Unlock your small business’ big potential with the expertise of your SmartFriend.

Why us?

We started SmartFriend because we believe in the power of small businesses and the passionate owners and leaders who create them. It can be overwhelming to wear every hat as a founder - you’re the chief strategist, sales manager, marketer, and more - when you want to focus on the core of your work. This is where SmartFriend shines; we can give you the support you need so you can spend more time doing what you love.

Whether you want to create a side gig in your free time or break free from the corporate world, we want to be your SmartFriend.

As a LGBTQIA+/woman-owned small business, we want to create a more diverse, equitable community of industry leaders. We donate a portion of our time to support small businesses with owners who identify as Black, LGBTQIA+, women, or from another underserved group - find out more here!

SmartFriend brings three key qualities to all our work: Expertise, Creativity, and Empathy.

Expertise

With extensive corporate experience, we’ve worked with the biggest brands in the world and helped startups across multiple industries grow into retail giants. We also support 501(c)3 non-profits as volunteers and board members. This deep and broad knowledge allows us to quickly find opportunities to expand your business.

Creativity

Give us a good challenge to solve and we will get to work! We love digging into data, brainstorming sessions, and finding unique solutions. Sometimes the best solutions come from bouncing ideas off your SmartFriend.

Empathy

SmartFriend focuses on the heart of business - you and your customers. We are excited to help!

SmartFriend Services

  • Perfect for your new side hustle! We can talk through opportunities to support your business or provide a comprehensive plan to drive revenue based on your competition and industry.

  • The rapidly changing world of marketing is our wheelhouse - we can help you ramp your awareness efforts or review your social media & website to drive engagement. We can also provide resources for creative support, graphic design, SEO analytics, and more.

  • If you’re looking to start selling on Etsy, Amazon, or social media, we can advise on the best ways to approach your product portfolio, expand your assortment, or create strong product content to drive sales. We have experience in e-commerce, visual merchandising, and sales pitches to Retail Buyers.

  • Stumped on a unique business problem? Don’t spin your wheels - we would love to brainstorm with you.

  • If you’re new to hiring or leading people, we can provide guidance to help you create an inclusive and effective team.

Client Stories

Chef & Caterer

Our first client, who sparked the idea for SmartFriend! They expressed two main concerns: driving revenue during their slow season and reducing time on sales & contracts. We provided recommendations so they’d have time to write a cook book!

Landscaper

They came to SmartFriend with a passion for gardening & landscaping, but was overwhelmed with creating their website. We gave a competitive analysis and suggestions for content, while allowing for easy scheduling & payment. This freed up their time to create a gardening blog!

Health & Wellness Coach

We started with a Jumpstart session to discuss scope and vision of their side business. We provided recommendations to ensure the client could balance their family life and full-time job while exploring the potential of this new small business.

Jewelry Maker

This client enjoys creating jewelry by hand and selling at local markets. SmartFriend shared strategies to approach retail on Etsy, where they wanted to focus on lower velocity, higher-priced products.