Building an Ethical Digital Marketing Agency with Mike Leyva-Doherty

Join us for an insightful episode as Mike Leyva-Doherty, owner of the Wholistic Agency, shares his journey of building an ethical digital marketing agency. Discover how Mike transitioned from advertising and software engineering to founding a business rooted in integrity and intentional growth. Learn why setting firm boundaries, creating scalable strategies, and cultivating genuine client relationships are key to transforming a startup from a chaotic hustle into a sustainable, fulfilling venture.

In this episode, Mike reveals the real challenges of establishing an ethical business. He discusses how early experiences with unethical clients fueled his mission to prioritize honesty and good vibes, creating a brand that truly embodies a holistic approach to digital marketing. Explore how transparency, well-crafted agreements, and a clear sense of purpose attract the right clients—those who align with your principles—and how to weed out the ones who don’t.

Get actionable insights on managing boundaries as a solo entrepreneur—like why everything should be in writing and how to say no without guilt. Mike also shares practical advice for startups: focusing on your true passions, building solid relationships within your local community, and starting small with flexible budgets. Plus, learn how a disciplined approach to strategic planning, timelines, and client retention can help you scale sustainably.

This episode is perfect for founders feeling overwhelmed by the long hours, unsure how to stay true to their values, or seeking proven tactics to grow without sacrificing integrity. Whether you're in the early days of your business or looking to refine your approach, Mike’s story and tips will inspire you to build a venture that not only survives but thrives with purpose.

Mike Leyva-Doherty is the founder of Wholistic Agency, a full-spectrum digital marketing firm known for its ethical stance and personalized service. His background in advertising, media, and software engineering gives him a unique perspective on creating a business that operates with honesty and care.Tune in for a dose of real-world wisdom—get practical tips on client relationships, strategy, and building a brand rooted in authenticity. If you're ready to align your business with your values and grow sustainably, this episode is your blueprint to doing just that.

Visit www.wholisticagency.com to schedule your free consultation today.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:09

Hi, my name is Frankie Levadordi, and I am your host of Is This About Business?

SPEAKER_01 0:16

And I am Mike Levadordi, and I am your other host of Is This About Business?

SPEAKER_03 0:22

Yay, and welcome to today's episode where I will be interviewing Mike today. Yeah, we're gonna switch it up a little bit. We're switching things up with our setup and um just with in general, um, moving a little bit out of the straight automotive vertical and interviewing some other local business owners along the way, and then we'll hit back on the automotive here and there and stuff. But we've made some really great connections and made um met some really great people. So that's been a lot of fun. That's been fun. Yeah. So today's episode is a little um regroup and we're gonna interview each other. Yay, and I get to interview first, so cute. This would be fun.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

Thanks for being here. Thanks for making the time and for being here on the show. Really appreciate it. Right? It's a cute little setup. It's kind of uh semi-professional looking.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Okay, fancy.

SPEAKER_03 1:22

Right? We have the the right lighting and everything, and we have the little angles. Yeah, we have angles and we're both in the same room for the first time. So, you know, a little trial and error getting everything set up, but overall, thanks to Mike.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Thanks to us.

SPEAKER_03 1:37

Yay, good team. It's up and running. So all right, let's dive into the questions, shall we? Are you ready for this? Maybe. I know. And then next time Mike's gonna be interviewing me. So this will be, yeah, we'll each get our turn in the hot seat. Yay. Question number one. So, yes, I did have some questions that I wrote down just because I didn't want to get too off topic. And so I did want to specific things that I've been wanting to ask. So question number one for you, though, is what made you decide to be an entrepreneur?

