Custom Ideation

While they may not exactly be BFFs - Marketing and Operations are distinct, yet equally critical functions that must work closely together to support a company’s success. M: Highly visible - customers SEE 👀 marketing efforts. O: Not seen - it is what customers experience 🎢 as a result of day-to-day operations. M: Involves customer-facing 🤝 activities and direct interactions. O: Focus is on product 💻 or service-facing activities and indirect interactions. For these two friendly functions, it boils down to this: Marketing makes promises and guarantees to customers who purchase, while behind the scenes, Operations works to ensure the business delivers on the promises made. 🙌🫶💥 #cmo #coo #workingtogether

This can be confusing, particularly because there is some overlap. This simplifies it.

We often find that people confuse marketing with sales, when in reality...marketing is NOT sales! They work closely together, but they serve different purposes. Marketing focuses on brand building, creating interest, and attracting potential customers. Sales is its own function that takes that attraction and converts it into customers. Marketing drives interest. Sales seals the deal. #marketing #sales #omarzenhom #cmo #fractionalcmo

Keegan Rogers is the heart and soul of The Lakehouse Bakery and his inspiration comes from his Granny. For years, he loved baking hundreds of cookies with Gran to give away to friends and family, especially at the holidays. Keegan says — there’s nothing even close to that feeling of spreading joy through a homemade cookie, pie, or cake. And this family tradition lives on through The Lakehouse Bakery. The bakery has become an integral part of the Chelsea community from baked goods, sandwiches, custom cakes, catering, and of course the infamous Pizza Weekend! Once a month during the summer mouthwatering, handmade pizzas are made to order for pick-up or to eat at the bakery’s beautiful setting near Sugarloaf Lake. The last Pizza Weekend for this year is this Friday and Saturday, August 30th - 31st. The Lakehouse is more than just a local bakery, Keegan supports the Chelsea community in many ways. From donating food to local charities and events to feeding healthcare workers during emergencies, The Lakehouse Bakery team strives to help the people who support them. Join them in their quest to take over the universe, one chocolate chip cookie at a time! #smallbizspotlight #supportsmall #lakehousebakery #localbakery #chelseamichigan #freshpizza #entrepreneur

Need an extra set of eyes on your business? We’re here to help! The Custom Ideation Team is on a mission to help entrepreneurs build their businesses and create more meaningful work. We bring decades of experience across multiple disciplines including: - business development - operations - marketing - project management - strategic planning - website design We will EVALUATE where you are today to understand your goals. Design a strategic PLAN for growth and IMPLEMENT your plan to move forward. 👀 Contact us for a closer look.

📣 Announcing the newest addition to our Brand Family - Riemco Design + Build. We are honored to partner with this outstanding member of the Chelsea business community. Rob and Maria guide their team of gifted designers and skilled craftspeople through their strong values and commitment to providing an exceptional experience for their customers. Delivering a beautiful end product is as important to them as building strong relationships, fostered by personal and detailed customer service through every step of the process. Riemco Design + Build is a welcome addition to our client partnerships and we are excited to collaborate in support of their growth and development! #newclient #clientpartner #CMO #supportsmall #riemcodesignbuild #customhomebuilds #newpartnership

As an enthusiastic member of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, we are delighted to highlight this organization today. Although considered a small town by the numbers, Chelsea holds its own among bigger cities. This is largely due to the hard work of the Chamber which works tirelessly to support members and helps make Chelsea a “premier community in which to live, work, and recreate”. Terris and his team, along with community business sponsors and volunteers, put on a wide array of events throughout the year. This weekend check out the Sound & Sights Festival 🎶 Volunteers are still needed, so please consider helping and be part of the 💥action! And don’t miss out on Sounds & Sights SWAG!! A portion of your purchase goes to support the free entertainment during Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights! This only touches on a small fraction of what our local Chamber does, so next time you see Terris, Denise, or Madelyn, don’t forget to say thank you and show them some well deserved appreciation for the efforts they put into our unique and special Chelsea Community!

If you haven’t met Carolyn of Bumble’s Dry Goods, you are in for a real treat. Not only is her store a delight to browse, but the warm and friendly greeting you receive from Carolyn and her staff is second to none. Bumble’s is the go-to store for gifts for the home, along with many other unique finds that fit a wide variety of interests. Need a fun destination for a weekend afternoon? Make a stop in Chelsea, MI and be sure to visit the rabbit at Bumble’s on Main Street right in the heart of downtown!

Have you been to Withington’s? If not you are missing out! Step through the door and you are greeted not only by the friendliest guy in town, Jay Friend (yep…truly his name folks!), but also an array of beverages that fit every flavor profile imaginable both alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike! Not sure what suits you? - just ask Jay. He’s a wealth of knowledge and never misses a beat when giving a recommendation. Don’t forget to check out his growing line of specialty snacks and gourmet food products. So many things to tempt your taste buds! Whether he’s tasting new wines to add to the line up for the wine club or partnering with another business in town for a special event, one thing is for certain, Withington’s adds a unique offering to the shopping experience in downtown Chelsea. We are big fans and frequent shoppers - how else would we stock up for our Pour at Four office happy hours? 🥂 Don’t take our word for it - check out his selection on their website or better yet, stop in the store for the full fabulous experience of Withington’s!

This week’s Small Business highlight goes to Green Acres Fertilizer Company. Customer service is at the core of this company’s success. Customized, quality care that specifically meets the unique lawn care needs of each client is what sets Green Acres apart from their competition. Bryan and Stephanie have a depth of knowledge and experience from their 15+ successful years of keeping yards beautiful and healthy. Their recently refreshed website highlights their array of services. If you are looking for a professional team that values strong relationships with its clients, Green Acres is the place to be! -- gofert.com