Before We Build Anything

Hi, I'm Christina — I want to build something that actually serves you.

Running a business today is more challenging than ever. Growth brings new complexity — marketing feels scattered, priorities compete for attention, and it's harder to know what will make the biggest impact.

Before I build out Spark of Clarity's services, I want to learn directly from local business owners and nonprofit leaders like you — what's actually holding you back, and what you really look for in a trusted partner. Your answers directly shape how SOC develops its services, resources, and pricing.

A Quick Promise

This is not a disguised sales pitch. My primary goal is to listen and build something genuinely valuable for our local business community. As thanks for your time, you'll get:

The option to schedule a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Conversation
An invitation to be featured (free) in our Local Business Spotlight
A chance to be selected for a Founding Cohort rate on a Clarity Sprint℠

⏱ Estimated time: 8-10 minutes

Thank you for helping shape something purposeful.

— Christina Gentry, Founder, Spark of Clarity

Section One

Tell me about your business

Your name

Organization name

Email

Phone (optional)

Website (optional)

Please fill in your name, organization, and email to continue.

Section One, cont.

A little more context

How long have you been operating?

Less than 3 years 3–7 years 8–15 years 15+ years

Section One, cont.

A quick business snapshot

A few fast facts that help me understand the context behind your answers.

What's your role in the marketing decisions at your company?

I own it — marketing decisions come through me whether I want them to or not. I run the marketing function — director or manager. I'm on the marketing team — I execute, someone else sets direction. I'm in leadership, but marketing isn't my domain — I sign off on it. I oversee strategy at a high level — my team handles the day-to-day. Something else entirely.

Roughly where is your business revenue-wise? (helps me understand context — never shared)

Under $100K — early stage, still finding our footing. $100K–$250K — gaining traction, but marketing is a mess. $250K–$500K — established, the stakes are higher now. $500K–$1M — things are working, I want to keep it that way. $1M+ — we've outgrown a lot of our early systems. Prefer not to answer

What does your internal marketing function actually look like?

Very limited — one person or less. One dedicated person, working hard but can't cover everything. Small team, 2 to 5 people — execution is fine, strategy is the gap. Larger team with real structure — the problem isn't capacity, it's direction. Mostly outsourced — agency or contractors, very little in-house.

Section One, cont.

Where are you today?

Pick the statement that best reflects your business right now — there's no wrong answer.

"We're building structure." — We rely mostly on word-of-mouth and are still defining our ideal customer. "We have traction, but it feels uneven." — Marketing is ad-hoc, leads are steady but leaky, and it's unclear which channels actually convert. "We have systems, but lack execution clarity." — We have a marketing operation, but disjointed tools and data complexity are slowing us down. "We're doing the work, but it's not yielding results." — We have active channels and budget, but we aren't seeing the ROI we expect. "We're in a growth plateau." — Things are stable, but "fine" isn't the same as growing; our momentum has stalled. "We've been burned by partners before." — We've tried outside agencies or consultants, but it didn't go well.

In Your Own Words

What's actually frustrating you right now?

Before we get into checklists — if you could vent for a minute, no filter, what would you say? What's the part of running your business that wears on you most right now?

Section Two

What currently feels like your biggest obstacle?

Select up to 3 — 0 selected

Section Two, cont.

How you track what's working

Where do most of your new customers actually come from today?

Referrals, almost entirely. Paid ads, but I can't always tell which ones are working. A mix of channels — some intentional, some just habit. Outbound sales & relationships — marketing isn't really in the mix. Honestly, I'm not totally sure.

Which of these have you actually invested in? (select all that apply)

Agency (full-service or channel-specific) Freelancers or contractors Paid ads (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, etc.) Content marketing or SEO Email marketing or CRM Social media Events, trade shows, or sponsorships None of the above at any real scale

What do you currently track, if anything? (select all that apply)

Which best describes your relationship to that data?

It's too dispersed — no single source of truth I have metrics, but I'm not confident they're accurate We don't run enough marketing to really track anything We track it, but I question if we're tracking the right things We track it consistently, but the results aren't good

One More Thing

If you could solve ONE business challenge in the next 90 days...

What would it be?

Section Three

Working with outside partners

Have you worked with a consultant, agency, coach, or strategist before?

Never Yes, currently Yes, previously

What's your honest relationship with outside marketing advice right now?

