By Jennifer Dring, MJ2 Marketing Agency Managing Director
“We didn’t market enough. That’s a rookie mistake.”
I read this quote several years ago, shared by a business owner reflecting on the closure of two of her three restaurants. It hit me hard because at the time, I was a one-woman marketing department for a fast-growing restaurant group, and I felt that.
I was juggling two unique restaurant concepts, seven locations, and a very real budget. Social media? Check. Website updates? On it. Print ads, radio spots, Yelp, TripAdvisor, event promotions, content creation, strategy? Yep—mine too. The blog? Let’s just say it became a “someday” project. Canva was my lifeline. Coffee was my fuel.
I worked with passion and intention. But deep down, I often wondered, “If only I had more time… more help… more perspective.”
Back then, if you asked me about hiring a marketing agency, my answer was a hard “no.”
Why? Because I was the marketing team. Bringing in an agency felt like admitting defeat—like I couldn’t do it all.
Spoiler alert … that mindset has completely changed.
From Doing It All to Doing It Better
I now sit on the other side of the table as the Managing Director at MJ2 Marketing, a boutique digital agency that partners with businesses to elevate and execute their marketing with precision and purpose. I’ve always approached marketing through the lens of purpose, efficiency, and impact and still do as part of the MJ2 team.
I understand what it feels like to operate under constraints, and that empathy drives our approach at MJ2. We work with growth-minded clients across industries — from nonprofit associations to home builders and real estate professionals to medical practices and law firms — guiding them through strategy, implementation, and measurable results. But I never forget what it felt like to be alone in the weeds. That experience drives how I lead.
What I Know Now
Hiring a marketing agency isn’t a failure.
It’s a strategy.
It’s the difference between staying reactive and becoming intentional. Between surviving and scaling. Between checking boxes and driving impact.
An agency like MJ2 brings a team of professionals who integrate seamlessly into your workflow. Think:
- Web designers
- SEO specialists
- Social media managers
- Content strategists
- Analysts
- Paid media managers
All focused on your goals—your KPIs, your voice, your wins.
We’re arm-in-arm with our clients, functioning as an extension of their internal teams. We flex where needed, bringing high-touch collaboration, real-world insight, and performance-driven strategy. Our values— Excellence, Partnership, Intentionality, Agility – aren’t just words on a deck. They’re how we show up every day.
Why It Works (And Why It Matters)
Yes, working with an agency is a financial commitment. But let’s reframe that:
It’s not an overhead cost, it’s an investment in your growth.
When you stack the costs (and hiring headaches) of building an in-house team with the experience, creativity, and innovation an agency brings it starts to make a lot of sense. We treat every client’s brand like it’s our own—because we’ve been there. We are real-world marketers. We are business owners.
In a Letter to My Younger Self…
…I’d say this:
“You’re doing a great job. But you don’t have to do it alone.”
The marketing landscape is more complex, more demanding, and more fast-paced than ever. That’s exactly why collaboration matters. You don’t need to carry the entire load. You need the right partner.
So, if you’re a business owner or marketing director who’s ever thought, “I can do it all—because I have to,” … just know there’s another way. A better way.
Let’s talk about it.
Jennifer Dring
