We recently had the chance to connect with Halee Sprinkle and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Halee, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Absolutely—and lately, they’ve all shared a common thread: full-circle connections and unexpected kindness.
One moment that still makes me laugh happened at a Knoxville Smokies game. A guy sitting in front of my crew jokingly asked if I could grab him some tater tots when I got up for snacks… so I did. When I came back and handed them over, he was stunned—in the best way. We all laughed, and then came the real surprise: we knew each other! We’ve shared clients and connections, and now we’ve shared a game day memory too.
The Smokies may have won that night, but the real win was the reminder that a little kindness goes a long way.
Buy the tots. Be kind. Make the connection. Because what started as a joke in the 7th inning turned into a classic Knoxville moment—proving once again this city is the biggest small town around.
Another recent moment happened while networking with a fellow marketing professional I’ve gotten to know over the past year. Out of the blue, she said, “I have to admit something… I think we’ve actually met in a past life!” As it turns out, we had crossed paths over a 18 months ago at a football tailgate. She and her husband had joined our group through a mutual connection of my husband’s, and they even met my son and toured our boat. We both cracked up realizing we’d reconnected in a totally different setting and hadn’t put it together until now. It made us both feel pretty good knowing we must’ve made at least a positive first impression—and now we’ve come full circle, building something professionally.
Moral of the story? Be kind and welcoming. You never know when or how paths will cross again. Life has a funny (and beautiful) way of coming full circle.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Halee Sprinkle, the founder of Czech Yourself Marketing—a colorful, strategy-meets-creativity marketing business based in Knoxville, Tennessee. After more than a decade in corporate marketing, I took the leap to build something that felt more personal, more community-driven, and way more fun. (Yes, unicorns are part of the brand—because marketing should feel magical sometimes.)
I specialize in helping small businesses, nonprofits, and creative entrepreneurs find their voice, grow their audience, and show up with confidence—especially on social media. Whether I’m hosting a workshop, running a local campaign, or brainstorming with a business owner over coffee, I’m all about practical strategies with personality.
Right now, I’m focused on expanding my speaking engagements—sharing practical marketing strategies, entrepreneurial insights, and personal branding expertise with audiences at conferences, universities, and professional organizations. Whether it’s inspiring students, guiding small business owners, or sparking conversations with industry leaders, I love creating moments where creativity, community, and education collide.
At the heart of everything I do is a belief in the power of connection—because when we show up as ourselves and support each other, bold things happen.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I was probably no older than 14 or 15, riding the school bus home, when I felt the weight of what it meant to stand up for someone else—and the quiet kind of power that comes with it.
A much younger boy was being bullied by an older student—someone two years older than me and much bigger physically. He was the kind of kid known for fist fights and mean words, and most people avoided getting in his way. But watching him pick on that little boy? I couldn’t stay in my seat.
Despite the bus driver yelling for everyone to sit down, I stood, walked straight down the aisle, and slid into the seat beside the younger boy. I locked eyes with the bully and said, “Leave him alone. Find another seat.”
He puffed up and sneered, “And what are you going to do about it?”
I simply replied, “This.” Then I sat in silence—unmoved, unshaken, and completely defiant.
He nervously laughed, then moved. That was it—but it stuck with me.
Three years later, I became a summer camp counselor. That same young boy from the bus was one of my campers. He didn’t remember me, but I remembered him. And I remembered that moment—because it was the first time I realized that power doesn’t always look like force. Sometimes it looks like protection, presence, and a voice willing to say “enough.”
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of not being liked or not being enough held me back for a long time. I spent years shrinking myself, overthinking, people-pleasing—trying to earn approval I never actually needed.
Now at 41, that fear is almost gone. Life has a way of teaching you what (and who) truly matters. Some of it came from hard lessons and realizing certain people I once tried to impress never deserved that much space in my mind. But a big part of my healing came through therapy—where I finally learned to see myself clearly: as the kind, thoughtful, creative, and powerful woman I am.
I still have moments of self-doubt (don’t we all?), but I’ve learned that being fully myself is not only enough—it’s actually where my magic lives.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That marketing has to be flashy, complicated, or expensive to succeed. That you need viral content, a massive budget, or to show up on every platform, all the time. That more always equals better. There’s a lot of noise out there about what you should or shouldn’t do in marketing.
But here’s the truth: marketing should feel like you and speak to your target audience. It should connect, not just convert. The best marketing doesn’t come from algorithms or trends—it comes from knowing your audience, speaking to them like a real human, and showing up with consistency and heart.
I think the industry leans way too hard on perfection and polish. That kind of pressure freezes a lot of small business owners in their tracks. I’m a big believer that some action is always better than no action. People don’t want perfect—they want real. They want a story. And they want brands that genuinely care, not just sell.
At Czech Yourself Marketing, I work hard to help people unlearn the noise and get back to what really works: creativity, clarity, and community-driven content.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I truly believe I’m doing what I was born to do.
Growing up, my parents never pushed a specific path. Their advice was simple and solid: Be what you want to be, and have a good, honest job that helps you build the life you want. They always described me as the sunshine kid—the silly, happy one who could light up a room. And honestly, I still carry that same energy with me today and it is a superpower.
Through Czech Yourself Marketing, I get to use my creativity, optimism, and strategic brain to help others shine in their own way. It’s not just about marketing—it’s about building confidence, community, and connection. That feels like purpose to me.
So yes, I followed my own light. And I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://czechyourselfmarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/czech_yourself_marketing/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleesprinkle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/czechyourselfmarketing
Image Credits
Kara Hudgens, Tom Bell, Jenna Spooner
