Building a Business Intentionally with Caitlyn Grad

Who is Caitlyn Grad and what is Caitlyn Grad Marketing?

Caitlyn Grad is a passionate and driven individual who runs Caitlyn Grad Marketing. She helps businesses with social media and, more importantly, short-form content. As a social media manager, I’m not just posting content. Many people think that managing social media is simply about sharing photos—anyone can do that. But it’s so much more if you’re focused on revenue-generating activities.

Creating videos is essential, but it’s not enough to just make them. You need to repackage your knowledge in a way that retains and engages your community. I focus on helping businesses create better content so they can build their community and reach their goals.

What inspired you to pursue marketing and entrepreneurship?

Back in 2018, I started a handmade necklace business featuring ocean-inspired designs—think sea glass and fun summer pieces perfect for the beach or workouts. I designed a product that wouldn’t rust or tarnish and was inclusive in size, adjustable from 12 inches to 32 inches.

During COVID in 2020, more people turned to online shopping, and I was right there on the rise of social media and short-form content. Not to toot my own horn, but I excelled at marketing. Every week, my business went viral on TikTok and Instagram because I cracked the code on creating content that resonated with people—positioning my product as a solution.

Naturally, people started reaching out, asking, “Can you help me?” I began assisting them and realized I loved the strategy and content creation aspects more than making products. I decided to sunset the jewelry business, pursue formal education, and start my freelance career full-time.

Why did you choose freelancing over working for someone else?

It was a natural evolution. I attended Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. My teacher appreciated the value I brought and asked me to freelance for the school on a short-term project. That introduction led me into the freelance world. I then freelanced for another marketing agency, which immersed me in agency life.

When I entered the job market, opportunities were scarce. I quickly learned that I needed to create opportunities for myself. No one was coming to save me or offer me a job. The marketing job market is incredibly competitive, so I thought, “I’m not going to compete with everyone else—I’ll create my own opportunities.”

How did you discover your sense of purpose?

I realized I’m an amplifier for good. Many of the businesses I work with—whether it’s a pediatric therapy center or an e-commerce business selling Christmas stockings—are making a difference in their communities. The pediatric therapy center helps kids talk, walk, and develop daily life skills. The e-commerce business with knitting products brings joy. While we’re not solving world hunger by selling knitting products, we are making people happy and providing them with a sense of purpose.

I see myself as this amplifier. I may not be boots on the ground like a doctor, but I help businesses reach more people so they can serve more. The more I help these businesses grow, the more they can hire and create jobs and opportunities. Being part of this positive feedback loop fuels me.

Social media for social media’s sake—like, “Yeah, I can create you some graphics”—isn’t helping anyone. But when I can dive into a business’s world and understand the impact my efforts will have, that’s what keeps me going.

How do you incorporate intentionality into your work?

In business, I’m intentional about the opportunities I pursue. You can charge low rates and take on many clients, but I want to work with people who bring me joy.

I could say yes to all clients, but then I’d drown in work and wouldn’t deliver my best. There’s pressure to grow big and become a large agency. Instead, I choose to work with a few clients who excite me and light me up. I feel more like a partner in their story than just a service provider. The more projects I take on that inspire me, where I can see the impact and value I’m bringing, the more intention I feel.

Why does intentional marketing matter?

Everyone wants to hire their cousin or the intern to manage their marketing, but they often create more noise. We need to be intentional with our marketing efforts. What are your goals? Are you trying to build brand awareness so everyone knows your name? Or are you aiming for more signups for an event?

Intentionality requires strategy. If your goal is signups, we need to create enough content to drive clicks back to your website and continue the marketing funnel. You can hire anyone, but you must be intentional.

Many businesses create content that’s self-centered—not out of malice, but often due to a lack of understanding on how to repackage their knowledge. You’re knowledgeable, but you need to create content that stops the scroll.

This ties back to my passion for focusing on short-form video content—the hook, the structure, the flow. If more businesses were strategic and took the time to repackage their expertise into something people want to share, follow, and buy from, they’d see better results.

