Jen McKee shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jen, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A few weeks ago, I took my first real vacation since starting Kee Hart Marketing back in 2018. Up until that point, I had NEVER fully stepped away from my desk.
Yes, I built my company to have autonomy of my time and I’ve always had that, I’ve been able to go on field trips, school events, and even family trips. But I always brought my laptop, always hopped on the computer, always checked in.
This time was different, and I’m still so proud (and honestly, kind of in shock). While I was away, my team:
Continued to execute for our current clients as usual
Continued onboarding new clients
Followed up with all emails in my inbox
Implemented EOS to a new department on the team
Had 5 discovery/sales calls
Brought on a new client
Started training 2 new team members
Made 2 tough decisions about current team members
…and more
All of it happened without any input from me 🤯
The goal is to replace yourself so the business can run without you. And I’m getting so close to that (so freaking crazy!)
Here’s what I did in the past year that allowed me to finally make that happen:
Brought on an ads team
Made sure every department had balances and checks in place
Hired an assistant who manages my inbox and calendar
Implemented EOS
Was I struggling to let go? Absolutely.
Was it worth it?? 100%.
I’m so, so proud of what my team pulled off and I’ll never forget how it felt to come home to a business that kept growing without me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Jen McKee, founder of Kee Hart Marketing. I started my agency back in 2018 with two little kids at home and a big desire to help businesses show up better online, without having to do it all themselves. I started the agency in 2018 and in 2023, we fully leaned into what we do best, serving home service businesses like plumbing, HVAC, and electrical companies with social media, ads, and content that actually gets seen.
We don’t just “do your posts.” We become our client’s content partner, strategy team, and the people behind the scenes making sure their business actually stands out in a sea of sameness.
What I’m most proud of is how we blend creativity and systems. We create real, authentic content that gets attention, but we also back it with strong processes, strategy, and accountability so our clients see results and actually feel supported.
Right now, I’m really excited about some of the things we’re working on:
✔️ Improving internal systems and rolling out EOS across more departments
✔️ Adding agentic automations to save time and streamline our workflows
✔️ Learning to be a stronger, more thoughtful leader who listens deeply and trusts fully
✔️ Digging into my P&L and getting clear on what the business actually has and needs financially
My brand is loud, sparkly, and full of heart, and I believe the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. It feels like connection.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was in middle school I wanted to be a cheerleader. I had taken dance classes for 10 years and knew how to do a cartwheel, so I figured I could make it happen.
I tried out for the squad and didn’t make it. But, I figured I’d give it another year. I started tumbling classes, tried out again, didn’t make it.
Now I was in high school, and I really wanted this. I was still in tumbling, but I decided to also join the competition cheerleading squad at my gym. I was put on a squad with girls that were all in elementary school, but I didn’t care. I worked so hard that year, and when I tried out for the JV squad…
I MADE IT.
That taught me so much about life and about what I was capable of. That feeling of failing again and again, but knowing that if I really wanted to, I could do whatever I set my mind to, and then I did.
Since that experience, I have done that over and over. Just because someone told me I wasn’t ready, or because I had never been that person, didn’t define my future. I knew, if I believed something enough, I could make it happen.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
When you start at the bottom, you’re forced to use grit and determination to move forward. You will never have unlimited motivation, and motivation won’t get you far anyways.
I’ve learned that in order to succeed, you have to do the mundane, boring things with consistency.
Because there were so many times in my life I was told I wasn’t ready, I’m not good enough, I am not the one they choose, I had to get really good at not paying attention to that.
Instead I had to tell myself: “Ok, I’m just that I’m not good enough yet. Give me some time, I’ll be back, and I’ll blow your mind with what I accomplish.”
If everything had come easy for me, I’m not sure that I would have ever had that mindset.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
I believe that we have the ability to be fully in control of everything we experience. I have seen how important gratitude and focus are in my life. My life isn’t perfect, there are definitely hardships that my family and I face every day. I came from a family of 2 working parents who wanted the best for us but didn’t always have a ton. I wanted more for myself. I wanted to live a life that I could never feel the strain of not having enough. So I learned that successful people, more than anything, have strong beliefs in the good of the universe. And that what you focus on, is what comes into focus in your life. I work hard to stay focused on all the good, even in the worst of situations, so I can continue to move forward every day.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I absolutely love what I do. I am so excited to go to work every day, and I think it’s been that way since the beginning (not to say there aren’t hard days). I just light up about the potential of what I’m building. I do really love social media, and I think we have the very best clients in one of the greatest industries. I also though, really love what we’re doing internally as a team. My team has been growing so much, especially recently. They have been given the position of leadership and stepped into them, which many of them had no experience with. I also started having monthly check-ins with each of them individually which gives me so much insight into the systems we have for the company, but also what they need both personally and professionally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.keehartmarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keehartmarketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-mckee-72114824/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.hartman.73/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keehartmarketing
- Other: Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@KeetoGrowthPodcast
Image Credits
Lucero Salinas
