Why Rose & Thorn Creative Was Created

Hey, friends! It's Tessa here, and I wanted to give you all a little bit of context behind the heart of Rose & Thorn... so here it goes!

I started Rose & Thorn Creative in 2020 while I was still in college with zero, and I mean ZERO plans of making this my full-time job. The real reason why I started the business was to:

a) Have a creative outlet

b) Help small businesses develop a strong presence online and grow

Really, that was it. There was no plan to create a full blown agency, and there was certainly no plan to make this my livelihood. BUT I kept seeing the same problem over and over again, so I wanted to bring a solution.

Here's what I kept seeing: incredible business owners who were experts in their field - whether it was running a wellness practice in Minnesota or a beauty brand in Arizona - but they were spending their weekends trying to figure out Instagram algorithms instead of focusing on what they actually built their business to do.

The big advertising agencies weren't interested in small businesses unless they had massive budgets. The DIY approach was burning people out. And the "marketing gurus" were selling one-size-fits-all solutions that didn't work for real businesses with real challenges. (and let's be real - they promise you the world and more and all you get is a cheesy ad and have to give Meta thousands of dollars to push it out)...

So I started helping a few local businesses with their social media. Not because I thought I'd build an agency, but because someone needed to actually understand what small business owners were dealing with.

The Real Problem

Running a business already feels like you're fighting for your life daily. Adding "become a social media expert" to that list? That's not sustainable, and it's not smart business.

I watched business owners post sporadically, stress about content creation, and feel defeated when their posts didn't perform. Meanwhile, they were incredible at what they actually did - but that expertise wasn't translating online.

The problem wasn't that these businesses weren't good enough. The problem was that marketing for small businesses was being treated like marketing for corporations, and that approach doesn't work.

What Actually Works

Small business marketing isn't about going viral or having the most followers. It's about consistently showing up as the expert you already are, building trust with your ideal customers, and creating content that actually drives business results.

When I started focusing on authentic brand storytelling and strategic content creation - not just pretty posts - businesses started seeing real results. More inquiries, better clients, actual ROI from their marketing efforts.

Turns out, when you treat marketing like the business investment it is instead of a necessary evil, everything changes.

Building the Team

Today, Rose & Thorn Creative has four social media managers who actually understand small business challenges. My sister Kaitlyn joined full-time as Director of Business Development, which has been incredible - having someone who gets the vision and can help businesses see the value in outsourcing their marketing.

We work with businesses across Arizona, Minnesota, and beyond, but the approach stays the same: understand the business, know the audience, create content that works.

Why This Matters

Here's what I've learned after years of doing this: outsourcing your social media isn't admitting defeat. It's smart business. When you work with people who understand your industry and your challenges, you get your time back, your stress levels drop, and your marketing actually starts working for you.

We've helped businesses build waitlists, increase their rates, and feel confident about their online presence. Not through some magic formula, but by treating their marketing with the same level of strategy and expertise they bring to their own work.

The Bottom Line

Small businesses drive our economy and our communities. They deserve marketing that actually works, not generic advice from people who've never run a business.

That's why Rose & Thorn Creative exists - to bridge the gap between what small businesses need and what the marketing industry was actually providing.

Because when small businesses thrive, everyone wins.

Want to work with us? Reach out to us today!