The Story behind
The Seasoned Marketer
Every great business starts with a moment of clarity. Ours happened at a groundbreaking ceremony when a simple question from a small business owner showed us a huge gap we knew we had to fill—bringing years of marketing experience to the small business owners who need it most.
A note from Vivian Walton, Founder
The Day Everything Changed
February 22, 2017.
Media crews and local reporters from across the Lowcountry showed up for the groundbreaking ceremony of a $32 million medical campus. I had prepared press packets for them – each one containing USB drives with campus renderings, talking points, and the official press release.
As a marketing professional in the corporate world, this groundbreaking was what we’d consider a success. It checked all the boxes.
But then something unexpected happened.
A Simple Question That Changed Everything
As the media began packing up their equipment, Tom Jennings, the project superintendent, approached me with his wife. They’d been watching me distribute the press packets throughout the event.
“Could we take one of those home?” he asked.
Tom explained that he and his wife had just purchased a storage facility in Ohio. They were planning a grand opening and wanted to invite their local media. The press packet had sparked an idea—what if they could do something similar for their business?
I walked them through each element: how to structure a press release, why they may want to include a USB, and tips for media outreach. It was information I’d accumulated over years of corporate marketing experience—knowledge I was paid to keep current, strategies I’d refined through the years.
As I drove home later that day, I kept thinking: How many other small business owners could benefit from this information?
The Realization
Tom and his wife were smart and capable business owners. But their time was limited. Unless they decided to actively seek out information about press releases, grand openings, or tips for getting free PR – they would miss out on some of the easiest and most cost effective ways to promote their business.
That’s when it hit me: I could be that bridge.
I had spent years in the trenches—learning through trial and error, staying current because my job depended on it, mastering the science and art of marketing. What if I shared that knowledge with the business owners who needed it most?
From Idea to Impact
Four months later, in June 2017, I published my first YouTube video.
Over 250 marketing videos later, The Seasoned Marketer has evolved from a passion project into a full-fledged mission: equipping small business owners with resources to confidently manage their marketing in-house.
Why “Seasoned”?
I chose the word ‘seasoned’ to reference both the 15+ years of experience I’ve spent in the marketing world AND the real-world challenges peppered throughout those years. I’ve worked in almost every aspect of the marketing field, from advertising sales to market research, to business development to Executive DIrector of Marketing. I’ve managed everything from community engagement and public relations to content creation and media contracting. I’ve built brands from the ground up and played a vital role in scaling an organization with 140+ providers across 43 locations.
But more importantly, I remember what it’s like to be on the other side—looking for answers, searching for information that could make marketing a little easier, trying to compete with bigger budgets and larger teams.
Our Commitment to You
At The Seasoned Marketer, we believe knowledge is powerful. We cut through the marketing noise to deliver strategies that actually work for small businesses. No corporate jargon. No expensive agency fees. Just proven tactics, free resources, and honest guidance from professional marketers who genuinely want to see your business succeed.
Because every small business owner deserves access to good marketing information.
Ready to grow your business? Explore our free resources, marketing tips, and educational content designed specifically for small business owners who are ready to take their marketing to the next level.
TESTIMONIALS
What makes us so “Seasoned” ?
Vivian Walton
Founder + Marketer
Vivian is passionate about connecting resourceful business owners with information that will help them grow their business.
She’s working almost every aspect of marketing. As a student at the University of South Carolina, she worked for a Market Research firm, performing survey calls, recruiting and assisting with focus groups. She learned the importance of using data to track initiatives and campaigns, but most importantly realized that marketing is a science as much as it is an art.
After graduation, she went on to work at the Town’s local Chamber of Commerce as Director of Membership Development. Her experience at the Chamber put her face to face with the everyday hurdles that small businesses face, while introducing her to the many FREE resources that business owners have at their fingertips, some of which often go unnoticed.
In 2008, she entered the health care industry marketing for area urgent care centers and fell in love with the fast paced environment. She handled every aspect of marketing from public relations, community engagement and graphic design to website management, content creation and media contracting.
After three years in the urgent care arena, Vivian transitioned into a larger role as Executive Director of Marketing for the largest multi-specialty independent physicians group in South Carolina (where she recently celebrated 11 years!) and has established the foundation for all organization wide branding, marketing and public relations – including leading a team to support the marketing needs of over 140 medical providers throughout 43 medical practices.
Chelsea Mojica
Content Creation Specialist + Marketer