Why we exist.

A family photo of a woman, man, and baby, with handwritten signs added to the image. The signs say: "Justin the Creator" pointing to the man, "My Mom" pointing to the woman, and "My Munchkin" holding the baby.

Hi, I’m Justin. The creator of Around the Block.

My Story

I’ve worked in marketing for over a decade, mostly in the photo and video space. During that time, I helped small businesses build their online presence through social media ads, videos, websites, you name it.

Over the years, I started to notice a pattern. Most business owners don’t have the time, resources, or desire to become content creators. Running a business is already ridiculously demanding, and keeping up with constant content upkeep is basically another full-time job.

Even when you do put in the effort, your work can disappear with a single swipe. Your forgotten just as quickly as your seen. The attention doesn’t last, and the results often don’t justify the cost. Especially when most agencies seem to charge thousands in monthly retainers, plus ad spend, just to keep you visible online.

I wanted to find a better way. Something real, something that actually connects businesses with their community. Not just empty views that hardly convert.

The Realization

That search led me to rediscover the power of direct mail. Big brands have used it for decades because it works, everyone checks their mail. It’s tangible, personal, and it reaches real people. That’s powerful for local businesses.

The Problem

The only problem? It’s expensive. Really expensive.

Mailing to just 1,000 homes can easily cost over $1,000 once you factor in design, printing, and postage. Reaching a 10,000 people can have you spending $7k+ which just doesn’t make sense for the vast majority of local businesses.

The Solution

I set out to make that kind of exposure affordable and accessible for local businesses. That’s how Around the Block was born. A way for business owners to get real, local visibility without the endless posting, high retainer costs, or unpredictable algorithms.

Now, I help small business owners get in front of real people and real homes right in their own neighborhoods.

Your business deserves more than to be simple swipe on someone else’s feed. You should be seen in your community as the local trusted business that’s just Around the Block.