Marketing Happy Hour Podcast

Shelby McFarland
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

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! 🥂

  1. 11h ago

    Strong Policies And A Calm Mindset Keep A Business Standing

    Send us Fan Mail A customer tells you they won’t pay a deposit, they’ll pay “when they see it and like it.” Another tries to cancel a project halfway through. Somewhere in the middle, you’re answering emails, keeping clients happy, and wondering why it feels like a full moon every day. We’re getting honest about what that pressure does to your brain, and how you can respond like a seasoned business owner instead of spiraling like the old version of you. We dig into the mindset shifts that come with experience: letting stress exist without letting it run your life, tightening your processes, and building the confidence to enforce your policies. We talk payment terms, why deposits protect your labor and materials, and how chasing money for 60 to 90 days can become the worst part of the job. You’ll also hear why solid contracts matter, what to do when someone tries to terminate early, and how documentation can protect you when people threaten lawsuits, harassment, or damaging reviews. Then we zoom out to the bigger issue: customer entitlement and the trust gap hitting small business owners and service providers. We share a more human way to handle mistakes, fixes, and feedback without going nuclear, while still expecting respect and fair pay. If you’ve been tempted to bend your rules out of fear, this conversation helps you reset, stand up straighter, and remember your value. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a business owner who needs a backbone boost, and leave a review so more entrepreneurs can find us. Support the show

  2. Sep 4

    Women Leaders And The Hidden Weight Of Doing It All

    Send us Fan Mail Loneliness does not always look like being alone. Sometimes it looks like running the meeting, leading the team, keeping the home calendar in your head, and still lying awake at night thinking, What did I miss and what do I need to do next? We get into the loneliness of leadership for women and why it hits differently when you are also carrying motherhood, boundaries, and the invisible mental load that rarely gets acknowledged. We talk about the double standards women face in male-dominated industries, the pressure to wear a “work mask,” and why vulnerability is often treated like a weakness even when it is a normal human need. We also touch on the reality of hormones, PCOS, endometriosis, and how women keep delivering while managing physical and emotional waves that most workplaces never make room for. Along the way, we unpack the resentment that builds when domestic labor is treated like a gender role instead of a life skill, and how that dynamic amplifies leadership burnout. Then we get practical. Kayla shares a simple daily practice: “connect to your intentions,” so you can stop living in ten tabs at once and fully commit to what matters most in the next hour. We also share what support can actually look like, from women mentors who “get it” to friends who listen without trying to fix you, and why building community is not optional if you want sustainable success. If this resonates, subscribe, share this with a woman who is carrying a lot, and leave a review so more leaders who feel alone can find the conversation. What part of leadership feels the loneliest to you right now? Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com Support the show

  3. Aug 28

    What “Reasonable” Pricing Really Means For Small Businesses

    Send us Fan Mail “Reasonable” sounds harmless until you’re the one paying rent, utilities, supplies, insurance, and self-employment taxes while still trying to deliver flawless work. Shelby McFarland  sits down with Rachel Harris for an honest, funny, and deep talk about what customers don’t see behind the chair and behind the screen. We dig into the real economics of a service-based small business: licensing and training costs, the pressure to people-please, and why “you get what you pay for” isn’t a slogan, it’s math. We talk about the clients who demand endless tweaks on the smallest budget, the fear of negative reviews, and the moment every entrepreneur hits where you have to stop bending over backward and start protecting your standards. Rachel shares what it takes to finally charge your worth, and Shelby breaks down practical ways to reduce time-wasters, like charging for consultations and tightening your process. You’ll also hear our take on discount culture, promo requests, cancellation policies, and why supporting local businesses should be a year-round habit, not something you do only when Amazon can’t deliver fast enough. If you own a small business (or want to), you’ll walk away with clearer boundaries, stronger pricing confidence, and a better way to communicate value without guilt. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs the pep talk, and leave a review so more small business owners can find us. Purchase "Market Like A Boss" at shelbysmarketingbook.com Support the show

  4. Aug 21

    A Practical Guide To Meta Ads Budgets Targeting And ROI

    Send us Fan Mail One ad. A clear hook. A budget that actually makes sense. That’s how you stop throwing money at Facebook and Instagram and start getting results you can measure. We’re talking Meta ads with the practical perspective of someone who used to avoid paid social completely, then spent the last two years running campaigns that consistently improve ROI for real clients. We walk through what “good” looks like at different budget levels, including a roofing company spending $1,000 a month that doubled website views in the first month, plus an example of an ad pulling 126,000 views while spending under $300. Then we unpack the common mistake that quietly kills performance: splitting small budgets across too many ads. If you only have $100 a month, you’ll hear why one strong branding ad often beats a pile of tiny campaigns that never reach enough people to learn or optimize. From there, we get tactical with Meta Business Suite setup, how to use an existing post or upload fresh creative, and how to write ad copy that still feels like your organic content while pushing people toward a real call to action. We cover scroll-stopping hooks, graphics versus video, and why captions are essential when most viewers watch with sound off. We also dig into ad targeting and demographics, including location strategy, industry restrictions around housing-related ads, and why ultra-specific filters like high-income targeting often backfire. Finally, we share a simple way to use AI tools to brainstorm audiences and ad creative, then tailor everything to your voice and your market. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a business owner who’s stuck on ads, and leave a review. What budget are you working with right now, and what result would make Meta ads worth it for you? Support the show

  5. Aug 14

    Who Carries The Mental Load When Nobody Sees It

    Send us Fan Mail You 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

  6. Aug 7

    Your Marketing Plan Starts With Your Customer

    Send us Fan Mail Most 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

  7. Jul 31

    You Control The Outcome When You Control The Effort

    Send us Fan Mail The 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

  8. Jul 24

    Recruitment Works Best When You Build Real Relationships

    Send us Fan Mail Recruiting 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

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

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! 🥂

Information

  • Creator
    Shelby McFarland
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Marketing Happy Hour Podcast
  • Show Website
    Marketing Happy Hour Podcast