Most Canadian small business owners aren’t frustrated with marketing because they haven’t tried hard enough.
They’re frustrated because marketing has been treated as something to buy, not something to build.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll explains why so many independent businesses conclude that “marketing doesn’t work,” and how that belief is often a rational response to how marketing has been sold, executed, and measured.
This conversation reframes marketing as a practical business asset.
Not a reactive expense.
And walks through what actually needs to be in place before ads, campaigns, or contractors can work reliably.
You’ll learn:
• Why buying marketing activities without structure leads to inconsistent results and wasted spend
• The difference between treating marketing as an expense versus building it as an asset inside your business
• How setting clear priorities and stage-appropriate goals reduces guesswork and restores trust in marketing
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Most Canadian small business owners aren’t failing at marketing because they’re not trying hard enough.
They’re stuck because of a few planning mistakes that quietly undermine their efforts.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll breaks down the three most common marketing mistakes independent businesses make.
She also shares clear criteria for building a smarter, stage-appropriate marketing plan for 2026.
You’ll learn:
• Why marketing fails when it’s executed tactically without strategy or systems
• How to align your marketing plan to your business stage — and stop building the wrong things too early
• How simple, stage-appropriate data helps you iterate and improve instead of guessing
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing newsletter to access the 2026 Marketing Priority Planner for free and start planning with clarity:
Most Canadian small business owners don’t struggle because they lack goals .
They struggle because their goals aren’t grounded in the real context of their business.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing consultant Cheyanne O’Driscoll breaks down why most marketing goals fail, how to set goals that actually match the stage your business is in, and how to think about 2026 with more clarity and direction.
You’ll learn:
• The three most common misconceptions small business owners have about marketing goals
• Why goals need strategic context — not just aspiration
• How your business stage shapes your marketing priorities
• The difference between engine goals, stabilizer goals, and amplifier goals (and why choosing the wrong one stalls growth)
• A grounded way to define your marketing direction for 2026
This episode helps independent business owners, micro-businesses, and established service providers choose marketing goals that are realistic, achievable, and aligned with how small businesses actually work .
Giving you a clearer, steadier path for the year ahead.
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing newsletter for weekly strategy insights for Canadian small businesses
Most Canadian small business owners don’t need to hire out their marketing — you need to learn how to think like your own CMO.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll explains why entrepreneurship is a trade, why marketing is one of the five core entrepreneurial skills, and why outsourcing only works once your strategy and systems are already in place.
You’ll learn:
Why microbusiness owners can’t separate the practitioner from the entrepreneur
What the five core entrepreneurial skill sets are — and where marketing fits
The difference between marketing strategy, systems, and skills
Why clarity and internal capacity matter more than posting or paid ads
This episode gives independent business owners, micro-businesses, and solo entrepreneurs a clear way to build their marketing foundation with more confidence, structure, and long-term stability.
➡️ Join my free Understanding Marketing training to learn simple, stage-based strategies that fit your business.
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing newsletter for weekly strategy insights for Canadian small businesses
Most Canadian small business owners don’t need a more complicated marketing system — you need a clearer way to plan it.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll breaks down how to build an annual marketing plan that fits your business stage and creates real stability in 2026.
You’ll learn:
Why annual planning matters more than individual tactics
How your stage of business development shapes your marketing priorities
A simple 3-step process to build a clear, usable plan
Why internal marketing capacity is the real driver of long-term success
What most business owners misunderstand about planning vs. systemizing
How to think about marketing as part of your business operations — not an add-on
This episode gives independent business owners, small businesses, and micro-businesses a practical way to move into 2026 with clarity, structure, and confidence.
Next steps:
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing newsletter for weekly strategy insights for Canadian small businesses
💬 Book a 90-Minute 2026 Marketing Focus Consultation to clarify your priorities and set a clear plan for the year ahead.
Canadian small business owners can use nostalgia and familiarity to build trust, connection, and stronger holiday marketing results.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll breaks down the psychology behind the nostalgia effect , why people respond to what feels familiar in December , and how to apply it authentically in your marketing.
You’ll learn:
• How the brain links familiar cues with comfort, safety, and trust
• Why nostalgia drives spending and loyalty during the holidays
• Three practical ways to use it honestly — through real stories, community traditions, and shared memory
👉 Join the November Content Lab to plan your December content https://cheyanne-s-site-1b67.thinkific.com/courses/copy-of-october-content-lab
Most small business owners don’t need perfect marketing — you just need to start.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll explains why marketing is a process, not a product, and how taking small, consistent action builds confidence and results.
You’ll learn:
•Why marketing skill only develops through motion — not planning
• How even pros build testing and iteration into every strategy
• Three simple actions to use this holiday season.
Next steps:
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing newsletter for weekly strategy insights for Canadian small businesses
Most Canadian small business owners don’t need more marketing ideas. You need a better way to manage them.
