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Starting a small business is a thrilling yet daunting endeavor, filled with excitement, challenges, and unexpected twists and turns. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, the journey is often marked by invaluable lessons learned along the way—and no one knows that better than Treefrog’s own Kelly Rice.
Along with being a cohost of Priority Pursuit, Kelly is the founder and chief marketing strategist here at Treefrog Marketing. With more than 20 years of small business experience under her belt, Kelly's seen it all—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. And this week, she’s sharing it all with you.
In this episode of The Priority Pursuit Podcast, Kelly dives into the five things she wishes she would have known before starting a small business.
How Kelly Started Treefrog (& How it’s Evolved Since)
Looking back, Kelly reflects that she knew this was God’s plan, but being a full-time business owner wasn’t something that she had really planned for. But, as we all know, life happens—and it doesn’t ever seem to go the way you had envisioned it.
Kelly initially planned to pursue degrees in journalism and computer science but entered the workforce after a year in college. Despite lacking a lot of experience, she secured marketing and design roles at smaller companies due to her innate ability to bring clarity amidst chaos.
Raised on a farm and acquainted with small business owners, Kelly knew how hard they worked and empathized with their struggles to find marketing advice they could afford and that actually worked.
Because she was constantly being asked about marketing by small business owners, Kelly ended up becoming their strategic marketing advocate. Recognizing the importance of putting customers first, she guided them away from ineffective tactics, offering valuable support they couldn't afford elsewhere.
Treefrog Marketing is Born
After helping others with their marketing on and off for several years, Kelly decided to officially establish Treefrog Marketing as a side hustle. She was 25, holding down a full-time job, married to a contractor who worked a ton of hours, and was tending to their infant son.
By 2008, just by word of mouth, Treefrog grew more than she ever expected. So, she sat her husband down and told him that she’d like to only have three full-time jobs and not four. After he looked at her like she was crazy, Kelly explained that she wanted to quit her full-time job and only be responsible for growing Treefrog, being a good wife, and caring for and managing their three children.
And, in 2008, when their youngest was just a few months old, that’s exactly what she did. She quit her full-time job and began working what felt like a million hours a week helping small businesses build and manage successful marketing systems.
In just a few years, she was blessed to build an incredible team and all of their hard work provided insights into what small businesses really need to do when it comes to marketing. Because, again, she didn’t want to be another service just trying to sell small businesses something—she wanted to be a partner in their success.
The Flywheel Marketing Method
Through these insights and successes, Treefrog has transitioned from a “we’ll do everything you need when it comes to marketing” firm to one that now strategically teaches and supports the four areas of marketing that are most important for a small business’s success, which include:
- Understanding ideal audiences and creating clear messaging.
- Building a strong foundation with a strategically built, SEO-optimized website.
- Creating content and sales funnels that drive engagement and serve ideal clients well.
- Promoting products, services, and content through digital marketing channels like paid search, paid social media, and email.
Our regular listeners and clients know that these steps make up the flywheel marketing method.
Now—almost 25 years later, Kelly’s thankful to be surrounded by people who have a heart for helping others succeed. And, every day, she gets the joy of watching small businesses grow because they chose to be strategic with their marketing efforts and apply our four-step marketing strategy, the flywheel marketing method.
5 Things to Know Before Starting a Small Business
When considering what she would’ve done differently looking back, Kelly shares that part of her wouldn’t want to change anything as it led us down a path that created a proven system that helps small businesses streamline their marketing efforts, use their resources wisely, and ultimately grow their business.
But, there are a few things that she wishes she hadn’t insisted on learning the hard way.
Lesson 1: You don't have to have control or do everything to be successful
First of all, you don’t have to be in control or personally do everything to be successful.
In Kelly’s opinion, there are huge differences between being a boss and a leader on many levels, but when it comes to being in control and having all the answers, that’s where the lines get pretty thin pretty quickly when you’re a small business owner.
