My “Why”

I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, specifically in the restaurant industry. If you were in Illinois or Indiana in the '70s, you might have encountered a chain of breakfast restaurants called Golden Bear, which was my Great-Grandfather Papa Marzano’s concept. My parents met while working at Golden Bear in the late '70s, and their love for the restaurant industry flourished over the years. In 2010, my family opened Verbena Cafe, in Prospect, Kentucky (I was only 14.)  

Verbena began to gain a following, primarily due to its location in a burgeoning community, Norton Commons. Still, I noticed how much effort and dedication it took to promote their small business. By the time I was ready to head to Xavier University in 2014, I had my mind set on finding a career path that would help me assist small businesses in creative ways. The Advertising major instantly caught my eye. Before I knew it, I had two other majors, Digital Media and Public Relations, and a minor in Writing under my belt.

I immediately jumped into helping at the restaurant when I returned home to Louisville in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in tow. I used my newfound knowledge to promote Verbena on Facebook, which had a following of over 1,000 people.

Unfortunately, Verbena Cafe closed in 2020 when faced with the COVID crisis (see the final message to customers written by yours truly here). However, my passion for assisting businesses, great and small, with their marketing efforts has only grown.

So what is my “why?”

My parents and Papa Marzano are my "why." They taught me to follow my dreams, even if that means boldly carving my own path.

Individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit struggling to communicate their uniqueness are my "why." It's hard to see what makes your brand special when focused on the logistics of actually running your business. My goal is to alleviate some of the pressure of promoting your brand.