employee. The owners? Amazing people. But they weren’t digital natives. And they didn’t know where to turn.
I offered to help.
I didn’t just get the fake reviews removed—I helped them transition from Yellow Pages to Google Ads, created their first modern marketing funnel, and set them up for long-term success. And that’s when it hit me: too many small businesses are getting taken advantage of when it comes to marketing.
They’re told they need it (which they do). But they don’t always know what actually works. And often, the people selling them services don’t take the time to explain it—or worse, don’t care if it works at all.
That experience lit a fire in me. I started reaching out to other businesses. Offering Google Ads help. Explaining things simply. Charging fair rates. Doing it all while working a full-time job.
What I found was that there were so many service-based business owners just like that first client—smart, driven, and incredible at what they do, but overwhelmed by the digital landscape.
So I made it my goal to give them marketing support that was:
Affordable (no bloated retainers)
Measurable (no vanity metrics)
Transparent (no mystery reports)
Fast forward to today, and that mission still fuels me.
I love my 9–5. I really do.
But I keep freelancing because this mission matters. And because I’m building toward something bigger.
In 10–15 years, I want to run an agency that actually breaks the mold. One that delivers marketing services with integrity, real strategy, and pricing that makes sense. No “boilerplate packages.” No smoke and mirrors. Just real results for businesses of all sizes.
Until then, I’ll keep writing this newsletter, managing accounts, testing new strategies, and sharing what works (and what doesn’t).
Because reflection matters. And because maybe you’re reading this and thinking about your own story:
Where you started.
Where you are.
Where you’re going.
Whether you’re freelancing, working in-house, or running a business, I want this newsletter to be a reminder that you can build something meaningful, one step at a time.
And if you need someone to help you make sense of Google Ads, or just want to learn how to run better campaigns yourself—I’m here for that, too.
Thanks for being part of this journey. If you found this helpful or inspiring, consider forwarding it to a fellow marketer or business owner.
Or hit reply—I’d love to hear your story too