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Oh, well, so I started my career in advertising and then went into software engineering. Um, but I think when I was working in advertising, I was kind of in a role where I was like sales, closing, doing implementation, doing really like all of the steps and working with clients who necessarily, you know, I wouldn't choose to work with who are kind of unethical. And I just saw um both that side of like clients being unethical and then businesses being unethical, like competitors um who are giving like data that you know is like kind of not really what the data is saying, but their story is, you know, using data to tell the story they want. Stand away. And so I was just like, I can literally I'm doing all of the work and then handing all of the money away. And so I was like, what is the point of this? And so that's made me kind of be like, okay. Um, and I worked for like some big companies, and I think just seeing you're like, oh, you're working with some of like the largest companies in the world, you're like, oh, all these people definitely had their shit together. And then as you get into that, you're like, no one has their shit together. And I went from this giant company doing software engineering after advertising to like a startup, and then seeing how quickly they pivot and change and how they also don't have their shit together. And maybe be like, we can make this work and we can figure out, you know, financing and those types of things. So it's been a journey, but it's been a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_03 3:46

It's awesome. And yeah, good to know that a lot of people, no one has their shit together, Roger's trying to figure it out as we go, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Right. And you know, you think a startup is like very quick and it it is different because they're like pivoting and it's like every month my department is named something different, and we're like coming up with a whole process and then scrapping it, having a whole new process, and you know, that that doesn't happen in like a Fortune 500 company to that same level, but it's like n both of them are equally, you know, kind of floundering and just trying to make things work. So I think it just showed that like the barrier to entry that I feel like we all think there is and really isn't there.

SPEAKER_03 4:23

Okay, you know it's attainable.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Right. Yeah, and it's just like I think we all kind of get in our minds that it's like we have to work for these giant companies, like they have this process and all these things in place, and it's like they do, but they also struggle and have all these, you know, that's why they need people.

SPEAKER_03 4:40

So it makes sense. I mean, they also started somewhere, so right. You know, everyone at some point was a startup somewhere, so exactly.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

Yeah, so I was like, let's build a company that's like works with good people, we're honest, like it's we're treating people like we want to be treated, we're working with people like we want to work with, and it's just good vibes, you know. I think I believe in like the power of commerce and like trying to lift up the local market and the um, you know, world through positive, you know, like lift up the positive people who are doing good things and who are ethical. So I love that as like the kind of foundation for the business, you know.

SPEAKER_03 5:16

And that's great. Uplifting good businesses by good people. And we love that because we need more of that because there's enough shitty businesses out there run by shitty people.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

Enough bound vibes.

SPEAKER_03 5:25

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Yeah. And there was just, yeah, like I saw like um lawyers who would literally think there's one lawyer who was, you know, known to be challenging, and he would literally call his rep every day who was like mid-30s pregnant woman. And he would like call her every day, screaming at her, she was crying, then she would scream and cry at other people, and that was like every day. And there were other people like that. And so, or like a plumber who like we knew was ripping people off, but it was like every job he has is two to three times his competitors, so he's making a ton of money. So he's also advertising in places like the phone book and buses, you know. And so it's like, you know, these people and they treat the people they work with just as poorly as they treat their customers. And so it's just like, why are we doing this? You know what I mean? Like I think there should be some kind of basis of like ethics involved in advertising.

SPEAKER_03 6:15

So oh no, absolutely. But with that in mind, has that made it difficult to acquire customers and new clients, or have you been able to just attract the right people?

SPEAKER_01 6:27

I think to like an extent. Like I think there are people that I've like worked with and I've just been like, I'm good. You know, because like this is not the energy that I want. Um, but I think it's also helped us like find people who are the right vibe. And I think like once you connect on that level, it's like so positive that, you know, I'd rather work that way regardless. Right.

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Right.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

I think it's kind of like a mix. Like there are people who are like, it's not a good fit. And then there's people who, you know, are the right energy, are honest, ethical, and it's like that's you know who we want to work with anyway. So it's like you find your tribe, I think. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

That's awesome. That's great that you're able to do that with business.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

Mm-hmm. That's kind of like dating. You're not gonna be for everyone, and everyone is not for you.