You don’t need just an intern posting random things. Many business owners make decisions based on feelings, but you should base decisions on data. That’s intentionality. You might think, “Oh, I think that’s what we should do,” but I make decisions based on data. I’m here to help you reach your goals.

What impact have you seen from intentional marketing?

From a client standpoint, one clinic conducted a free hearing screening, and we marketed it intentionally. Now, ten new kids will be diagnosed with potential hearing disorders that their families didn’t know about.

With the Christmas products, we’re selling more stockings and creating more happiness and joy. When I’m intentional with marketing efforts, everyone can do more good in the world.

What are you being deeply intentional about in your own life right now?

I’m trying to find a balance between work and life. I often feel the urge to take on more clients and grow. However, I need to take a step back. I’ve noticed that I haven’t been practicing self-care, exercising, or being present. I often find myself on my phone, thinking I’m “working” or “researching,” but I’m actually wasting time.

I’ve started having slower mornings. I’m still working on the no-phone rule for the first hour, but I’m getting there. I try to have meals without my phone, leaving it upstairs so I can focus on eating without multitasking.

When I work, I group meetings on certain days. Some days are heavy with meetings, while others are “get stuff done” days where I block my calendar. On those days, I put my phone in a drawer and focus on my work.

I’m slowly finding balance and making time for workouts. You can’t grow a business if you’re dealing with health issues. The more I prioritize healthy decisions, move my body, and incorporate strength training, the better I’ll feel. My business will flourish because it’s tough to run a business with chronic illness or health issues.

Tell us about the morning routine you're cultivating.

I joined a 30-day challenge called the dopamine detox. The idea is to reduce phone use and scrolling. It encourages starting and ending the day with one hour of no phone. You’re supposed to go outside and ground yourself. (I haven’t perfected it yet—I’m right there with you!)

The detox includes no sweets, clean eating, and minimizing screen time. I love the idea of rediscovering boredom. Boredom scares us all. How do we put away our phones and distractions and just get bored? We should engage in activities that don’t involve screens, read for fun, or educate ourselves.

Before bed, you’re encouraged to stretch, journal, and read. I’ve been busy with work and projects, but I finally cleared my schedule. I need to prioritize myself and slowly restructure my life before diving back into business growth.

What advice would you give to overwhelmed entrepreneurs?

I have two separate pieces of advice—one for business and one for marketing.

Business: If you’re feeling stressed, you’re likely not charging enough for your services or products. This is a crucial realization. You won’t have time for self-care or enjoying life if you’re working with too many clients to make ends meet. Restructuring your business and raising prices will give you more time for self-care.

Marketing: If you’re struggling, my best advice is to repackage your knowledge. You have expertise; you just need to learn how to structure your videos.

Today, watch 100 videos in your industry. If you’re a health coach, watch 50 videos from other health coaches and 50 random ones. Look at videos that have 100,000 views and analyze how they package and share information.

You’ll quickly learn there are proven formulas and structures for videos you can use to better present your knowledge. If more businesses understood that marketing is about recognizing patterns, they would achieve much greater success.

Start simple. Your first video will differ from your 100th. Many people are just a few videos away from their social media taking off. Just don’t give up.

Any final thoughts on living intentionally as an entrepreneur?

If you’re struggling with entrepreneurship, one of the best ways to cope is to time block for yourself. I find that exercising at the end of the day is challenging because everyone else in my household is done exercising. I often miss out. Maybe you need to block an hour earlier in the day for exercising, journaling, stretching, or pursuing a hobby.

Experiment with your schedule. You don’t have to adhere to a 9-to-5 routine. Shake things up and discover what flow makes you happy and productive.

Connect with Caitlyn:

• Instagram & Facebook: @caitlyngradmarketing

• LinkedIn: Caitlyn Grad

• YouTube: @CaitlynGrad

  
  

Caitlyn's story reminds us that intentional entrepreneurship isn't about doing it all—it's about doing what matters, with purpose and joy. Whether it's choosing clients who light you up, protecting time for self-care, or creating content that amplifies good in the world, intention is the thread that holds it all together.