Rooted Marketing is celebrating our milestone 5-year anniversary today. If you had asked me 5 years ago if I thought Rooted Marketing would be where it is today, I'd have said, "No." 5 years ago, I was just helping out a friend. I had no idea where that offer would take me….

An Old Friendship Kindles A New Adventure

Five years ago, I met an old friend for a cup of coffee and my life was changed. As we discussed our lives, the conversation inevitably turned to work. My friend had started her own business just 10 months prior. Things were going well for her, but she wanted more. She wanted to move her business into a niche market and grow her customer base, but she had neither the time nor the background to put together and implement a marketing strategy.

Working with a typical marketing agency didn't sound appealing to her. She had already met with several companies and felt that their approach was like "tossing money against a wall and hoping it will stick". What she needed was something different, a way to effectively get her brand in front of people who are willing and likely to purchase her product.

Because of my passion for sales and marketing I couldn't help but share some unique ideas for helping her hit her goals. She promptly asked me to consult for her, and, as they say….the rest is history!

Five years later, here we are! Today, Rooted Marketing is dedicated to working with business owners across Northeastern Wisconsin to create unique strategies that increase revenue while remaining rooted in the values and interests of their customers and their community. Most importantly, Rooted Marketing develops strategies that are rooted in an understanding of our clients' dreams and goals for their businesses.

Lessons Learned

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It takes an awful lot of time, sweat, and tears to build a successful business, but the joy and satisfaction that come from knowing you've done it make it all worthwhile.

Five years in seems like the perfect time to reflect on what I've learned and share it with others who may find themselves on a similar journey:

• I am not a lone wolf. There's an old saying that "no man is an island" and, boy, is that ever true! There is a perception that being an entrepreneur means striking out on your own, operating as an independent "lone wolf" with little to no involvement with others. That has not been my experience. If anything, I have found that being an entrepreneur makes you appreciate the relationships you have even more, and realize that those connections are often vital to your success.

• Support from friends and family is invaluable. Founding a business takes an enormous amount of time and energy. Being surrounded by family and friends who believed in and supported my dream helped me make it through times where the tasks seemed insurmountable or the way seemed unclear. My husband, Matt, has been incredible, urging me to continue growing, and was especially supportive during those first months where cash flow was tight and we bootstrapped everything.

• Support can come from unlikely sources. One of my biggest surprises was the amount of support I received from the business community. Early on, business owners were willing to sit down and share their journey with me. Countless conversations helped me to get a better understanding of what lay before me and what I would need to do to be successful. I am so grateful for these conversations and the time these business owners invested in me.

Related Blog Post: 6 Tips for Starting a Business in Wisconsin

• Mentors provide needed perspective. Growing and nurturing your business is a journey and a process of constant editing and refining, one that doesn't end until your business does. It is good to have an experienced mentor to help you walk this path, encouraging you and giving a nudge when you need it, and warning you of potential dangers on the trail. I have been incredibly fortunate to have had a mentor whom I met days after starting my business. This person has had so many positive impacts on the company and has repeatedly challenged me to continue growing and refining my business.

• Choose the right teammates. If you are anything like me, you know that you're not capable of doing and knowing everything on your own. Building your team is vitally important to the success of the business. Your team doesn't just help you manage the business, they represent your business to your clients. I am fortunate enough to have found some of the most incredible teammates to walk this journey with me. They are an incredible group of professionals who serve our clients well and believe in our mission. There are days where I am just blown away by their performance and commitment to service.

Need a team, but not ready to hire employees?  Check out: Learn When to Outsource

• Value your clients. Without our clients, there is no Rooted Marketing. It's as simple as that. But more than that, my clients have inspired me to become a better person, a better marketer, and a better entrepreneur. I have met some of the best business owners and marketing professionals around and have gained some wonderful relationships as a result. Helping them meet their marketing objectives is our mission and it's one we gladly fulfill.

• You gotta have faith. Opening a business is a great exercise in faith. While I know that nothing in life is a sure thing, when I opened Rooted Marketing that became even more real to me somehow. I felt like I was walking a tightrope without a safety net. My active faith provided me with the inner strength that I needed to take this leap and trust that everything would turn out all right in the end.

Many Thanks All Around

Our 5-year anniversary is a celebration shared by all: me, the Rooted team, our families, friends, clients, colleagues, and more. It's been a journey that has taken an entire community and from the very bottom of my heart I say, "Thank you."

Thank you for your support. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for challenging me to do better and be better. Thank you for sticking with me these past 5 years and thank you for making the future look so bright!

We're looking forward to many more years here at Rooted Marketing and we hope you'll stick with us on our journey!