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Marketing Happy Hour Podcast

Marketing Happy Hour Podcast

Hosted by Shelby McFarland

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Episodes

86

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Join The Marketing Broker, Shelby McFarland, for the Marketing Happy Hour Podcast. With over 13 years of entrepreneurial experience and as the owner of a successful sign shop, Shelby brings a unique perspective to the world of marketing. Each episode, Shelby dives into insightful discussions, practical tips, and expert interviews designed to help entrepreneurs and marketers alike navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, branding, and business growth. Grab your favorite beverage and join us for a lively conversation at the intersection of creativity and strategy. Welcome to the Marketing Happy Hour Podcast with your host, Shelby McFarland. Cheers! 🥂

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 14, 2026Episode 3036 min

Who Carries The Mental Load When Nobody Sees It

Send us Fan MailYou know that feeling when you finally sit down to work and you’re already wiped out and all you’ve done is make choices for everyone else? That’s what Shelby and Kayla unpack, honestly and in real time, as we talk about decision fatigue and the mental load that quietly runs your day. From sick kids and last-minute school messages to travel recovery and the constant “Where is it?” questions, we get into why the smallest decisions can be the ones that break you.We also dig into a truth that surprises a lot of high-achieving women: business decisions can feel easier than personal ones. At work, the feedback loop is clearer, the priorities are sharper, and the energy you spend often comes back as fulfillment or income. At home, decisions are endless, emotionally loaded, and paired with invisible labor. We talk about being the default keeper of the schedule, the pantry, the appointments, the plans and how even supportive partners can add to the burden when they ask what to do instead of noticing and doing.You’ll hear practical, real-life strategies to reduce decision fatigue: deleting tasks that never needed to exist, delegating without redoing someone else’s work, empowering kids to make age-appropriate choices, and building rest into your life before burnout forces it. We also name the power of validation, especially hearing “I see you” and “this isn’t fair,” and we call out the double standard of celebrating men for basic adult chores. If you’re tired of carrying the thinking for everyone, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your best tip for making decisions feel lighter. Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com Support the show

August 7, 2026Episode 299 min

Your Marketing Plan Starts With Your Customer

Send us Fan MailMost marketing advice falls apart the moment you ask one question: who are you trying to reach, and where do they actually make decisions? Shelby McFarland and Mattie Loomis pull questions straight from a recent local marketing panel and give honest, small business friendly answers you can use immediately, especially if your budget feels tight and your to-do list is already overflowing.We start with the money question: where to spend first when you have a limited marketing budget. From there, we get real about a mistake that quietly costs businesses customers every day, inconsistency. If you go silent when you’re busy, you don’t get to be shocked when your slow season hits harder. We also break down social media marketing in a way that’s based on fit, not hype, including when TikTok makes sense, why Facebook and Instagram are often the minimum, and when LinkedIn matters for B2B.Then we zoom out to the foundation that makes all your marketing work better: a professional website that’s optimized on the back end for SEO, plus a Google Business Profile and steady online reviews that build trust and authority. Finally, we talk marketing trends and AI, not as something to fear, but as a shift to adapt to, so your customer journey improves while your competitors fall behind.If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a business owner who needs a reset, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Support the show

July 31, 2026Episode 288 min

You Control The Outcome When You Control The Effort

Send us Fan MailThe fastest way to lose momentum in business is to hand your confidence to people outside your company. A quiet inbox, a declined proposal, or a slow month can feel personal, but we’re not in the feelings business, we’re in the action business. We’re digging into a simple truth that changes everything: as the business owner, marketer, or salesperson, we control the effort, and the effort drives the outcome. I share a real example of setting an aggressive sales goal before a big trip and hitting it by doing the unglamorous work that actually moves revenue: following up on old proposals, re-activating warm connections, and asking for referrals directly. We also talk about why it’s okay to lean on your network, how to request introductions without feeling weird, and how small outreach decisions can lead to unexpected hires and inbound referrals later. If you care about sales strategy, marketing consistency, networking, referrals, SEO services, and building a healthier pipeline, you’ll get practical takeaways you can use immediately. We also get honest about slow seasons and the mental spiral that comes with them, plus the idea of compounding momentum over six to twelve months. When you stop marketing because you’re busy, you often create your next drought. When you stay consistent, you smooth out the highs and lows and build a business you can actually trust. If you’re ready to take ownership of your growth, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the show