It’s a common misconception that to be at the top of your game, you have to know everything and control every aspect of your business, its systems, and its outputs. However, Kelly found out the hard way that this approach often leads to a bottleneck in decision-making and halted the growth and development of our team.
Being a boss means taking charge and telling people what to do, but being a leader is about guiding, inspiring, and learning alongside your team. As a small business owner, there are times that Kelly has to be both. But, she learned that being a leader is always more effective than being seen as a boss.
For example, she acted like a boss and conditioned her team to always come to her when they needed a solution for something. But, what happened was that she unwillingly made them doubt themselves, their abilities, and their decision-making skills.
So, now, Kelly is hyper-aware about making sure her actions and her statements show how confident she is in their abilities to solve problems and provide the best outcomes for our clients.
The 1-3-1 Rule
When her team does need a sounding board or help to make a decision, the team uses what she calls the one-three-one rule.
Basically, before connecting with each other, they need to understand the one problem that needs to be solved, have at least two or three solutions that they are considering, and come prepared to discuss the one solution they feel would work best.
What this does is help them think through issues and provide options for solutions. And, more times than not, they already have a great solution in mind by the time they get to Kelly. They just need to talk it out. And, Kelly admits, their solutions are sometimes things she wouldn’t have even thought about—and are brilliant.
This rule single-handedly moves her out of the boss zone and into the leader zone—which is so much more beneficial for everyone.
Delegating to Capable Staff
Kelly had to learn that delegation is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of being a strong leader. Now, to be clear, just telling someone to do something without giving them the information they need is not being a leader. A leader ensures that the person you are delegating tasks to is capable of taking on that role and that they have all of the resources and tools needed to succeed.
If you ever get the chance to connect with Mary, Treefrog’s director of operations, she tells a great story about how asking for forgiveness from Kelly was better than asking for permission—because she was so in control.
Mary knew Kelly needed a push to allow her to work in her zone of genius, which helped Kelly to begin to realize that trusting in your team's abilities fosters an environment of mutual respect, creativity, and personal growth; it isn’t a sign of weakness. And, Treefrog wouldn’t be where we are today without Mary’s heartfelt push for structure and delegation.
Lesson 2: Don’t operate from a smallness mindset.
The next thing Kelly wishes she would’ve known before starting a small business was not to operate from a smallness mindset. This one is a big one for her because, for so long, she doubted her abilities and fought imposter syndrome. She knows that a lot of business owners, especially those in coaching and leadership positions, have felt this way before.
And, her great friend, Mark Dolfini, who is a strategic coach, called her out. He said, “You’re the only one who doubts your abilities. Everyone else around you only sees someone who is passionate about helping them succeed. So, stop limiting yourself and your team, because it only reduces the amount of people you can impact.”
He was right.
But, Kelly often felt like she was at a crossroads. Fear was on one side telling her to hesitate or to hold back on a new opportunity, hiring, or firing because she was scared of making a mistake or negatively impacting someone’s life.
Then, faith was on the other side urging her to trust in the vision, take calculated risks, and believe in the abundance that comes from making thoughtful, confident decisions—based on helping others.
Kelly was stuck in that mindset of scarcity, where every decision felt like it could make or break Treefrog.
It reminds her of the time she hired a salesperson because if she didn’t hire him, he was going to become her competitor—even though her intuition told her that it wasn’t the right fit. Or, the months when she delayed letting staff go because they were good humans, just not right for the team.
It was a lesson learned the hard way—that leading from a place of fear or of smallness doesn't just limit our own growth, it stifles the very essence of potential—both for our business and for the amazing people we work with.
So, if you’ve been in Kelly’s shoes (or currently are walking in them), she wants to challenge you to stop. Just like her friend Mark did for her, she’s calling you out. You are worthy, you are strong, and you are in the place you’re supposed to be. So, shift from a scarcity mindset to one of faith and abundance.
Lesson 3: Bigger doesn’t always mean better.
