We love a big, buzzy moment in marketing, whether it's a viral video, a packed event, or a campaign that truly changed the conversation.
However, in this example from the vehicle repair industry, Oilstop & Happy's CEO Scott Hempy argues, meaningful change rarely starts on a conference stage or a social feed. Instead, it starts in a 10-foot radius.
As Hempy explains in National Oil and Lube News, the 10-foot radius is especially important in the service industry, where serving starts where you stand — literally. In Oilstop service centers, every person who steps into your 10-foot circle presents an opportunity. You're not just there to complete a task for them, but to serve.
Hospitality happens in seconds — the way a vehicle repair tech steps forward as a car pulls in, the warmth of a greeting, a cold beverage, an invitation to ask questions, and, ultimately, return to the business in the future. Even complaints are reframed as chances to create loyalty — guests may forget the problem, but they'll remember how they felt in the moment someone chose to own it.
The same mindset shapes the company's team and the surrounding community. Culture isn't built in memos, but in everyday interactions with managers whose presence sets the tone, mentors who give in-the-moment feedback, and leaders who spot potential before people see it in themselves. Over time, these small, daily touchpoints add up to real community impact, such as partnering with local charities, sponsoring youth teams, showing up at parades, and turning a service center into part of the neighborhood's story.
Your brand isn't just the campaign you launch; it's how you and your marketing team show up in every 10-foot radius inside your office, at events, on calls, and in all the tiny moments that never make a headline but quietly build trust, loyalty, and a strong reputation.
About the Author
Abby White
Vice President, Content Studio
Abby White is a content strategist, newsroom-trained writer, and brand storyteller. As Vice President of EndeavorB2B’s Content Studio, she leads client-driven custom content programs across 90+ brands and the content strategy for topic and role-based newsletters serving executive audiences. An award-winning journalist with a marketer’s mindset, Abby brings 25 years of experience leading editorial, communications, marketing, and audience-building efforts across industries.
Abby launched her first magazine, Abby’s Top 40, in 1988 and made everyone in her family read it. While attending the University of Illinois, she paid her rent as a professional notetaker, which might explain why she still gets asked to take notes in meetings. Since then, she has held editorial leadership roles at an alt weekly, a newspaper, a luxury lifestyle magazine, a business journal, a music magazine, and regional women’s magazines, developing a sharp writing edge and a conversational tone that resonates with professional audiences.
She expanded into marketing while leading communications for an entertainment industry nonprofit and later drove rebranding and audience-building efforts for an NPR music station. At EndeavorB2B, she has been instrumental in driving editorial excellence, developing scalable content strategies across multiple verticals, and building the foundation for EDGE, the company’s portfolio of executive newsletters.
And if you’re a writer interested in contributing to MarketingEDGE, she’s the person you need to (politely) bug.
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