July 24, 2026Episode 2715 min

Recruitment Works Best When You Build Real Relationships

Send us Fan MailRecruiting can feel like a completely different world than marketing until you realize they run on the same engine: clear positioning, consistent visibility, and trust built one conversation at a time. Shelby McFarland sits down with Demi Mathis, a business development officer at Northwestern Mutual in Arkansas, to unpack how she finds and attracts high-potential advisors and interns without relying only on job boards. We get specific about what recruiting “in the wild” really looks like. Demi shares how she markets opportunities on campus through class talks, professors, and career fairs, then shifts into community-based networking for experienced candidates through chambers, ribbon cuttings, expos, and referrals. We also talk LinkedIn recruiting using Sales Navigator, how she targets the right industries, and why human outreach tends to outperform automated AI messaging when you care about replies and real relationships. Demi also tells her own story of coming into the industry with a marketing degree and no finance background, then discovering what she calls the “four I’s” that make the career compelling: independency, work-life balance, income with no ceiling, continuous improvement, and impact. If you’re building a team, considering a career change, or trying to improve your B2B outreach, you’ll walk away with practical tactics and a clearer framework for what “selling a career” actually takes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s job-curious, and leave a review telling us what part you want to try first. Support the show

July 17, 2026Episode 269 min

Marketing Is More Than Posting: Behind The Scenes of a Marketing Agency

Send us Fan MailEverybody can post now, which is exactly why real marketing has never been harder to spot. We’re Alexis and Mattie, and we’re stepping in this week to talk about a trend we see nonstop: people calling themselves marketers when what they’re really doing is just uploading content. The gap between “a cute post” and a working marketing plan is massive, and if you’re a small business owner, that gap can cost you time, money, and momentum.We pull back the curtain on what actually happens behind the scenes at a marketing agency: client meetings that clarify goals, research into what your audience cares about, keyword and SEO work that makes captions discoverable, and a strategy built before content is ever created. We also talk about the real relationship work that matters, like understanding the person behind the business, capturing authentic behind-the-scenes moments, and building content that helps people trust you instead of scrolling past another sales pitch.Then we get practical about performance. Likes are not the scoreboard people think they are. We explain why views, reach, and other analytics can be the true signs your social media marketing is working and why monthly reporting matters if you want marketing results you can measure. We also answer common surprises clients have, including content shoots, photography, and short-form video that many businesses do not realize a marketing team can provide.If you want smarter expectations and better questions to ask before you hire help, listen through to the end. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest marketing myth you’ve heard lately. Support the show

July 10, 202632 min

Delegation That Lets Your Business Breathe

Send us Fan MailDoing everything yourself can look like dedication, but it often feels like a slow chokehold on your time, your focus, and your revenue. Shelby sits down with Leia, an adult ADHD and executive function coach, to talk about the real moment entrepreneurs hit: keep taking clients and risk burnout, or start delegating and build a team that can actually scale. We get specific about what delegation looks like when your brain craves novelty but your business demands follow-through. We unpack Shelby’s path from solo marketing hustle to building support roles that match strengths: sales, content creation, account management, and operations. You’ll hear why “hire more people” is not a strategy, how copying a competitor’s headcount can backfire, and why SOPs and clear standards matter more than having everything perfect up front. We also talk about the fear side of hiring: paying someone, making the wrong choice, and what to do when a role simply is not the right fit. Money and pricing get a full spotlight, too. If you hate bookkeeping, avoid checking your bank account, or struggle to raise rates, this conversation gives you a cleaner framework: track profitability, price for sustainability, and stop offering services that lose money unless you can charge what they are worth. Along the way, we touch on neurodivergent leadership, transparency with your team, and using personality tools like the Enneagram to hire complementary strengths. If you’re a founder, freelancer, or agency owner trying to build a sustainable business with ADHD, executive function challenges, or pure overwhelm, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who needs permission to delegate, and leave a quick review so more entrepreneurs can find it. Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com Support the show

July 3, 2026Episode 256 min

Four Marketing Myths Debunked: Misconceptions That Quietly Stall Growth

Send us Fan MailYou’ve heard the advice: post everywhere, grow fast, go viral, and let a great product sell itself. We don’t buy it and we explain why. We’re doing a quick, focused deep dive into the marketing myths that quietly derail small business growth and leave people feeling like “marketing doesn’t work.”First up: the pressure to be on every social media platform. We talk about choosing one or two channels that match your audience instead of spreading your time across LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook with mediocre results. A strong digital marketing strategy is about focus and fit, not volume. When your message is consistent and your content is solid, your brand visibility builds faster and your efforts become easier to maintain.Then we tackle the expectation of instant results. Marketing is not the same as sales and it rarely pays off overnight. Often it works in the background while people check you out online after hearing your name through ads, referrals, or networking. We also break down why follower count doesn’t equal revenue, how going viral can attract the wrong people, and why proof driven marketing matters even when your product or service is genuinely great.Listen, share this with a friend who’s stuck in the “more, faster, everywhere” cycle, and leave a review if it helps. Which marketing myth have you been tempted to believe? Support the show

