Episode Summary
In this episode of An Agency Story, Russel welcomes Amber Gaige, the dynamic founder of Saber Marketing Group, a data-driven marketing support team based in Dallas, Texas. What started as a career in opera led Amber to car dealership marketing, her family’s home services empire, and eventually the helm of a private equity-backed marketing group. Today, she leads Saber with a unique blend of artistic intuition, analytical strategy, and a deep commitment to mental wellness and servant leadership.
Episode Highlights
- An unexpected start: How Amber’s passion for opera transformed into a love for marketing
- Love, faith, and a career pivot: The moment she knew her future husband, and marketing, were her calling
- From family business to private equity: Lessons from scaling and selling a marketing company
- StoryBrand in action: Leveraging a framework for positioning
- Work-life integration: How slippers, school pickups, and strategy can coexist
Agency Info
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Company: Saber Marketing Group
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Guest: Amber Gaige
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Year Started: 2013
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Employees: 1-10
I think a lot of pain can be avoided if we just get over our own insecurities and our need for control
Amber Gaige
Key Takeaways
Clarity Beats Cleverness
Amber emphasizes how StoryBrand changed the game for her agency’s strategic direction. By focusing on customer clarity, not agency creativity, she consistently delivers stronger ROI for clients. “Marketing done well sits at the intersection of psychology, creativity, and analytics,” she explains. StoryBrand provides the structure to support all three.
Entrepreneurship Isn’t Always the Plan
Amber didn’t set out to become an agency owner. But through layoffs, hard choices, and serendipitous moments, she found herself building something with lasting impact. You don’t always choose the path, but you do choose how you walk it.
Private Equity is Powerful and Painful
After scaling her agency to acquisition, Amber transitioned into a VP role with a private equity firm. The experience brought incredible growth but at a high personal cost. Scaling fast doesn’t always align with the life you want. Amber’s pivot back to an independent agency was a reclaiming of values.
Mental Wellness is Part of the Mission
Amber builds her business not just to serve clients but to support her team’s well-being. “I’m proud my team wears slippers to work,” she jokes, but the message is clear: a balanced life is a productive one.
Show Notes
Resources Mentioned:
StoryBrand by Donald Miller – marketing framework Amber is certified in
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