The next thing Kelly wishes she would’ve known was that bigger doesn’t always mean better. She recently read the book, Company of One by Paul Jarvis as a recommendation from her friend Travis, who owns Honest Podcasts.
While reading this book, she felt like the author was saying everything that she had learned over the past 20-plus years—especially about how staying “small on purpose” presented so much more opportunity to grow as a business, develop and support staff, and find a stronger work-life balance.
Kelly felt his words so deeply because every small business owner is taught or usually thinks that scaling up and expanding are the ultimate indicators of success. But, the reality of this isn’t true for all.
How does she know this? Because in 2016, she tried the “growing exponentially” route by hiring a salesperson and increasing staff. She thought (just like the industry tells us) the number of clients and increased staff would allow Treefrog to help more small businesses.
But, what she learned was that this approach to growth was one thousand percent wrong for us. First, you can’t really “sell” what Treefrog offers. What we do isn’t a product or a commodity; it’s a mindset and a system that a small business has to be ready to move towards. And, we didn’t hire well. So, the growth that we experienced ended up costing us more time, money, and sanity than it was worth.
But, Kelly thinks the biggest loss we experienced as a company by thinking bigger was better was the fact that we lost the ability to really get to know our clients. We had to be so focused on cranking out deliverables and trying to make the wrong type of clients happy that we missed the entire reason for starting the business—helping people succeed.
In fact, Kelly was unhappy; her family time was taken over by work that needed to be done; and her key staff were so tired and burnt out that they didn’t feel like they had a purpose and really didn’t enjoy coming to work anymore.
Thankfully, they were strong enough to come to her with their concerns, and together, they created a plan to “downsize” and get back to focusing on helping small businesses succeed versus cranking out deliverables.
With that in mind, Kelly wishes she had been presented with the “bigger isn’t always better” mindset before she had to learn it the hard way.
Lesson 4: Setting boundaries is a must.
Kelly also wishes she had known that boundaries are a must before starting a small business. And, to be honest, this one is so much easier said than done! Because for most of us, we think that going the extra mile for clients is going to be seen as a bonus, not set an expectation.
For instance, when a client used to ask for a small favor outside of their agreed terms, Kelly wouldn’t say “no,” because she wanted to keep them happy—and she thought surely they wouldn’t be asking if it wasn't a “marketing emergency.”
Kelly thinks this is a dance many of you know all too well, where the line between accommodating and overextending becomes blurred and sends you and your team into chaos.
She’s been there, caught in the cycle of saying “yes” to everything, fearing that setting limits might push clients away. But, here's the thing—boundaries aren't just nice to have; they're essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensuring mutual respect in client relationships.
Delivering Better Services & Building Stronger Partnerships
Kelly learned the hard way that without clear boundaries, it's not just your personal time that suffers; your overall service quality and mental health can take a hit, too—especially for your staff when you bring “rush” projects to them on a consistent basis.
It's about finding that sweet spot where you can deliver exceptional value without compromising your own needs and well-being. This is why we’ve created a clear communication structure—explaining exactly what’s included in a partnership and what is not.
Now, if something comes up that is outside of the contract, we create responses that give clients solution options such as pricing the request out as a separate, rush project or working it into the following month’s tasks—in place of something else. This is to safeguard the boundaries of our partnership and allow the client to remain in control of the decision.
Remember, if your office is closed on Fridays, it's okay to say no to a meeting that a client may want to schedule on a Friday. In fact, clients often respect you more for setting boundaries. It shows that you value your work, time, and people—setting the stage for a professional relationship that is built on respect.
Think of it as not just setting boundaries for yourself and staff but also teaching your clients how to treat you. And, when you start respecting your own boundaries, you'll find clients who do the same, leading to more fulfilling and less stressful work relationships.
Lesson 5: Establishing systems that enforce a work-life balance is key.
Something else Kelly wishes she would’ve realized sooner was that you have to have systems to achieve any sort of work-life balance.