In this episode of Made for Canada, small business marketing strategist Cheyanne O’Driscoll walks through the four-part sequence that brings clarity, rhythm, and measurable results to your marketing work in 2026.
You’ll learn:
• Why marketing belongs inside your business, not outside of it
•The four stages that structure every effective project: Strategy, Plan, Execute, Systemize
• Why most businesses systemize too soon — and how to know when you’re ready
• How this approach helps small businesses stay steady through changing markets
Next steps:
👉 Join the CO’ Marketing Newsletter for weekly updates on Made for Canada episodes, and ways to work together .
💬 Book a 90-Minute 2026 Marketing Focus Consultation to clarify your priorities and set a clear plan for the year ahead.
Wrap up the 2026 Marketing Flywheel series and learn how depth helps independent businesses retain demand, build loyalty, and create long-term stability.
In this episode of Made for Canada, Cheyanne O’Driscoll — Canadian small business marketing consultant — closes the Build Your 2026 Marketing Flywheel series with the final piece: Depth.
After exploring Differentiation (attract demand) and Diversification (capture demand), this conversation focuses on what comes next .
How to retain the demand you’ve already earned.
Cheyanne explains why client and customer acquisition is the most expensive kind of marketing, and how retention systems are what keep your business stable when conditions change.
You’ll learn:
– Why retention is the most cost-effective growth strategy
– The difference between transactional marketing and relational marketing
– How to build depth into your customer relationships and offers
– What systems help sustain trust, repeat sales, and referrals
It’s a straightforward look at how independent businesses can move beyond one-time transactions and start building depth, the kind of marketing that compounds.
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Complete the Marketing Flywheel Builder to identify your key opportunities and start designing a system that creates sustainable momentum for 2026.
Continue the 2026 Marketing Flywheel series and learn how diversification helps independent businesses capture demand and convert attention into revenue.
In this episode of Made for Canada, Cheyanne O’Driscoll — Canadian small business marketing consultant — moves into the second part of the 2026 Marketing Flywheel: Diversification.
Last episode focused on Differentiation . How to attract demand by showing up clearly and consistently in a value-conscious market.
This episode builds on that foundation to explore what happens next: how to capture that demand once it’s been attracted.
You’ll learn:
– The difference between attracting attention and capturing demand
– How to design offers that meet buyers at different readiness levels
– Why channel variety supports consistency and cash flow
– What diversification looks like for small and independent businesses in 2026
It’s a practical look at how to turn your marketing from reactive to reliable, by structuring your system to convert interest into income.
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Complete the Marketing Flywheel Builder to identify your key opportunities and start designing a system that creates sustainable momentum for 2026.
👉 Start Now
Kick off the 2026 Marketing Flywheel series and learn how differentiation attracts real demand in a flat, value-conscious market.
In this episode of Made for Canada, Cheyanne O’Driscoll — Canadian small business marketing consultant— kicks off a new three-part series on how to build your 2026 Marketing Flywheel.
Cheyanne breaks down what’s happening in today’s market.
Why conditions feel different.
What’s driving slower buyer decisions.
And how independent businesses can adapt by focusing on differentiation.
This first part of the series looks at how to attract demand by getting clear about what you stand for, and how your business fits into a changing economy.
It’s a practical, data-aware look at what it takes to stay visible and relevant in 2026.
You’ll learn:
– Why differentiation is the foundation of marketing momentum in 2026
– The difference between standing out and staying relevant– How market saturation is changing what “competitive advantage” really means
– What small businesses can do now to attract steady, qualified demand
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Complete the Marketing Flywheel Builder to identify your key opportunities and start designing a system that creates sustainable momentum for 2026.
Holiday marketing for Canadian small businesses — strategies to capture Q4 spending, show up early, and compete during Black Friday and beyond.
The holiday season is Canada’s biggest buying period — but it’s also the most competitive.
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll explains how small business owners can show up early and confidently to capture their share of the billions being spent across the country.
You’ll learn:
🎯 How Q4 consumer spending patterns actually work
🎯 Why early visibility beats last-minute promotions
🎯 The difference between noise and relevance in seasonal marketing
🎯 What actions you can take this week to increase sales
This is your opportunity to build momentum, stay visible, and turn the holiday rush into steady revenue.
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In this episode of Made for Canada, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small-business strategist and marketing consultant, explains why market fit is the foundation under every successful business — and why it matters more than ever in today’s value-conscious economy.
With discretionary spending down and buyers becoming more selective, many small business owners are feeling the slowdown.
Cheyanne breaks down what’s really happening, why “accidental” market fit is rare in this economy, and how to create it intentionally using her 3E Framework for independent businesses.
You’ll learn:
🔍 What “market fit” actually means — and how to recognize when your business has it.
💡 How to adapt your offers to today’s value-conscious economy so customers keep buying.
🧩 How to use the 3E Framework to simplify market fit for your independent business.
