Episode Summary
This week on An Agency Story, host Russel Dubree sits down with Stacey McCormick, founder of Musimack Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency based in Portland, Oregon.
Stacey didn’t have a business plan when she started her agency. She had a severance package, a mortgage, and a nudge from the universe. What followed was an unexpected but inspiring journey from traditional media to digital marketing, from employee to reluctant CEO.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- How a layoff and a grant became the unlikely foundation for Stacey’s agency
- The dynamics of building a business with your spouse
- Why a “reluctant” mindset may actually be a strength in business
Agency Info
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Company: Musimack Marketing
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Guest: Stacey McCormack
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Year Started: 2013
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Employees: 1-10
To be on my own and to never know exactly where the next penny’s going to come from, that was the hardest part.
Stacey McCormack
Key Takeaways
Reluctance Isn’t Weakness—It’s Perspective
Stacey’s entry into business ownership was far from romanticized. She was a seasoned media sales professional who enjoyed the security of a steady paycheck. But after a major layoff, she was offered a rare opportunity—a state-sponsored grant that paid her mortgage for a year to build a business.
“I was the most reluctant business owner ever… I came into this kicking and screaming.”
— Stacey McCormack
Digital Marketing Levels the Playing Field
Coming from radio and print, Stacey was energized by the trackability, accessibility, and versatility of digital marketing. Where radio had gatekeeping price points, digital offers scalable options for nearly any business. With digital marketing, you don’t need a massive budget, you need the right strategy.
AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement
Stacey shares how AI has been integrated into their processes, not as a shortcut, but as an efficiency tool. From coding assistance to blog outlines, AI helps streamline workflows but strategy, messaging, and human oversight still lead the way.
Stay in Your Lane (Especially When You Work With Your Spouse)
Stacey and her husband, both with strong marketing backgrounds, combined forces to grow Musimack. They credit their success to clearly defined roles—she leads sales and messaging; he owns design and development emphasizing the importance of shared values and distinct roles as key to balancing business and personal life.
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