5 Marketing Mistakes Your Personal Baggage Is Causing—And How to Grow Beyond Them

Let’s talk about baggage—not the cute carry-on kind, but the heavy stuff you’re dragging around in your business.

If marketing has ever made you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or just plain stuck, this is your invitation to let go of all that weight.

Marketing baggage is the invisible but very heavy stuff you might be carrying that’s quietly sabotaging your ability to grow and connect with your audience. And honestly? I see it all the time.

You know I like to keep it real, and this is one of those moments where I’m going to gently challenge you to get curious about your mindset and past experiences—and maybe even let go of what’s no longer serving you.

Because marketing isn’t about tricks or trends—it’s about relationship building. And just like in any relationship, it takes honesty, trust, and yes, some vulnerability.

The Invisible Weight That Causes Costly Marketing Mistakes

I’ve talked to hundreds of jewelry business owners—through discovery calls, client work, DMs, workshops—and again and again, I see the same patterns. People want to market their jewelry with confidence. They want to grow. But something is holding them back.

And it’s not a lack of talent, or a bad product, or even a broken algorithm. It’s the emotional residue of past experiences, marketing misconceptions, and limiting beliefs.

In this post, I’m breaking down five common types of marketing baggage that I see holding jewelry business owners back. I’m also going to walk you through ways to start unpacking each one—so you can move forward with more clarity, confidence, and joy.

Baggage #1: “I Tried That Marketing Strategy Once, and It Didn’t Work”

Let’s start with this one because it’s so common: You ran an ad, sent a few emails, and posted daily on Instagram for a month. And… crickets.

So you decided: “That didn’t work for me. I’m not good at marketing..”

But trying something once isn’t the same as having a strategy. And “didn’t work” is often a code phrase for “I didn’t have the right tools, data, consistency, or support.”

Here’s the truth: If you went to the gym for a week and didn’t see abs, would you say, “working out doesn’t work”? Probably not. You’d know you need time, a plan, maybe a coach or different workout.

How to unpack this:

• Shift from a “test and quit” mindset to a “test, learn, and optimize” mindset.
• Ask: What can I learn from that experience? Instead of labeling it a failure, treat it like data.
• Make sure you’re measuring success based on the right metrics. Not every email means instant sales. Not every post leads to a new follower. But each one builds trust.

Baggage #2: “I Had a Bad Experience With Hiring Marketing Help”

This one stings. I know it from experience.

Maybe you hired a marketing freelancer who ghosted you. Or an agency that promised insane ROI and couldn’t deliver. Or collaborated once with someone who didn’t understand your vision and made you feel unheard or small.

That sort of experience leaves a mark. I get why you’d feel like, “You know what? I’m better off doing it myself.” But what if that experience just taught you what doesn’t work for you?

What if it was just a mismatch—not a message that you should give up on ever getting help again?

Let’s reframe this:

• Every bad experience can clarify what your non-negotiables are.
• Now you know what questions to ask next time.
• You can seek someone who values collaboration, transparency, and your brand voice.

And hey, if you’re not ready to outsource again yet? That’s fine. But don’t shut the door forever just because someone let you down once.

Baggage #3: “I Already Know What I Need”

This one is sneaky: You’ve read a few blogs; you follow marketing influencers; you’ve convinced yourself you just need “more followers” or “a better logo” or “a viral reel.”

But when I start digging with a new client—asking about customer journey, data tracking, segmentation—I realize there’s often so much that hasn’t been considered yet. You don’t know what you don’t know—and that’s OK.

What’s not OK? Letting your assumptions prevent you from being open to new strategies or seeing the bigger picture.

Remember: Humility and curiosity are marketing superpowers.

Try this instead:

• Ask someone you trust to give you an honest audit of your marketing.
• Be open to learning that your “must-have” might not actually be the top priority.
• Recognize that clarity often comes from collaboration, not isolation.

Baggage #4: “Only I Can Do My Marketing”

I’ve been there.

You built your business from the ground up.

You know your products better than anyone.

You’ve answered every DM, written every caption, sent every email.

And that makes it really hard to let go.

But here’s the harsh truth we all need to understand: Just because we can do it all doesn’t mean we should.

Holding on to every piece of your business isn’t strength—it’s survival mode.

What if…

• You allowed yourself to grow with support?
• Your voice didn’t get lost, but got amplified by systems and people who share your values?

Let’s reframe this:

• Think about the parts of marketing that light you up. Maybe you love writing captions, but hate scheduling them. Maybe you love designing emails, but don’t want to build them.
• Delegation doesn’t mean you disappear. It means you get to spend more time doing what only you can do.
• You’re not losing control. You’re gaining capacity to do high-impact activities to grow your business.

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Baggage #5: “I Don’t Like Being Marketed To”

I feel this one deeply.

So much of what we see online feels manipulative, cringy, or fake. It’s no wonder people say, “I hate marketing.” But what they really mean is:

“I hate bad marketing.”

Here’s the beautiful truth: You don’t have to market your business in a way that feels gross. You can lead with generosity, clarity, and integrity.

• What if marketing was simply telling stories?
• What if it was showing up consistently and saying, “Here’s something beautiful I made, and I’d love for you to experience it”?

The Power of Releasing Baggage to Fuel Growth

You don’t need to shout. You don’t need to spam. You just need to connect.

If any of these five beliefs hit home, you’re not alone. So many business owners carry silent baggage—it’s more common than you think.

The key is recognizing those limiting beliefs and gently letting them go, so they stop holding you back.

Because that baggage? It’s keeping you from seeing what’s truly possible in your business.

From reaching the people who are already searching for exactly what you offer.

Maybe it’s time to start letting go. Not all at once. Just one belief at a time.

Small But Mighty: Your Challenge This Week

Here’s your gentle challenge:

1. Write down the belief or story that’s been holding you back. Just one.
2. Ask yourself: “Where did this come from?” Who told me this? What experience shaped this?
3. Decide what you want to believe instead.
4. Write a new thought that feels true and empowering.

Example:

• Old belief: “Marketing doesn’t work for me.”
• New belief: “I’m learning how to market in a way that feels aligned and sustainable.”

Letting go of outdated beliefs around marketing isn’t some massive overhaul—it can start with a single mindset shift. One small release. One new story you choose to believe.