Are You a Birmingham Business Owner?

One of Patch's goals is to make life ridiculously easy for our communities, and that includes businesses.

To that end, we’d like to introduce Catherine Grace, Patch's ad manager for Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake and Royal Oak. She comes armed with ridiculously effective advertising deals that should fit most any budget.

We caught up with Catherine recently to ask her a few questions:

Where did you grow up and go to school? Do you have family?

I grew up in Grosse Pointe as the youngest of five kids. I graduated from Michigan State University with an Advanced Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising. After graduation, I moved to Birmingham. I now live in the Bloomfield area with my husband, my daughter and our 12-year-old Labrador, who still thinks she's a puppy. 

What’s your experience?

I have worked at ad agencies and in ad sales and have worked in both traditional and multimedia platforms. After graduating from college, I jumped into the crazy world of advertising and worked at agency giants Doner and Campbell-Ewald. Most recently, I was an automotive account manager for the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times and partnered with Ford and General Motor's ad agencies on newspaper and online programs. 

What are your personal hobbies/passions?

I support local businesses and I cheer the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. My blood runs very green and I love my Spartans.  I volunteer regularly at Gleaners, Detroit Public Schools, the Humane Society and at my church. I’m passionate about helping Detroit come back, and I know that every little thing I can do will help the Motor City become a powerhouse again!  When I'm not checking my email, I love to golf, play tennis and ride my bike around our beautiful community.

What are the biggest obstacles facing small businesses today?

I have great respect for all small businesses. As consumers, we have no idea about everything that goes on behind the scenes when we walk into a store. A small business owner wears so many hats--the Accountant, the Public Relations Department, the Logistics Manager, the Manufacturer, the Mayor and the Advertising Director. Business owners simply do not have the time to do it all, so deciding on their marketing plan is often a daunting task. Because there are so many media choices available today, it is often difficult to know which media plan is the right choice for their business. 

How can you best help small businesses become more successful?

I'm not just your Patch advertising manager, I'm your customer. I live here and I shop and dine here. I know your competition and (sorry) sometimes I eat or shop there. I know which ads work and who spent too much money on an ad campaign that didn't reach the right customers. I'm just as passionate as you are about growing your business because I'm going to run into you at Kroger or on the soccer field and I want you to thank me for helping your business grow.  I don't believe every business deserves a cookie-cutter advertising solution and I will work with you to design a campaign that is both strategic and creative that brings you results.

You can reach Catherine Grace at catherine.grace@patch.com and at 248-464-4773. Get in touch. She'll come out to see you.