Meet Bonnie Singleton | Digital Marketing Agency Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bonnie Singleton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bonnie, do you have a budget? How do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
I’ve been reframing my relationship with money in 2025 – treating it less like that unreliable ex who only gets attention during emergencies and more like a BFF who deserves regular quality time. Rather than sticking to rigid spreadsheets, I have a weekly “money date” where I check in on my spending, celebrate wins, and course-correct where needed.

For everyday management, I keep it simple with loose budgets for groceries and discretionary spending, but the magic happens in those weekly check-ins that help me stay connected to my financial goals without obsessing over every dollar.

My approach to business and personal finances is intentionally separate but philosophically aligned. In my business, I prioritized building a three-month emergency fund before anything else – a lesson learned the hard way during COVID. Now that this safety net exists, I’m focusing on strategic investments in learning and advertising while positioning myself for my next big move: acquiring a local service business within the next two years. This acquisition goal has completely shifted how I think about my finances – it’s not just about saving money, but about structuring both my business and personal finances to support seller financing and position me as the ideal buyer.

Personally, my fiancé and I are balancing multiple priorities: building our investment accounts, saving for our honeymoon, and still making room for quality date nights and experiences that matter to us now.

The principle that’s transformed my spending is surprisingly simple: “Buy fewer mediocre things.” I realized I was frittering away money on random skincare products and TikTok trends that didn’t align with my actual values or bring lasting joy. Now I ask myself whether a purchase contributes to my goals, personal joy, or core values before checking out.

This shift led me to redirect funds toward things that genuinely enhance my life – therapy, a Pilates studio membership, and meaningful savings goals like our mini and honeymoon. It’s not about spending less; it’s about spending with intention on what actually matters – whether that’s building the foundation to acquire my next business or creating memories with the people I love.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Pollinate Marketing was born from a simple observation: most business owners are drowning in marketing data but starving for actual insights. We partner with established service businesses to transform confusing metrics into clear, profitable decisions – helping them scale strategically rather than just frantically.

What truly sets us apart is our “Better Before More” approach. While most marketing agencies push clients to constantly expand to new platforms or increase ad spend, we focus first on optimizing what’s already working. This methodology has helped our clients double monthly leads while reducing marketing spend by 40% and transform modest 2% conversion rates into impressive 6% by reaching the right customers.

The journey to building this business was anything but easy. During COVID, we lost our largest client who represented over 50% of our monthly revenue – suddenly I was choosing between making payroll or paying rent. That experience completely transformed our approach to growth. We rebuilt with intention, creating strict guidelines about client diversification, building robust financial safeguards, and focusing on sustainable systems rather than just chasing revenue.

After doubling our revenue every year for five consecutive years, we made a counterintuitive decision in year six: we focused on strengthening our foundation rather than expanding further. We refined our core offerings, developed comprehensive team training systems, and created repeatable processes that reduced delivery time by 40%. This “pause” in revenue growth became our most valuable scaling period, teaching us that sometimes the most powerful growth happens beneath the surface.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that boundaries create better results – not just for me, but for everyone. Setting firm guidelines around availability, pricing, and client relationships has actually strengthened our partnerships and improved outcomes across every metric. When I hold my own boundaries, all success metrics rise.

What I want people to know about Pollinate Marketing is that we’re building a different kind of agency – one that values effectiveness over hustle, intentional growth over vanity metrics, and creating a business that’s easy to show up for. We believe marketing should be measured not just in clicks and conversions, but in the confidence it gives business owners to make decisions that align with their vision.

Today, I’m most excited about helping our clients experience the same revelation we did – that sustainable growth isn’t about doing more of everything, but about getting better at what truly matters. And personally, I’m thrilled to be expanding my own horizons as I work toward acquiring a local service business in the next two years, bringing these same principles of intentional growth to new ventures.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m so in love with Colorado Springs and absolutely live for showing visitors around! We’d definitely hit the classics – starting with sunrise at Garden of the Gods before the crowds (trust me, it’s worth the early wake-up). Then we’d fuel up with breakfast at Provisions Bakery where the croissants are basically life-changing.

For the perfect mix of quirky and cool, we’d spend an afternoon getting nostalgic at the Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs – those vintage games never get old! When hunger strikes, T-Byrd’s tacos are non-negotiable (get the squeso too), and drinks at Shugas is my go-to for catching up over their incredible cocktails.

If they’re up for adventure, we’d hike through Cheyenne Cañon with my dogs, then reward ourselves with local beers at Ivywild. What makes this city special isn’t just the stunning views or great food – it’s that perfect blend of outdoor adventure and mid sized charm that makes me fall in love with the Springs all over again every time I play tour guide!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes to the unexpected teachers who showed me what I didn’t want, which ultimately led me to what I did. The client who represented 50% of our revenue before disappearing during COVID taught me more about risk management and financial resilience than any business book ever could. That painful experience forced me to rebuild with intention and create the systems that now protect both my business and my clients.

I also have to recognize Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” for introducing me to Morning Pages – a practice that’s become my daily mental clearing house and creative foundation. Those three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing each morning have transformed not just my creative process, but how I make decisions and connect with my intuition as a leader.

And I can’t forget my team, who embraced our commitment to boundaries and intentional growth even when it meant turning down opportunities that didn’t align with our vision. Randy, who leads her Wednesday bike rides with the same passion she brings to client strategy; Jane, who shows us that being a present mom and a brilliant marketer aren’t mutually exclusive; and Stephanie, who never misses her nieces’ gymnastics tournaments while delivering exceptional work – they’ve all helped build a company culture that values effectiveness over hustle.

Finally, I’m grateful for Codie Sanchez’s “Main Street Millionaire,” which arrived at exactly the right moment to expand my vision beyond marketing into business acquisition. It’s not just informing my next chapter of growth, but reshaping how I think about building sustainable value in everything we do today.

Success is never a solo journey, and I’m thankful for both the challenging teachers and the inspiring guides who’ve shaped mine.

Website: https://pollinatemarketing.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/pollinatemarketing

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-singleton-32652b92