Cheyanne shares real-world examples — including a new local thrift store that nailed its market fit with a clear price promise — and explains how Everyday, Experience, and Expertise businesses each create fit in their own way.
Key insight:
Market fit isn’t luck — it’s clarity. When you understand the job your customers hire you to do, your marketing becomes easier, your offers feel obvious, and your business becomes more resilient in any economy.
Mentioned:
CB Insights data: 40% of businesses fail for lack of market fit.
The Jobs-to-Be-Done concept simplified for Canadian independents.
🎓 Next step:
Watch the free Understanding Marketing training — your foundation for building systems and strategies that create real market fit.
Made for Canada: Marketing stories, systems, and skills for Canadian independent business owners.
Independent businesses don’t need borrowed funnels or one-size-fits-all frameworks.
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small business strategist and marketing consultant, explains why plug-and-play systems keep owners stuck as consumers of marketing and how to invest in marketing that actually works.
You’ll learn:
– Why small business marketing has to be designed inside your business
– The paradigm shift from buying marketing to investing in it
– Three ways to invest in your own marketing: Strategy, Systems, and Skills
Marketing a small business in Canada often feels overwhelming .
Especially when traditional marketing advice seems built for big corporations with big budgets.
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small business strategist, explains why classic marketing doesn’t fit today’s reality and how independent businesses can win by leaning into their natural advantages: local presence, personal relationships, and trust.
You’ll learn:
– Why traditional marketing feels out of reach for small businesses
– What has changed in how customers actually make decisions
– How Canadian independents can use relevance and connection as their advantage
➡️ Join my free Understanding Marketing training to learn simple, stage-based strategies that fit your business.
🔔 Follow to listen to weekly Made For Canada episodes
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small business strategist and marketing consultant, explains why October is the last clear window for buyers to make bigger, high-involvement decisions .
And why that matters for your marketing.
Working with anyone new, signing up for a package, or making a larger purchase all require focus and trust.
October is the month when customers still have steady attention and budgets, before the holidays shift spending toward gifts and impulse buys.
You’ll learn:
– The difference between low-involvement and high-involvement purchases (and why it matters)
– Why October is the natural month to win new customers and secure larger commitments
– Three simple ways to make your offers decision-ready this October
➡️ Build Your Core Marketing System with Me
➡️ Join the next Content Lab
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small business strategist and marketing consultant, explains how campaigns fit into your core marketing system.
And why holiday promotions are a critical part of building momentum.
Your evergreen and monthly content keeps the lights on, but campaigns are what create energy, urgency, and direction.
You’ll learn: – The difference between maintenance marketing and campaign marketing – Why campaigns are about intention, not just noise – Three steps you can take right now to design your holiday campaign
☕️ Check out Cha Cha Tea Online
➡️ Build Your Core Marketing System with Me
➡️ Join the next Content Lab
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, Canadian small business strategist and marketing consultant, explains why your marketing goals aren’t reached by strategy alone, and how building marketing habits is the real key to growth this fall.
Marketing is something you have, when in fact it’s something you do. It belongs in your calendar the same way bookkeeping or client work does.
You’ll learn:
– Why so many small business owners fall into the “random acts of marketing” trap
– How to reframe entrepreneurship as a trade with skills and habits you can build over time
– The three marketing meetings that anchor consistent, effective marketing in your schedule
➡️ Build Your Core Marketing System with Me
➡️ Join the next Content Lab
➡️ Apply for the 2026 Annual Marketing Plan Intensive (Exclusive to Previous Clients)
In this soapbox episode, Cheyanne digs into one of the most overlooked pieces of the Marketing Stack: Go-to-Market strategy.
She explains why small business owners need to move beyond being consumers of marketing products and start thinking like empowered decision-makers.
It's time to put on your CMO hat and learn how to play in the sandbox of marketing!
You’ll learn:
Why “one-size-fits-all” rules in marketing are a red flag.
The 6 market engagement strategies (penetration, creation, shaping, segmentation, arbitrage, and presence).
How small business owners already hold the best field data for making marketing choices.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by rigid marketing advice, this episode is your reminder that you already know more than you think
Marketing is a creative, empowering tool for you to leverage.
➡️ Build Your Core Marketing System with Me
➡️ Join the next Content Lab
If you’re a Canadian small business owner trying to figure out why some months your marketing feels like it lands and other months it falls flat, you’re not alone.
In this episode, Cheyanne O’Driscoll, small business strategist and marketing consultant, explains the concept of Attention Windows — why your buyers only make decisions in certain cycles, and how September acts as a “mini-January” in consumer psychology.
You’ll learn:
– The most common mistake small businesses make when they market “out of season”
– What the research says about consumer decision-making windows and the Fresh Start Effect
– Why September is one of the most powerful re-engagement moments of the year
– How to align your content with open windows so you stop posting into the void and start catching buyers when they’re ready
➡️ Build Your Core Marketing System with Me
➡️ Join the next Content Lab