We’re looking forward to introducing you to Brandy Kemp. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Brandy, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One of the biggest misconceptions about what I do is that marketing and advertising are the same thing. They are not. Marketing is like dating. You are wooing someone. Dinner, laughs, showing off the good side of yourself, finding common ground. Advertising is like dropping down on one knee and saying, “So… wanna marry me?”
Here is the problem. Most businesses skip the dating and just pop the question. Then they wonder why no one says yes. Even if someone does say yes, you still have to keep dating them. Because if you stop, that happily ever after is not going to last long.
That is why I tell people Kemp Marketing is like your wingman. We are the friend in your corner who makes sure you do not blow it on the first date, helps you land the second one, and reminds you to keep bringing flowers even after the honeymoon.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We are a full-blown digital marketing agency, but don’t mistake us for one of those cookie-cutter shops that crank out the same boring stuff for everyone. Everything we do is tailored to our clients — their voice, their vibe, their audience.
Truth is, we’ve been in the marketing game longer than most people know. Back when I was running my photography business, I couldn’t help but weave marketing into everything. My friends with businesses were my test subjects, and together we did our best to make a little noise in our small town. The goal was simple: keep our names in people’s mouths and make sure no one forgot us.
These days, we’re still stirring the pot, just with bigger tools. We’re coding AI bots that are already pulling in leads for us before we’ve even rolled them out to clients. And because we like to keep things interesting, we’re also putting together a digital magazine that will launch soon. It’ll feature our clients, spotlight home service companies for real estate and insurance pros, and give our customers something they can share as straight-up bragging rights.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who to be, I was busy trying to be anyone but myself. Walking on pins and needles. Pretending. Fitting in where I did not belong. I have always been a music nerd, and I never really hid that, but there were times I tried to play a role that was not mine. My sharp tongue and my facial expressions always gave me away.
When I opened my photography studio 23 years ago, that is when I finally embraced who I was. It became my safe space. My world. A place where I invited people in instead of forcing myself into theirs. That changed everything.
I am still my own person today. Not perfect by any means. Sometimes I hold back at first. But give me a second meeting and you will find out real quick who I am.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I think it was after I had my first daughter that I finally stopped letting pain own me and started using it as power. Before that, I had given way too much control to other people and way too many fears. I am not exactly a Tony Robbins groupie, but I once heard him say, “If you are going to blame people for all the bad, you better blame them for all the good too.” That stuck with me.
The truth is, every person and every situation, the good, the bad, and the downright ridiculous, shaped me. If it was not for all the crap, I would not be who I am today. And honestly, I would not be able to sit across from someone else who is knee deep in their own pile of crap and say, “Yeah, I get it.” That is the part that turned into my superpower.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. What you see is what you get. I am an open book, sometimes a little too open if we are being honest. There is not much of a gap between the public version of me and the private one. I do not have the energy to play two different roles, so you get the same sharp tongue, the same humor, and the same realness whether we are sitting across a table or scrolling a screen.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would probably lie to myself every single day and say it is not true. Denial sounds a lot more fun than counting down the clock. The truth is, I do not think I could ever stop working or even want to. Building, creating, stirring things up — that is who I am. Taking that away would feel worse than the countdown.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brandykemp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kempmarketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kempmarketing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kempmarketing
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kemp-marketing-huntingdon