June 26, 2026Episode 2441 min

How To Turn A Business Book Into A Lead Magnet That Wins Clients

Send us Fan Mail$48,000 in 14 days sounds like a book sales fairy tale, until you hear the real numbers: Shelby has sold about $710 worth of books. The twist is the point. She writes “Market Like a Boss” to make money through her business, using the book as a lead magnet, a credibility shortcut, and a trust-building sales asset that walks into every room with her.We talk through the mindset shift that changes everything for entrepreneurs, consultants, and service providers: the book is not the product, it is the marketing tool for your brand. Shelby breaks down how authorship helps her stand out in a crowded digital marketing space, open speaking opportunities, and turn 10 chapters into 10 ready-made workshop topics. She also shares what surprised her most after publishing: faster sales conversions, stronger pricing confidence, more inbound leads, and prospects who trust her before the first meeting.Then we get tactical. Shelby outlines her launch and visibility strategy: recruiting 40 local “book influencers,” leaning on video for authentic storytelling, landing TV and radio interviews through PR relationships, and using podcast interviews for reach and SEO backlinks. Finally, she explains where the $48,000 actually comes from, including increased service pricing, new retainer contracts, website projects, branding shoots, and paid trainings, plus the lesson she repeats for every new author: do not disappear after launch day.If you’re writing a business book, building a personal brand, or trying to turn your expertise into clients and speaking gigs, this is a practical blueprint. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck on “perfect,” and leave a review with your biggest question about using a book to grow a business. Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com Support the show

June 19, 2026Episode 2313 min

How To Collaborate With AI: Small Business Marketing

Send us Fan MailAI is not waiting for anyone’s comfort level, and small business owners feel that tension every day. We talk through the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI marketing from a real-world perspective, including what’s changed as of June 2026 and why “it knows too much” isn’t a strategy. The goal is simple: use AI to move faster and think clearer without letting it erase the thing that makes your business recognizable. We get specific about what we avoid, especially AI-generated graphics and logos. If your posts suddenly look like everyone else’s, your branding stops working. We break down why consistency matters, why AI visuals often come out busy and uneditable, and the easy mistakes people miss when they don’t proof details like dates and business names. Then we dig into the logo problem from the production side: if you can’t get a true vector file (SVG, AI, EPS, print-ready PDF), you can’t reliably scale and print it for signs, vehicles, and high-resolution uses. AI can be great for inspiration, but professional execution still matters. On the flip side, we share how we actually use ChatGPT daily as a collaboration tool: brainstorming content strategy, organizing thoughts, refining offers and packages, and workshopping ad ideas with real budgets. Think of it as a way to get unstuck, reduce overwhelm, and pressure-test decisions, while still applying your experience so you don’t sound copied. If you want practical guidance on using AI without sacrificing your brand identity, this one will help. Subscribe for more small business marketing clarity, share this with a friend who’s overwhelmed by AI, and leave a review if it helped. What are you using AI for in your business right now? Support the show

June 12, 2026Episode 2216 min

What COVID Taught Me About Risk And Business Planning

Send us Fan MailI opened a second sign shop location, got three months in, and then lockdown hit. Suddenly my calendar meant nothing, my assumptions about growth got tested, and I had to figure out how to keep two employees paid while the world argued about curfews, safety rules, and who was “bringing COVID” into town.What kept us afloat wasn’t luck. It was a fast pivot to the unglamorous work everyone needed right then: six-foot floor stickers, distancing decals, door signage, and simple instructions that helped schools and restaurants reopen. One school district referred another, and that referral chain turned into orders across roughly 25 school districts. I share what we priced, why we cut margins, and how that compliance signage became the cash flow that carried the business when everything else felt uncertain.At the same time, the digital marketing side took a brutal hit: I lost about 75% of my clients in the first few months because marketing was treated like an “expense” to cut. That experience changed how I talk about marketing strategy, consistency, and why stopping your marketing often costs more than you think. I also get real about the second year being harder, closing the Stuttgart location, and what I learned about risk, leases, planning, and building a backup plan before the next big leap.If you run a small business, a sign shop, or a marketing agency, this story will help you think clearly about resilience, client retention, and strategic planning when conditions change fast. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest lesson from 2020. Support the show

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