SPEAKER_03 7:13

So yeah, and that's gotta be a hard lesson to learn and deal with as a person and as a business owner, too, that you're not gonna be for everyone.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:25

And how do you handle uh being for everyone, even though you are a small business and a startup and obviously you want to make some money and grow, but at the same time you want to hold to your ethics and your principles. So how do you balance that?

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Yeah, I think that's like the hardest part of all of this is because like when you're in a corporation and stuff like none of that, like I wasn't really in the beginning of my career, I was like in sales and and I wasn't really the main salesperson, but like I was the person that some bought in to close the deals and everything and pitch um because I knew what I was talking about. And so there was, you know, that aspect. But like when you're in a large corporation, there's so many people like coming at you, and there's so many clients. And and as like a software engineer, I didn't have any aspect of that, you know, just project management. And so it is really different to be like, it's a lot as like a salesperson for a giant company, you can face rejection. But as like a salesperson for your own business as the business owner, it's a lot different. And so I feel like, you know, it is just kind of like holding, like figuring out what your boundaries are and like holding to them. And I've had a lot of situations where I'm like, I don't know, like that money would be nice, you know what I mean? Like it's a good vibes and stuff, but it's like these aren't this isn't what we do, or this isn't, and so it's like really hard to have those boundaries, I think. But like it's kind of been this exercise of like having these boundaries, and then something happens, like maybe someone leaves or whatever. Um, but then it's kind of like everything kind of tends to work out. So I think it's just been like a lesson in having boundaries. Right. And making sure everything's in writing because that's important.

SPEAKER_03 9:04

Yes, get it always in writing. Always in writing.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

It's like a muscle. It's kind of like I think that's something I learned to therapy where it's like the more you do something, the more you'll become comfortable with it. So it's like flexing that muscle of like having boundaries and not having that like fear and anxiety of, you know, are they gonna be mad at me?

SPEAKER_03 9:22

Right. Now take it so personal and just keeping it as well. I'm sorry, me, but this is business.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

Right. And like this is what we do and this is what we don't do. And so, you know, yeah, every business has that. It's just a lot different when you know, you're the one deciding what you do versus like you're being told like these are the things that you can do, you know.

SPEAKER_03 9:42

Having that freedom, I'm sure, comes with some fear as well. And some like, there is no one to check and balance you.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Right. There's no one to be like, you need to be nicer or whatever, you know.

SPEAKER_03 9:56

Now, how did you come about with a name?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

So I uh like was like a vegan for like a long time. Um, and so for some reason, I don't honestly even know 100% where it came from, but I used to have a blog named Holistically. And yeah, like spelled the same way, like and so that just kind of became like this brand in my mind. And so when I started the agency, like that's just the name I decided to kind of like bring over. So it's holistic agency. And so I think it kind of like we live in Arizona, so there's like a bit nature component here, but then I think also like the whole ethical, you know, advertising business, it felt like holistic, like from you know, fully encompassing. Um, because we are like also a full spectrum digital agency. So we do things a little bit different than most agencies that we don't have like retainers and setup fees and things like that. Um and so I think we are like quite different than a lot of like your traditional agencies. And so holistic just kind of felt on brand with like, you know, fully uh encompassing all of your digital solutions and then as like honest, ethical, treating people the way we want to be treated.

SPEAKER_03 11:13

So I love that. It's a great little like wholesome name, holistic agency.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

It feels very like vegan granola.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

Yeah, which is great though, because it's like so many things I think have gone away from that. It is kind of nice to have something a little bit more organic, right? And homemade feeling.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Yeah, and I feel like it's also kind of like an ode to like Arizona and we had the cactus and all that in our logo.

SPEAKER_03 11:36

So Yeah, no, I think it's a great logo, obviously. Hell I'm taking a desktop. It's gorgeous. So tell us a little bit more about the agency itself. Like, how did it start? Where is it now? How was it grown? Like what services do you offer?

