FXBG Neighbors Podcast
Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #52 From Influencer to Agency Owner: Savannah Garth's Journey
What happens when a reluctant influencer discovers her true passion lies in helping others shine online? Savannah Garth, founder of Poppy Rose Marketing, joins us to share her journey from accidental social media personality to the driving force behind a "small but mighty" marketing agency with heart.
Savannah pulls back the curtain on the most persistent marketing myths holding small businesses back. Forget going viral or spreading yourself thin across every platform—she reveals why consistency and intention trump trendy tactics every time. With refreshing candor, she explains how her agency approaches digital marketing differently, focusing on authentic storytelling that builds genuine connections while delivering measurable results.
The name "Poppy Rose" isn't just catchy; it's deeply personal, derived from the birth flowers of Savannah's husband and son. This family-centered foundation shapes everything about her business philosophy, including her definition of success: "If a client outgrows our small business, I've done my job correctly." As a mother juggling entrepreneurship with raising two young children, Savannah shares the transformative lesson that "done is better than perfect"—a mantra that's helped her overcome perfectionism and embrace delegation.
For small business owners drowning in marketing overwhelm, Savannah's approach offers a lifeline. Her team handles everything from social media management to website design, SEO, and branding, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best. Connect with Poppy Rose Marketing through their website or social media, or schedule a free discovery call to learn how they can help your business establish an authentic online presence that truly resonates with your audience.
Savannah Garth
Poppy Rose Marketing
@poppyrosemarketing
facebook.com/poppyrosemarketing
(512) 657-1207
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. My guest today is Savannah Garth. She is with Poppy Rose Marketing. I'm excited to introduce you, to introduce her to you. Savannah, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 3:Hi, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm excited to dive in and learn about you and your business. So let's start there. Share with us a little bit about Poppy Rose Marketing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. Poppy Rose Marketing is a very small but mighty, is like what we like to say marketing agency, where we focus on helping small businesses show up online in a way that feels authentic to them and their brand but actually drives results. So we do everything from social media management to website design, all the way to SEO and branding, and we really pride ourselves on making our marketing less overwhelming for business owners, because they can't wear all the hats.
Speaker 2:So true, so true. So many business owners are very good at what they do and they try to handle the marketing as well, and it's best if they leave that to the experts, right? Yes, awesome. So tell us about you. How did you get into it? Tell us your backstory.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so it actually kind of happened a little bit. Naturally, I feel like most businesses really hit their peak around the start of COVID, and so I really started getting online and posting when I was stuck at home on my start of COVID. And so I really started getting online and posting when I was stuck at home on my own personal pages and I don't really love the term influencer but I kind of started gaining a following and I quickly realized I didn't like being online. I don't like showing my face and talking to people very much. So I kind of transitioned into helping other people be online and showing up on that.
Speaker 3:I love storytelling and strategy and everything that kind of goes on behind the scenes. So I like being in a support capacity, but also in a capacity that feels personal to business owners. And then so that's kind of how I got into the marketing realm in general. And then Poppy Rose just kind of came about, because they actually stem from the birth flowers of my husband and son. So this business is very much so rooted in family and heart and that's kind of what we pride ourselves on I love that.
Speaker 2:I love a nice, a nice, meaningful business name. I love that awesome. So do you find that there are any misconceptions about your business? You find that there are any misconceptions about your?
Speaker 3:business. There are a lot, oh goodness do tell. One of the biggest ones, though, that you have is everyone feels like they have to be on every social media platform, hit every trend, and that they need to go viral to be successful, and, in reality, that's just not the case. Being consistent and intentional with your content, it really just wins every time, and I think that a lot of people get stuck on thinking that things are going to happen like overnight and super quick, but really it takes time to build and really generate an audience that can trust you and trust what you're trying to put out there. So I always tell people consistency is always what's going to win yeah, absolutely right on.
Speaker 2:And you've got to go where your customers are. You know, for some businesses it's linkedin, for some businesses it's instagram, so you got to figure out where are your people hanging out, and then you need to hang out there too. Right 100, awesome. So clearly you work hard on your business and work hard for your clients. So tell me, when you're not busy, what are you doing for fun?
Speaker 3:Goodness, these days I'm definitely chasing a toddler or bouncing a baby whenever I'm not doing work. Life is very full at the moment, but I love a good target run with an iced coffee in hand. I feel like a lot of people can relate to that, and I also just enjoy hitting local spots with my husband and my kids and enjoying quiet nights, watching shows and catching up on all the things Love that.
Speaker 2:Nice family time. Yes, You're very busy with family and work. Yes, definitely so. Tell me what is something that you wish the listeners knew about your business.
Speaker 3:We really care about our business story in our clients as a whole. I feel like everyone says that, but we really do matter to us really about building the relationship with our clients. We're not just like trying to check off boxes and schedule posts. We're really invested in the growth and the success of that company and I always tell people if, if a client outgrows our business, our small business, that means I've done my job correctly, like I want them to be so successful that they don't need me anymore and they have to either hire someone in house or hire someone that has a larger team. I want them to outgrow me and that's what I really try to hone in on. People is like I'm really invested in your company, um, and I want to see it succeed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's, that's really great. I love the values that you bring to that, and so when you started your business, you were it was kind of a crazy time in the world.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I'm sure that you have learned a lot along the way, so tell me what is some advice that you would give a new entrepreneur.
Speaker 3:This is the hardest thing I had to learn, and it was that done is better than perfect. Um, it sounds a little cliche but it's really true, because you'll learn more by doing than by waiting for everything to be just right, and I'm a perfectionist, so that was one of the biggest things I learned is like don't be afraid to ask for help. You, you can't wear all the hats, you can't do it all alone, um, and to don't strive for perfection so much that you just don't ever start. And that's really one of the biggest things. I now that you're on the other side of it. You're stronger for it.
Speaker 3:I don't think I'm quite on the other side of it yet. I definitely feel like I'm kind of living in the challenge currently, mostly because I have two small, very young children, and it has forced me to slow down and delegate and realize, realize, like again, I'm taking my own advice, I can't do it all. Even though I try, I literally I can't do all of it on my own. So I've had to give myself a little bit of grace and trust the team that I do have, and I think it's made me just an overall better business owner and a more present mom and at the end of the day, that's why I have my business is so I can be as present of a mom as I can.
Speaker 2:I love that you're walking the walk. You're actually practicing what you're preaching. I love that. Trying to I kind of think, forced to at the same time, right, not by choice, all the time.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So you live in the Fredericksburg area. I do Awesome. What do you love most about living here?
Speaker 3:area. I do Awesome. What do you love most about living here? So everyone is so supportive. It really does feel like a small community with a lot of things going on, so I feel like everyone's really cheerful. There's a lot of history here. My husband's a huge history buff. He's actually grew up in the in the DC area, so there's a lot of history and charm. It's really a great place to raise a family and it's just got that small town vibe. But and we love that kind of feeling yeah, yeah, it's great for your husband.
Speaker 1:Yeah, history.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. I love it. So if the listeners want to connect with you or learn more from you, where can they find you?
Speaker 3:So they can find us on our website at poppyrosemarketing. com. They can follow us along on social media at Poppy Rose Marketing. I don't take my own advice, so as much as I would love to say that we share tips and, behind the scenes, I'm really not great at doing my own social media. But if they ever want to connect, they can obviously shoot us a message. They can schedule a free discovery call. I'm pretty available to chat, so they can always contact us there.
Speaker 2:Amazing Savannah. Thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today and sharing so much great advice with us. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to fxbgneighborspodcast. com.