About Us

🏍️ Handlebar Marketing: Built for the Ride

The Origin Story

In mid-2023, Brandon McLean had a moment of clarity:


He wasn’t just running his businesses—he was spending all his time marketing and running them.

Here’s what his life looked like:

🏡 Real Estate Hustle → Needed marketing

🏕️ Vacation Rentals → Needed marketing

🎸 Rock & Roll Band → Needed marketing

💉 Wife’s MedSpa → Needed marketing

And what did he need from a system?

To be able to...

📅 Book appointments with customers

💸 Collect money online and (especially) in person

💳 Accept credit cards anywhere

🗃️ Manage a centralized database with customer history + notes

📲 Send automatic follow-up emails + texts

📧 Build email lists for the band + past Airbnb guests

🖊️ Let people book Botox appointments + sign consent forms

📲 Generate QR codes for several different purposes and functions

🧙‍♂️ Always just work without needing to be an internet marketing wizard

🛠️ Skip the hassle of 10 clunky software subscriptions

💰 Stay reasonably priced forever!

⚙️ The Agency Hack

After hunting for months, Brandon found the gold:

agency-level marketing tools—the same stuff agencies use to charge $3K–$12K upfront, plus sky-high monthly retainers.

The catch? You couldn’t even sign up without an “agency name.” Brandon’s solution?

AJNC1. Why? It stood for "Agency One"—simple, clean, and slick when abbreviated.

💥 Enter Zech + Marketing Mondays

Everything shifted when Brandon connected with Zechariah Williams.


Zech showed up at the very first Marketing Monday, Brandon's underground collab session.

Here’s the vibe:

📅 Marketing Mondays → Every 1st + 3rd Monday, every month

⏰ 10 AM – 8 PM (marathon day, drop in anytime or book a slot)

📍 Usually held at the Handlebar Headquarters in Wendell, NC

🛠️ Free Help + Collaboration for small business friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, and of course, our clients

💬 Topics: Facebook, Instagram, email/text marketing, websites, Canva, videos, print, direct mail, event planning—you name it!

💻 Can’t come in? We’ll Zoom you in

Zech and Brandon hit it off—and they’re still holding open office hours on Marketing Mondays to this day.

🥸 The Handlebar Revelation

At the time, both guys were sporting epic handlebar mustaches (think Wyatt Earp + Hulk Hogan).


A random joke about using it for branding turned into 300 motorcycle metaphors and bicycle/handlebar puns, and Handlebar Marketing was born—and it hasn’t hit the brakes since.

🚀 Fast Forward: We’re On the Road

Today, Handlebar Marketing is helping small businesses that were stuck in the slow lane, like:

🧽 A commercial cleaning service

🥪 An Italian sub shop

🍸 A speakeasy

We’ve taken them from:

❌ No website

❌ No online presence, no social media, nothing

❌ No way to accept payments or credit cards

❌ No booking system or appointment calendar

❌ No automation, no follow up, no connectivity

…AND their mess of:

📄 Paper invoices stuffed in folders

💵 Checks + cash only, no card reader in sight

📊 QuickBooks half-used or cobbled together

🗂️ Customer info scattered across old spreadsheets

✍️ Handwritten notes + appointment books on the counter

📪 Zero email list or texting system for customer updates


…to looking like PROS and running like well-oiled machines.

From back-of-the-napkin to badass — let’s get your business road-ready. 🏍️💥

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Mission

To empower small businesses with smart, effective marketing strategies that drive growth, build brand authority, and make running a business easier—so owners can focus on what they do best.

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Goal

To provide high-quality, results-driven marketing that helps local businesses look, operate, and compete like industry leaders—without the big agency fluff or budget-breaking costs.

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Core Values

- Strategic Over Scattershot

- Work Smarter, Not Harder

- No BS, Just Results

- Small but Mighty

- Relationships Matter

- Creative Meets Conversion

Your Small Business Deserves Big Marketing.

Let’s make it happen!

We offer marketing plans for every budget, so no matter what you’re working with, your business stays tuned up and ready to roll.

FAQs

How does Handlebar Marketing stand out from other agencies?

Led by a long-time small business owner, we understand what it takes to keep your business balanced. We focus on personalized, innovative strategies tailored precisely to meet each clients unique goals and needs.

Can Handlebar Marketing help with both national and local marketing campaigns?

Absolutely! We manage campaigns nationally and locally to ensure your message reaches your intended audience.

What kind of results can I expect from your digital marketing services?

Results vary but we aim for improved traffic, visibility, lead generation, and increased sales.

How important is social media in our overall marketing strategy?

Social media is crucial for direct engagement with customers, increasing brand reach, and creating community.

Is SEO really necessary for my business

Yes, SEO is essential for increasing visibility in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find your business online among your competitors. It's a foundational element that supports broader marketing efforts.

How do you measure the success of a branding campaign?

We measure success through brand recognition tests, website traffic, customer feedback, and sales data.