SPEAKER_01 11:50

So I started in 2020. Like I was working as a software engineer. Um, I was like a few years out of my like advertising jobs, and I was kind of like missing advertising because there's like the creative component to it. Um, and I was doing some freelance work at the time. And so I was like, why don't I just start like an LLC and then I can have those people pay my LLC instead of me directly and kind of so that started the ball rolling. And then I had like a client who um I was kind of like one of their marketing managers, essentially, and I was doing that like freelance, and that was a really wild situation where it was like you're paying me like a flat rate, and we basically the expectation was like we're on a Zoom meeting, I'm being screamed at for six hours every night. And I was like, um, this is crazy. Like, I'm down to help you. I'm not down for like a six-hour meeting every night after I get home from work and be screamed at. So that didn't work, but that's where I learned like agreements. And so, like that was um, so yeah, that was 2020. I started it, and then we, you know, it's 2026 now, which is wild. And my full-time gig, um, I was working at like a startup for a couple years, and then they were doing rounds of mass layoffs. So at the end of like, what was it, 24? I was like, I need to spend 2025 like really pushing. No, it was even maybe I was like 24, I think. I was like, really, I need to get this thing going. So in 25, um, it was like the end of year, the year 24, maybe the beginning of 25. I was like, let me like next time there's another round of layoffs, put me on the list because I'm ready to go. Um, and they did. So that was like they said, yes, sir. And so like February of 25, I was laid off and it's been like a full-time thing since then hustling. So it's been good. We've grown a lot um over the years, and now we're kind of you know, looking to continue to grow. Not enough. Yeah, and then as far as like services, we kind of offer everything um from someone's like, I have an idea, come up with the name. We can, you know, find like what a URL could be that works with the name, logo design, branding, incorporate as like an LLC because you're a paralegal. And then we um do the whole gamut of like website, PPC, SEO, social media, all the types of things.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

So very cool. And how can people find you?

SPEAKER_01 14:33

www.holistic. That's W-H-O-L-I-S T-I-C Agency.com. And we're also at holistic agency on Instagram and Facebook.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

Love that. And of course I'll put the information in the credits and everything afterwards when the videos. And you're downloading and liking and subscribing to the channel and everything, you can get all that information.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Comment, like, subscribe. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

All right, quick break. If you're a business owner listening and you're tired of marketing agencies that overpromise and underdeliver, girl after you. That's literally why I started my digital marketing agency, a holistic agency. We do Google ads, SEO, websites, social media management, the stuff that really drives revenue, not just like the metrics. We don't do long-term contracts, we don't walk you in. If we're not delivering results, you can walk away. That's how confident we are in our work. We're honest, we're transparent, and we actually care about your business. If you want to chat about your marketing, book a free consultation today at HolisticAgency. That's W H O L I S T I C Agency.com. No pressure, no fail pitch, just a real conversation about what's working and what's not. All right, back to the show.

SPEAKER_03 15:59

And now, have it been okay, so you started in 2020, now it's 2026, and you've been in the business for a few years now, and you're kind of rolling with some clients and you're doing your thing. What advice could you offer yourself in 2020 from now if you could?

SPEAKER_01 16:17

I would say come up with a really nice agreement template to start with, because that is really important to understand like scope before you get to start doing anything. Right. I think an agreement is like the most important thing. And I don't do anything until everyone's signed off just to make sure everyone's on the same page.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Um, so I say an agreement and then like be consistent. I feel like um there were like periods where I was like into doing it, and then I had, you know, my full-time thing. So I was like, whatever, you know, like whatever kind of floats my way and it's just freelance work, like cool, you know. Right. Um, but maybe like be consistent and I feel like that's helped a lot. And then um the results I feel like kind of speak for themselves in a way and keep people. And so just like to make sure that like the work that you're doing is like what you would want to receive as well. Um, because that retention piece is, you know, big.

