Your business tagline is “I help small businesses get found online.” What does that really mean in practice?

Helping a business get found online is only the beginning. Great marketing goes far beyond attracting attention. I work with business owners to make sure they’re communicating clearly with the right people and building the trust that turns interest into sales.

You’ve helped many small businesses improve their marketing over the years. What do you think they get right, and what do they most often overlook?

The businesses that consistently grow tend to get three things right: they’re easy to find, people quickly understand what they offer, and they’ve earned their customers’ trust. First, people have to be able to find you, whether that’s on the high street or online. Then they need to understand, almost immediately, what you do, who you help, and why they should choose you. If that isn’t clear within a few seconds, you’ve probably lost them. Trust is what brings it all together. That’s built over time through your reputation, customer experience, reviews, and consistently delivering on what you promise. Once people trust you, buying from you becomes a much easier decision.

Where many small businesses struggle is that they put all their energy into getting noticed. Visibility matters, but it’s only the beginning. Real growth comes when people understand your value and trust you enough to become customers.

"Great marketing can be broken down into three simple steps: be found, be understood, and be trusted."

Your work is centered on helping people and businesses grow. How has that shaped the way you think about leadership?

Leadership, to me, is about serving others.

I come back to a simple principle: to serve is to lead. The best leaders don’t try to have all the answers. They lead by example, create opportunities for others, and give people the confidence to trust themselves. That’s a big part of what we do through The Pink Gorilla Collective. Often, people aren’t looking for someone to tell them exactly what to do. They already have the ability; they just need someone who believes in them enough to help them see it for themselves.

That’s what leadership means to me. It’s about creating an environment where business owners have the confidence to back themselves and keep moving forward, even when things feel uncertain.

Many people start a business because they’re passionate about what they do. What mindset do they need to develop if they want to turn that passion into a successful business?

One of the biggest mindset shifts any entrepreneur has to make is realizing that passion alone isn’t enough. You can absolutely run a business part-time, but if you want it to succeed, you still have to treat it like a business. That means making decisions that help the business grow, not just doing the parts you enjoy. I see this a lot with creative founders. They naturally focus on making a great product or delivering an exceptional service, but growing a business also means paying close attention to the commercial side. If you want it to provide a real income, the numbers matter just as much as the work itself.

That’s why one of the first things I ask members of The Pink Gorilla Collective to do is track a handful of key performance indicators every month. They’re simple measures, but they give people a much clearer picture of how the business is performing. Once you start looking at the numbers every month, you naturally make better decisions and begin treating the business as something you’re actively growing, rather than something you’re simply hoping will succeed.

"Many business owners look at successful entrepreneurs and assume they’ve got everything figured out. The truth is, we’re all learning as we build."

With so many businesses now using AI and new technologies, where do you think the real competitive advantage will come from?

I see the rapid adoption of AI and new technologies as a huge opportunity rather than a threat. Right now, many businesses have access to the same tools, which means much of what they’re producing looks and feels alike. When everything becomes generic, it’s easy for customers to scroll past it. The businesses that stand out will be the ones that use technology to strengthen what already makes them different, rather than letting it define their brand.

AI and other digital tools can save time and make running a business easier, but they can’t replace genuine relationships or a real understanding of your customers. People still want to know there’s a real person behind the business. That’s why I don’t think the fundamentals have changed. Technology can help you work more efficiently, but businesses still grow by earning people’s trust.

You’ve spoken about the importance of trust in marketing. Where do awards fit into that equation?

Awards matter because they build customer confidence. Recognition from an independent panel shows that your business has been assessed by experienced professionals and found to meet a high standard.

For a small business, that added credibility can be the deciding factor when a customer is choosing between competitors. Awards also acknowledge the dedication behind the business, giving owners and their teams a well-earned opportunity to celebrate what they’ve accomplished. Joining the BASA Awards judging panel is something I’m genuinely looking forward to because it allows me to help recognize businesses that are setting high standards in the industry.

For more information about Steph Briggs, Steph Briggs Marketing, and The Pink Gorilla Collective, visit Steph Briggs Marketing and The Pink Gorilla Collective.