Our mission
A world where everyone can be who they want to be, and make a living from it.
We aren't for everyone, and that's okay. If we're not a fit, we'd be happy to point you in the right direction.
Our values
Three things we don't bend on.
Shoot it to you straight.
You'll always hear what we actually think. What's working, what isn't, and what we'd do if it were our money. No hedging, no jargon.
The golden rule.
Most things in life aren't that complicated. Treat people the way you'd want to be treated and the rest tends to sort itself out.
Pride.
In who we are, in the business we've built, and in who we work with. We don't take on work we wouldn't recommend to a friend or family member.
About Mettle
We know what it takes, because we grew up in it.
Mettle is a marketing agency for small businesses. Friendly, straightforward, and honest about what we can and can't do for you.
Our history
It started at Monica's Country Kitchen.
Our founder, Lance Wagner, started working at nine. He woke up at 5am with his mom, a waitress, to open the restaurant, bus tables, and wash dishes for the blue collar crowd, filling their canteens with fresh coffee.
He worked there all through middle school and high school. He knows the work ethic and tenacity it takes to run a small business, and the craft it takes to proudly put your own name on the sign.
His family later opened their own place, and that's where Lance cut his teeth: pricing things out, developing the logo, designing the menu. It was a particularly special day when they got to call the local radio station to record and broadcast the daily meat and three. As Lance puts it, he grew up with a greasy spoon rather than a silver spoon.
That's the standard we hold ourselves to for every client. Most small businesses don't need a bigger agency. They need a straight answer, a real plan, and someone who'll do the work alongside them.
Let's see if we're a fit.
Tell us what you're working on. We'll tell you straight what we'd do about it.
Schedule a time