SPEAKER_03 17:16

So that's good advice though. Well, thank you. And now what kind of advice would you have for somebody who's thinking about starting their own business?

SPEAKER_01 17:29

Once I figure out what you like actually like and want to do because you're gonna be doing it so much. And like working in the business is a full-time job. And I feel like working on the business is a full-time job. And so I feel like you need to make sure it's something that like you actually one, know about and two, enjoy because it's gonna be pretty time consuming. And I feel like I work so much more now than we did like when we were working full-time jobs, you know, like it's like 10 30 right now. Yeah, it's like nine. And we're we're doing uh this. And so it's just like it's not the same, like nine to five, clock in, clock out, go home, you know? Right. And I think that you really need to like enjoy what you're doing, even at least in some capacity, like the communicating. Like I really enjoy communicating with people and kind of like all the data and all the pieces that go with this. And I feel like it requires so many hats. So it kind of helps my like ADD mind. I feel like to be like, okay, we're doing, you know, we're being creative, we're being analytical, we're being like whatever. And so I think, yeah, just like make sure you enjoy what you're doing because you're gonna be doing a lot of it.

SPEAKER_03 18:40

No, that's powerful, and that's really great advice. I love that advice for s new people who are starting out. It's like find something that you like and doing, and if you can make money doing that, and you need to do it.

SPEAKER_01 18:52

Right. Yeah, and make sure you set up your LLC. And if you need a website, we can totally help you. But all of that stuff really helps a lot with like invoicing, making sure you're just gonna have those little pieces kind of set up because once you get there, it's like invoicing is not the piece you want to be stuck on, or like an agreement, you know what I mean? Like those are like the first pieces to kind of so having your ducks in a row, you know.

SPEAKER_03 19:15

Okay. And now, like, do you offer consultations or advice? Or like if I were to reach out to you as a small business owner, I'm like, hi, I have an idea and I need help, what would that look like?

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Yeah. So whether you're like, I have an idea for like a business and I want to start that, or you're like, I want to grow, like, what does that look like? Um, and I feel like that's probably something too that like I wouldn't feel comfortable like going to an agency and being like, what do I need? You know what I mean? If I was like not in advertising. And so like I'm not someone who like pushes product. And so I hate having conversations about like, well, let's talk about PPC. It's like, what are your goals? You know what I mean? There's like so many tools, but it's like, what do you want to do? You know what I mean? So whether you have like an idea for a business or like you're looking to grow, then yeah, we can totally do free consultations and I'll come back and be like, here's the ideas, you know, we can kind of go from here. And I like to do like a menu kind of vibe. So that way it's like, here's like a plan, here's like an ideal state. But if you have, you know, a few hundred dollars, like here's where I'd start, and then here's once we kind of conquer this, let's move on to this. So we can like build out a little plan, you know, so it's not like it has to be ten thousand dollars a month or bust, you know.

SPEAKER_03 20:25

Oh no, that that's great to know because yeah, you can start with just a couple hundred dollars. You don't need a large budget. Because that is another thing. As a small business owner myself, I was almost always intimidated, especially by an agency or something like that. Where like you have a team that you're working with, it's like, oh my god, how am I gonna afford this? Can I afford this? Because you realize the depth of like what a team could offer you. And so the fact that like you could work with an agency for just a few hundred dollars a month, that's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Yeah, we work with any budget. Yes, yeah. And I just think like, if you know, I wasn't in advertising, it would be hard to like what would I even go to an agency for? You know, it's like I want to grow, but like, what am I gonna ask you? You know what I mean? So it's like instead of talking about like tools and you know, all of the things, because I always say like all that, like PPC, SEO, social media, websites, like all these things are like tools, but it's like, what are your goals? And then we can align the tools to goals and budget, you know.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

So I love that the way that you approach it too. It's not only that you offer all these services as an agency, but you also treat each client and you treat them as a whole entity. So you look at them, you ask them, What are your goals? What are your aspirations? Where do you want to be? What do you want to do? How do you want to grow this? What kind of person are you looking to work with?