Kelly grew up on a farm where her dad showed her how to work hard and taught her the value of time and money. She remembers when she was about 12 and getting ready to go out and pick up rocks out of the field. She asked her dad why he paid other kids to come and pick up rocks, but she didn’t get paid.
He calmly replied, “You get food on the table, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back. That’s your payment.” Not that Kelly’s 12-year-old brain agreed then, but she soon understood what he meant. All small business families sacrifice and have to work hard—harder than most.
Because of how she was raised, Kelly thought work-life balance meant eating dinner in the field with your kids at 8pm, watching a baseball game while standing at the fence taking a sales call, and sitting on the couch working while “watching” TV with your husband.
But, this isn’t a great balance, and in the early days of Treefrog Marketing, Kelly didn’t realize how her working all of the time affected her personal relationships.
Creating Harmony Between Your Work and Personal Life
As a business owner, Kelly felt the pressure to deliver to clients, believing that pushing through rush projects or last-minute demands was just part of the hustle. But, here's what she learned: making a habit of this not only burns out your team but can also erode trust and morale. That’s why setting boundaries for your clients is so important.
As business owners, you think about work-life boundaries for your team, but disregard the fact that you need them too. Kelly used to be a yes person. Yes, we can help with that. Yes, we can meet that crazy ridiculous timeline. Yes, we can do that thing that you’re asking that we’ve never done before.
Basically, she tried to protect her staff’s work-life balance by doing those “extra” things herself. And, this wasn’t wise. Kelly’s team has helped her understand that she’s a better person, leader, and strategist when she spends time away from work.
So, now, she tries to stay in her zone of genius as a strategist—so she doesn’t take on too much, communicates proper expectations to clients, and allows herself to be present with her family and friends when she’s not working. Is she perfect at it? No, not even close. But, she’s making a conscious effort, and she hopes you do too.
Things to Know if You’re Starting a Small Business
If you’re just starting out in your small business journey or feel like you need a fresh start, there are a few things Kelly would encourage you to do.
1. Evaluate your zone of genius.
By that, Kelly means find what you love to do in your business. For example, Kelly loves strategy because she can see clarity in chaos where others don’t. She can also write, design websites, create logos, and more, but she gets the most joy out of working with clients and developing strategies.
With this in mind, Kelly wants to encourage people to find their zone of genius and then outsource or hire the other things that need to be done.
2. Build an understanding of the Flywheel Marketing Method.
Understanding the Flywheel Marketing Method will help you identify your best audience and simplify your marketing. This leads to less work on your part when it comes to properly promoting your services and brand.
One of the most common frustrations with small businesses is that they don’t have enough time to do everything. By only working in your zone of genius and understanding how to sustainably grow your business through methods like Flywheel Marketing, you hopefully won’t have to worry about operating in a smallness mindset and can build a good work-life balance.
3. Learn from those who came before you.
Take to heart what Kelly has shared in this episode. As an experienced small business owner—she wants to help you avoid the pitfalls that she had to encounter because being a small business owner is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to learn all of your lessons the hard way!
Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode
- Access Our Free Guide “The Most Effective Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses: The Flywheel Marketing Method”
- Listen to “Episode 136: How to Create a Personal Vision for your Life & Business with Mark Dolfini”
- Listen to “Episode 138: Boundary Blueprint: How to Set Boundaries for Small Business Success”
- Read Company of One by Paul Jarvis
- Receive 50% Off Your First Year of HoneyBook
- Learn More About Treefrog’s Small Business Marketing Resources & Services
- Join the Priority Pursuit Facebook Community
- Follow or DM Treefrog Marketing on Instagram
- Follow or DM Kelly Rice on Instagram
- Follow or DM Victoria Rayburn on Instagram
The Priority Pursuit Podcast is a podcast dedicated to helping small business owners define, maintain, and pursue both their personal and business priorities so they can build lives and businesses they love.
You can find The Priority Pursuit Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
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