Independent Spirit
The Business That Taught Us Everything: Home Settings LLC
Before Independent Spirit existed, our co-founder Rochelle spent years learning to market her own family business, Home Settings, the hard way. That journey, from invisible to found, is the reason this agency exists.
The Challenge
Home Settings LLC is a family-owned landscaping and home repair business, founded by John and Rochelle Elder in 2020 after nearly a decade of helping neighbors. John passed away in 2023, and the business continues to honor the work ethic and standard of care that earned its 5-star reputation. The work was excellent and the reputation was real, but getting found online was a different battle entirely. Rochelle spent two years trying to market it herself, and learned how brutal that learning curve is.
- Bought shared leads from lead-selling platforms, paying whether or not the job came in
- Built a website that no one could find
- Lost money on paid ads and a magazine feature that delivered nothing
- Hired a big-name agency that sent thousands of visitors, all from other countries, with no real return
- Faced a wall of jargon like SEO, schema, and NAP with no clear place to start
There is a great chasm between knowing nothing and knowing enough to do anything about it.
What She Figured Out
Fixed the Foundations
Getting the Name, Address, and Phone Number consistent across every listing, one of the biggest and most overlooked ranking factors. The fix brought immediate gains in visibility.
Cut the Money Pits
Learning exactly where the scams and dead ends were, and where the budget actually deserved to go.
Built Real Visibility
Replacing bought leads and empty ad spend with an organic local presence that brought in business consistently.
Turned It Into a Service
Taking everything learned, plus a background in branding, sales, and helping over 11 startups, and launching Independent Spirit to spare other owners the same painful curve.
What Came From It
- A small handyman business that became consistently findable in local search
- A steady flow of new business from organic visibility, not paid leads
- A proven, repeatable marketing system, hard-won through real experience
- And ultimately, the founding of Independent Spirit itself
We learned it the hard way so you do not have to
Book a free audit and we will show you exactly where to focus, and where not to waste a dollar.