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:45

And that way you treat them wholly, which goes with the name too. I love it. It's just all about the holistic approach. It's like it's almost like going to a naturopathic doctor or a DO that has the MDDL degree where they look at you as an actual person. As a whole being rather than just fixated on what's the problem and where are we at? Someone could come to you and say, I need a website. It's like, okay, well, first and foremost, why? What's your business?

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Yeah, or they're just like what's your budget? You know? And then it's like, okay, well, you have$2,000 a month to spend. So how can I burn$2,000 a month? Like I've done that for other companies. Like I've been like, you have, you know,$10,000 a budget. How can I get to$10,000 and what do I need? So instead of doing it like that way, I think it's good to like be like, okay, what are your goals and what are your problems? And like come up with a solution and be like, here's the recommendation. Like, if you can't get here, then like here's like the roadmap, you know.

SPEAKER_03 22:41

So you come up with strategy, which is important because we like to have a plan.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

We do love a plan. And I love a timeline.

SPEAKER_03 22:49

I never used to, but now I do. And you find the importance of them, and I have brought them into personal life to you, where it's like, we have to have a spreadsheet and a timeline.

SPEAKER_01 22:58

And it's like we have to have a list and a plan. We definitely do.

SPEAKER_03 23:02

I hope so, because then you can plan for worst-case scenario and have backups.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Right.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

Of you know, plan B- if needed. I love the important. For holistic itself, where do you see the business in five years and where do you see yourself in five years?

SPEAKER_01 23:22

I would love to hire like some salespeople, some fulfillment people, because right now we are a two-man band. And so it would be really nice to find clones of ourselves or people who, you know, fill our like gaps that we have, you know. Um and then I think just like continue growing. I'd like to like continue getting stronger on, you know, the clients that we have and and grow that base. And I think it'd also be really cool to like expand our um creative because I feel like we've been so digital focused. Um but I think that there's a lot of opportunity with creative, and I think that would be really fun to explore as well.

SPEAKER_03 24:04

So I love that. Growth expansion. And so what are you what can you say has been your bus biggest obstacle thus far in acquiring business and growing your business?

SPEAKER_01 24:18

I think time and sales because sales are difficult and it's hard. Like I am one of those like for sure struggle with a whole working in your business versus on your business. And so there's like so much time spent with like implementation and and checking on things and all of that, like maintenance and management and all of that stuff, yeah. That it's really hard to like go out there and seek out new business on the rug. So great. The energy.

SPEAKER_03 24:43

When do you have the time? Right. I mean, here we are, it's 10 30 doing a podcast episode. I have to go home and edit and then release, and it's like, then we need to sleep and eat, and then when do you have meetings?

SPEAKER_01 24:54

Right. And then we make up for meetings. Yeah. So I feel like it's just like hours in the day, you know? But and I think that it's like I didn't come in, like I I've been in Tucson for like almost a decade at this point, but I've been like a career girly. Yeah. And some people have known me in in that space. And so I don't feel like I have this like deep um network of people who are like business owners and things like that. You know what I mean? So it's also like that piece, I think, is like getting out and making those relationships with people who are local business owners and you know, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 25:30

Yeah. And how do you go about doing that as a business owner here?

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Well, we've been doing some like mixers, some BBB mixer stuff. Um, we went to the gamber, the gay Tucson chamber.

SPEAKER_03 25:43

Yeah, that was cute. We had breakfast and we got up at eight o'clock in the morning for breakfast.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Like people have breakfast at the time. Yeah, that was a lot. It was like and was like 40 minutes away. But the breakfast was really good and they were a really it was a really good vibe. So I really like that one. And then I think it's just been exploring, you know, like where we kind of fit into the ecosystem of, you know, the area and stuff and like what the vibes are. So networking. Networking. I mean, it does help, it does work. And there are a lot of like cool people we've met through it all so be excited to meet more.

