People often ask what makes my approach to marketing different.
They expect me to talk about SEO, Google Ads, AI, or the latest digital marketing trends.
Instead, I usually think about something my uncle once told me.
It happened on my wedding day.
Just before the ceremony, my uncle Kasai—whom I affectionately called Imobu—pulled me aside with a warm smile.
He looked at me and said,
“There is a reason you were born with two ears and only one mouth.”
Then he smiled, winked, and walked away.
At the time, I smiled politely.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize those simple words became one of the greatest business lessons I’ve ever received.
Listening Is an Underrated Business Skill
In marketing, there’s a temptation to jump straight into solutions.
A client asks about SEO.
We recommend keywords.
Someone needs more leads.
We suggest Google Ads.
Another business wants social media.
We start talking about content calendars.
But I’ve learned something important.
The first problem clients describe is rarely the real problem.
The real challenge is often hiding underneath.
Sometimes they don’t need better marketing.
They need clarity.
Sometimes they don’t need more traffic.
They need better messaging.
Sometimes they don’t need another agency.
They need someone who will actually listen.
That’s where every successful strategy begins.
Listening Before Leading
When I meet with a potential client, I try not to spend the first conversation talking.
Instead, I ask questions.
What are you trying to accomplish?
What has worked before?
What hasn’t?
What would success actually look like?
Often, by the end of those conversations, people tell me something surprising.
“No one has ever asked me those questions before.”
That’s because discovery shouldn’t feel like a sales presentation.
It should feel like a conversation.
Hearing What Isn’t Being Said
One experience reinforced this lesson for me.
A business owner came to me frustrated after working with another marketing agency.
At first, they talked about social media.
No new followers.
No meaningful engagement.
No visible growth.
But as I continued listening, I realized social media wasn’t really the issue.
Their biggest frustration wasn’t poor performance.
It was feeling completely disconnected from the process.
They didn’t understand why certain decisions were being made.
They weren’t educated.
They weren’t included.
They felt like marketing was happening to them instead of with them.
That conversation shaped how I approach every client relationship today.
I don’t just want clients to receive marketing services.
I want them to understand the strategy behind every recommendation.
Because informed clients make better long-term decisions.
Listening Creates Better Strategy
One of the biggest misconceptions about marketing is that expertise means having all the answers.
I don’t believe that.
Expertise starts with asking better questions.
Every business is different.
Every owner has different goals.
Every customer has different needs.
The only way to build an effective strategy is to understand those differences before recommending solutions.
That’s why listening isn’t simply good customer service.
It’s one of the most valuable marketing tools I have.
The Lesson I Carry Into Every Client Meeting
Looking back, I realize my uncle wasn’t simply giving me advice about conversations.
He was giving me advice about relationships.
Listening shows respect.
Listening builds trust.
Listening creates understanding.
Whether I’m sitting across the table from my children, talking with my husband, meeting a new client, or collaborating with a business owner, that lesson continues to guide me.
It reminds me that meaningful relationships are built long before anyone offers advice.
The Philosophy Behind Chabot Business Solutions
When people work with Chabot Business Solutions, I hope they notice something.
I don’t begin by recommending services.
I begin by listening.
Because no two businesses are the same.
The right strategy isn’t created from a checklist.
It’s created by understanding where a business is today, where it wants to go, and what obstacles stand in the way.
Only then can we build a marketing strategy that’s actually worth implementing.
A Legacy That Continues
My uncle Kasai may never have imagined that one sentence spoken on my wedding day would influence the way I lead my business years later.
Yet it has.
His wisdom reminds me every day that marketing isn’t ultimately about algorithms, advertising, or technology.
It’s about people.
And people want to be heard.
Perhaps that’s why we really do have two ears and only one mouth.
The best relationships—and the best marketing—begin by listening first.
