In a world of distractions, small business owners often find themselves chasing tasks rather than achieving meaningful progress. Marketing, in particular, feels like an endless treadmill—complex, time-consuming, and too often outsourced to agencies that promise results but leave business owners dependent and frustrated. This cycle isn’t just inefficient; it’s unsustainable.
Courtney Hurley and Kelly Evans recognized this problem and set out to address it. With decades of experience, they’ve seen how small businesses get trapped in systems that hinder focus and growth. Their solution? The Screws + Stilettos Market Like A CMO workshop. It’s not just a program; it’s a framework for deep work in marketing—a way to focus on what truly matters while building sustainable systems that scale.
The Problem with the Agency Trap
Marketing agencies often sell the promise of simplicity: “We’ll handle it all for you.” But what they don’t mention is the cost of that simplicity. Agencies retain control of critical assets—your website, your customer data, your campaigns. Every adjustment, every pivot requires their approval, turning even small changes into long delays. Worse, this dependency leaves business owners reactive, unable to make decisions swiftly or adapt to changing market conditions.
Hurley and Evans reject this model. They believe that small business owners should have the tools to manage their marketing independently. This isn’t about doing more work; it’s about focusing on the right work.
The Deep Work Approach to Marketing
At the heart of the Market Like A CMO workshop is a principle that Cal Newport champions in his work: deep focus. Instead of scattering your attention across countless distractions, the workshop teaches business owners how to structure their marketing efforts with precision and clarity.
The program emphasizes building systems that remove unnecessary complexity. From designing websites to managing customer data, Hurley and Evans guide participants through actionable steps that streamline processes and eliminate bottlenecks. The result is a marketing system that is not only effective but also easy to maintain—allowing business owners to spend less time putting out fires and more time focusing on strategic growth.
Adding Flow to the Equation
One of the workshop’s standout features is its integration of neuroscience-backed techniques to help participants achieve flow—a state of deep concentration and high productivity. Research shows that flow can enhance creativity, boost performance, and reduce stress, making it an ideal complement to the deep work principles taught in the program.
Participants learn how to identify flow triggers, structure their work environments to minimize distractions, and align their tasks with their natural energy cycles. These strategies ensure that marketing doesn’t just get done—it gets done at a level of quality and efficiency that drives real results.
Systems That Deliver Independence and Results
The Market Like A CMO workshop isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about building systems that allow you to reclaim control. Participants walk away with a clear understanding of how to manage their marketing assets, optimize customer journeys, and create campaigns that align with their business goals—all without relying on external agencies.
This independence isn’t just theoretical. Consider the story of a 30-year-old retailer facing collapse during the pandemic. Hurley and Evans provided a roadmap for developing an online presence and marketing strategy the business could manage in-house. The results? A 55% increase in leads and a 51% rise in revenue. More importantly, the owner gained the confidence to adapt and innovate independently—a testament to the power of sustainable systems.
Sustainable Marketing for the Long Term
Burnout is a real risk for small business owners, especially when marketing feels overwhelming. Hurley and Evans understand this, which is why their workshop doesn’t stop at strategy. It also teaches participants how to recognize the signs of burnout, integrate active recovery practices, and maintain balance.
Techniques like time blocking, single-tasking, and environment optimization are woven into the program, ensuring that marketing efforts don’t come at the cost of well-being. The goal is not only to build a thriving business but also to create a sustainable way of working that supports long-term success.
Reclaim Your Focus and Build Your Business
Courtney Hurley and Kelly Evans believe that small business owners deserve more than cookie-cutter solutions and dependency on agencies. They deserve clarity, autonomy, and systems that work. The Market Like A CMO workshop provides the tools and framework to achieve exactly that.
If you’re ready to step away from the noise, reclaim your focus, and build a business that thrives sustainably, start your journey here. Because the most successful businesses aren’t built on distractions—they’re built on deep work and purposeful systems.