SPEAKER_03 26:20

Love that. And now with another question was, you know, I did ask what was your business What has been your largest obstacle so far? But as far as business in your eyes, up to now from where you started, what has been your largest accomplishment?

SPEAKER_01 26:36

Um, I think we've had my I would say biggest accomplishment is like we've had a few clients for like a year at this point, over a year at this point. And so I think that is like big. Um and so yeah, I'd say that's our biggest accomplishment. Retention. Retention. And they're like really great vibes. So hoping to have them on the podcast as well. Yeah, no, it has been really great to grow with this company as a business itself and to be able to offer the services that we can offer to them so that it has Yeah, and we also like um had like this one person who had like an idea for multiple businesses, and we helped him establish like multiple, like an LC, a DBA, like m all the things that he needed, logo design. And that's why I think that was really cool to be able to like almost like have business babies. Yeah. Like our LLC had like other LLCs. And so debater. Yeah, and so it was like a really cool opportunity to like kind of be there in the initial step for someone and kind of like give them all the little pieces that they need, I feel like, to like legally set them up. And then we created like logo design, branding guidelines, all of those things, so they have like you know, color palettes and all that stuff starting out. So it was like a really cool thing to be able to do. So it's like fun.

SPEAKER_03 27:59

Right. Utilizing your background and your education and everything. And you always, yeah. And I do want to ask you a little bit more because you talk about advertising and how you were in advertising. And when I think of advertising, I think of like designing like magazine covers and then like going out to dinners with clients and you know, always being hung over something in like a room full of cigarette smoke and models everywhere. So, like that's how I envision advertising. I'm very 80s focused on what advertising like madman, yeah. And so, but clearly it's not all like that. So, what was like how were you what was your role in advertising and how how was that for you?

SPEAKER_01 28:40

Yeah, that was a good question. Um, so I worked for like a local TV station, and they were owned by like one of the main companies that owns like almost all of the local TV stations in the US, and they own like USA Today and a bunch of different other like public like cars.com, like a bunch of different pieces of media.

SPEAKER_03 29:01

Media outlets.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

Yeah. And so they like I don't know that most people probably don't know this, but like TV stations now are able to act like digital marketing agencies.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

Um, and that like traditionally, obviously, it was like that people come to them for like TV advertising, and that's where you can place like ads and like ABC and like those types of things. Um and so they have they have this like giant corporate arm that basically like um agencies or like companies would come direct to the TV station or like work directly with them. Um so there were certain situations, and that's an another reason I wanted to start the agency, was because like we do everything on our own. But we had a lot of agencies who would come to the TV station and they basically just like throw all the work at us and we do everything and then they charge 15%, which was crazy to me. Um, so maybe if you guys are have an agency, just make sure check what their fulfillment looks like. Because say you 15% right there. But um yeah, so it was a lot of like local people that we like you would imagine coming to like a local news station and like advertising, you know, like plumbers, HVAC, a lot of home service, like hospitals, overseeing homes, things like that. Um, and so I was like a digital account manager to start with. And so I basically was supposed to be doing like implementation and then like analysis and reporting. Um, and because a lot of the salespeople weren't super strong on what anything meant, I also did a lot of the pitching and the closing. Oh, wow. Because I was comfortable being like, so you ready to signed? And they were more comfortable just being like, want to go to golf. And so my experience was like kind of full cycle. Um, the digital marketing, like kind of uh life cycle. And so I think that was super helpful. And that's like what we do now, you know. Um but unfortunately, no models. I've been on like a few commercial shoots, but those were for like law offices, so not hot.

SPEAKER_02 31:11

Right.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

Sex is not selling there.

SPEAKER_03 31:15

No, not in a law firm, they're very, you know, very PC, very like that. So get policy.