Cautiously open — I've heard a lot of pitches, I need to see the thinking before I trust it. Looking for a strategic partner who can keep us sharp. Ready for the truth, even if it means admitting what's been done isn't working. Just tell me what to do — I don't need every detail, I need a clear plan. I need to see evidence before I change anything — I've been burned by opinions dressed up as strategy.

Section Three, cont.

When choosing someone to help your business, what matters most?

Click your top 5, in order of importance. Click again to remove a pick.

0 of 5 ranked

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Understanding my business

–

Trust

–

Transparency

–

Communication

–

Industry knowledge

–

Results

–

Education

–

Execution

–

Strategy

–

Accountability

–

Flexibility

–

Long-term partnership

–

Practical solutions

–

Other

Section Four

Which type of support feels right for where you are now?

"Give me templates I can use myself." — I want digital downloads, worksheets, and clear steps to work through this on my own. "Let's work on this together." — I want guidance and collaboration, but I'll be executing most of it myself. "Just tell me what to do and handle it." — I want someone to lead the strategy and execution while I focus on running my business. Not sure yet — I'm still figuring out what I need.

Section Four, cont.

What would actually help?

Which of these would genuinely attract you or provide value right now? Pick your top 3.

Select up to 3 — 0 selected

A clear-eyed audit of what's working and what's not Nailing down exactly who we're for and how we say it Someone to think it through with, not just execute Marketing leadership without a full-time hire Fixing the tools and processes quietly wasting our time Finally trusting the numbers I'm looking at A real plan for bringing in — and keeping — customers Content and campaigns that actually sound like us

Section Four, cont.

Thinking about investment

This helps me understand what's realistic for your business stage.

If you chose DIY Templates, what would feel like fair value for a toolkit that saves you 10+ hours of work?

Under $50 $50-150 $150-300 Don't know — I'd need to see the value first

If you chose Collaborative or Full Service, which format sounds most realistic for you?

A short, focused project — 4 to 6 weeks, a specific deliverable (like an audit or strategy build), then we part ways. Biweekly check-ins over 3 to 6 months — ongoing guidance while you execute. Monthly strategic sessions, ongoing — a longer-term thinking partner, no end date in mind. A full year partnership — deeper involvement, built around a longer roadmap. Not sure — I'd want it scoped first.

Based on that format, what feels like a fair monthly investment for that kind of support?

Under $1,000/month $1,000-2,500/month $2,500-5,000/month $5,000+/month Depends on scope — I'd need it defined first

Sales Clarity

A bit about investment...

This helps me understand how you approach spending decisions.

Which of these feels like your buying style?

Value-invested — I want to see clear ROI Price-sensitive — I need to stay under a hard budget Strategic spend — I view this as investment in growth Competitive research — I compare options closely

Something went wrong submitting your answers. Please try again.

You're helping build something bigger.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Your feedback isn't disappearing into a spreadsheet — I'm personally reviewing every response to shape SOC's future services, resources, and partnerships. Whether we ever work together or not, I hope this is the start of a meaningful connection.

Schedule a complimentary Discovery Conversation?

A no-pressure, 30-minute conversation focused entirely on your business — no pitch.

Book My Free Conversation →

Founding Research Cohort — Limited

Want to be considered for a Clarity Sprint℠?

$497 $1,500 value

A focused, 30-day strategic engagement to uncover what's holding your business back and build a practical roadmap forward. This rate is reserved for businesses who help shape SOC through this survey — it isn't a standing price.

✓

Business Clarity Report — a clear picture of where things stand today

✓

Strategic Findings — your biggest opportunities and bottlenecks

✓

Priority Action Plan — ranked by effort and business value

✓

90-Day Roadmap — a practical plan for what to focus on next

Be featured in our Local Business Spotlight?

Free promotion on our website — we're highlighting purpose-driven organizations in our community.

You're all set.

Thank you, friend — this means a lot. Christina will follow up personally on anything you opted into above.

Hi, I'm Christina — I want to build something that actually serves you.

A Quick Promise

Tell me about your business

A little more context

A quick business snapshot

Where are you today?

What's actually frustrating you right now?

What currently feels like your biggest obstacle?

How you track what's working

If you could solve ONE business challenge in the next 90 days...

Working with outside partners

When choosing someone to help your business, what matters most?

Which type of support feels right for where you are now?

What would actually help?

Thinking about investment

A bit about investment...

You're helping build something bigger.

Want to be considered for a Clarity Sprint℠?

Tell us your story

You're all set.