When Michelle Lerario purchased Fedora’s Cigar Bar, she took on more than just a business—she inherited a Mailchimp account she didn’t quite know how to use.

Like many small business owners, Michelle found herself caught in the familiar struggle: trying to master email marketing while simultaneously running every other aspect of her business. The platform was there, the potential was there, but the time and know-how? Not so much.

“I was doing my best to use Mailchimp but it was frustrating trying to figure it out while running my business,” Michelle recalls.

The Breaking Point

Michelle reached that critical moment every business owner faces—the realization that DIY-ing everything wasn’t sustainable. She needed help, but not just any help. She needed someone who understood both the technical side of email marketing and the realities of running a small business.

That’s when she brought in Kevin of Chimp Assist.

A Strategy Built Around Real Goals

Rather than jumping straight into tactics and templates, we started where every good marketing strategy should begin: with Michelle’s actual business goals.

What did she want to accomplish? What challenges was she facing? What opportunities was she missing?

From those conversations, we developed strategies specifically aligned with Fedora’s unique position in the market—a cigar bar that needed to build community, drive foot traffic, and keep customers engaged between visits.

The Results That Matter

Within three months of implementing our tailored Mailchimp strategies, Fedora’s saw measurable growth:

• 32% increase in subscriber list growth
• Increased website engagement
• Higher social media interaction
• Better customer retention through strategic email campaigns

But perhaps more importantly, Michelle gained something you can’t put a number on: confidence and time.

“I feel more confident using Mailchimp now and am a lot less frustrated,” she says. “Kevin showed me how to use Mailchimp to promote my business in ways I didn’t know were possible.”

Beyond the Quick Fix

What makes our partnership with Fedora’s work isn’t just the initial setup—it’s the ongoing support model we’ve established.

When Michelle has a question, she can hop on a quick Zoom call to learn how to handle it herself. When she doesn’t have time? We take care of it for her. It’s the best of both worlds: empowerment when she wants it, delegation when she needs it.

“Kevin is like an extension of the Fedora’s team,” Michelle notes.

That’s exactly what every Chimp Assist partnership should feel like—not an outside consultant swooping in with cookie-cutter solutions, but a trusted team member who understands your business and helps you succeed.

The Hidden Cost of Going It Alone

Michelle’s story highlights something I see constantly in the small business world: capable, intelligent business owners spending hours wrestling with marketing tools instead of focusing on what they do best—running their business.

The frustration isn’t just about the time wasted. It’s about the opportunities missed while you’re trying to figure out automation workflows at 11 PM. It’s about the revenue left on the table because you don’t know how to segment your audience or create compelling campaigns.

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Your Mailchimp Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

If Michelle’s story sounds familiar—if you’re sitting on a Mailchimp account you’re not using effectively, or if you’re spending more time frustrated than actually marketing—let’s talk.

Whether you need someone to build the strategy and teach you to run with it, or you need a trusted partner to handle it entirely, Chimp Assist can help.

Because your email marketing should be working for your business, not giving you one more thing to worry about.

Ready to turn your Mailchimp frustration into results? Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how we can help your business grow.

About Chimp Assist: We’re Triple-Certified Mailchimp Professionals specializing in helping small businesses leverage email marketing for lead generation, automation, and customer nurturing. With 30 years of business experience, we understand the challenges you face—because we’ve been there too.