SPEAKER_01 31:21

But people for sure drank in advertising. I mean, like we weren't, you know, but but like we would leave early and go get drinks, or like people would and like salespeople are built different. And so I had salespeople who would call me at like 12 in the afternoon, and the the this one woman was literally like called me from her boat and told me to like get a presentation ready for her or something. And I was like, fuck off. You can come do your job. And so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:50

Oh, I love that though, from the boat.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

Right. But yeah, we were like a I worked in like digital. Um and so I think that's kind of always been my house. I've done some with like commercials and you know, preempts and like dealing with filling spots and things like that. Um but yeah, it was a fun experience and and kind of having that like news aspect to it. Like we were able to do some really cute stuff. Like we came up with like a holiday giveaway or something like that every year. And so we had like almost like an advent calendar or something. We were able to get like sponsors and have like creative around it and stuff. So they were very open to like, let's have like a cute little thing. And I loved coming up with packages to be like, you know, like in where I was, we would get like random snowstorms and things like that, and like local news is like where people go for like that stuff. And so that was when we would make like a ton of money with like page views and all that stuff. And so I was like the king of like, oh, we have a tropical storm coming. Let's put together a tropical storm package and I could like sell that real quick and I'd be like make an extra$5,000 real quick, and you know, snowstorms are coming and be like, call this person, and I'd be like on their account managers, like, call them, they're great. And so yeah, it's like a really fun experience. But I think it was just like I, you know, really wanted to be able to like keep the money that we're making and also like work with you know the people that we want to work with.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

So yeah, so important. It does make everyday, especially when you are working these long hours, it makes it well worth it. I in my experience, I know why it is.

SPEAKER_01 33:18

Yeah, and we can also schedule naps if we need to. So we love a day time. It's important.

SPEAKER_03 33:23

We'd have a mid-afternoon and early evening nap, a after dinner nap, right before you know, meeting. Post-work nap, yeah. The nap nap. It's just great. The best. All right, and you're a transplant, not from originally from Tucson and stuff. So where's your favorite place to go hike in Tucson for people who are new here or moving out here, visiting out here?

SPEAKER_01 33:48

I really like Oro Valley State Park. Is that what it's called?

SPEAKER_03 33:51

Catalina State Park.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Catalina State Park.

SPEAKER_03 33:53

Gorgeous.

SPEAKER_01 33:54

Yeah, because that's what I used to like live across from there, and that's where I feel like I explored the trails so much when I was there, and I used to like run around there and stuff. And so it's just like I love it. There's like little water there sometimes too, which is really cute.

SPEAKER_03 34:09

It is so cute. It is so cute. And you were you I do remember walking there with you and the kids, and it was like you walk through different biomes now too, because it's like there's forest, there's desert, and then all of a sudden there's like this raging river that comes out of nowhere that you can walk through or sit in. And then you can slide rock too.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

It was like kind of seems not that busy. No, which is so yeah, it's like one of the probably less busy ones, I feel like.

SPEAKER_03 34:32

So I say it's less busy than Sabino or Mount Levin for sure.

SPEAKER_01 34:36

Yeah, Sabino's yeah, so busy. Yeah, but would recommend. And Picado is really cute too.

SPEAKER_03 34:43

We do love Pacancho.

SPEAKER_01 34:45

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 34:46

It's cute out there. Well, we love that. It's been a lot of fun speaking with you today and getting to know you a little better and what and why you started the holistic agency and everything. So, one more time, where can people find you and how can they book a consultation with you to get things going?

SPEAKER_01 35:02

They can go to www.holistic. It's w-h-o-l-i-s-t-i-c agency.com. And there's like buttons on the website where it says schedule a free consultation. So we love that. Or just hit us up on uh social media and slide indoor DMs.

SPEAKER_03 35:20

DM us. We're fine.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

We're down. Fine for your consultations.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

Well, thank you for being with here with us today and for taking the time. I appreciate this. It's been a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 35:32

It has been. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 35:33

You're welcome. Thank you. And we'll see you all next time. Later.