We recently had the chance to connect with Morgan McKell and have shared our conversation below.
Morgan, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about my business and consulting in general is that old cliché: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, consult.”
That saying has always rubbed me the wrong way. Because in my experience, why not both?
I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve built businesses from scratch, scaled them, and sold them—twice. After those exits, people kept asking to grab coffee or lunch just to “pick my brain.” And that’s when it clicked for me: this wasn’t just casual advice anymore, it was a business model. I could take everything I’d learned from actually doing and turn it into something that helps others grow faster and with fewer mistakes.
What’s often misunderstood about Strategy Zoo, and about me, is that I’m not a “textbook consultant.” I’m not coming in with some rigid corporate framework or a one-size-fits-all system. What my clients get is lived experience. Real results. Lessons from failures, pivots, and wins.
That’s the difference. I’ve earned my stripes. And I think that blend of doing and teaching is exactly what makes consulting powerful when it’s done right.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I got my start in entrepreneurship back in 2011. My claim to fame, as I like to call it, was co-founding a cell phone repair company in Salt Lake City called iQue Repair. We grew it to 14 locations across three states and later sold it.
That experience taught me more about business and myself than any textbook ever could.
After a short break, I came back strong and launched my second company, Monarch Social Brand, which grew to two locations with a full staff before my partner and I successfully exited in May 2023.
Shortly after that sale, I moved to Pocatello, Idaho, a small town where I didn’t know a single person. No network, no family, no business contacts. I moved here for the love of my life, my girlfriend, Ginny. Starting over in a new city was humbling, but it also reignited my passion for building something meaningful from the ground up.
That’s where Strategy Zoo was born. I officially launched the company at the end of 2023, and within the first year, it grew well past six figures. Strategy Zoo isn’t a typical marketing agency. It’s a business and marketing consultancy built on clarity first. I work directly with entrepreneurs and small business owners to help them attract clients through clear messaging, strong positioning, and foundational strategy before they spend a dime on advertising.
What makes Strategy Zoo special is that I’m not just another marketer shouting tactics online. I’m a strategist who’s been in the trenches. I’ve built, scaled, and sold companies and I teach from real experience. I love working one-on-one with business owners, helping them find those “aha” moments where everything clicks and growth finally feels simple.
Beyond client work, I speak at events, teach marketing and business classes at Idaho State University, and stay deeply involved in local entrepreneurial communities across Idaho and Utah. Right now, I’m also building an online community for entrepreneurs, a space where business owners can learn the real fundamentals of growth without getting lost in the noise or as I like to call it, “the zoo” of modern marketing.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I’ve had a lot of moments that shaped how I see the world, but one that really stands out was back when I was doing door-to-door solar sales. There was a guy on our team who made $50,000 in a single month and I remember just being blown away.
Up to that point, I had this deep belief that making that kind of money was nearly impossible…. that people who earned that much must have some special secret or came from a different world. But seeing it happen right in front of me changed everything.
It shattered my old beliefs about what was possible. It made me realize that money, in many ways, is just a game and that the difference between the people who achieve big things and those who don’t often comes down to mindset and proximity.
That experience forced me to break out of a limited mindset and adopt a growth mindset. I stopped doubting what was possible and started surrounding myself with people who were playing at higher levels. Seeing success up close made it real and once I believed it was possible, I started living like it was.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. More than once.
There’s a story about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson getting off a bus in Florida with only $7 in his pocket before he made it big. I’ve been there and honestly, I’ve been worse. I’ve had moments where my bank account was in the negatives. I’ve gone without pay just to make sure employees or contractors got paid. I’ve covered rent when the business couldn’t.
There were nights I sat staring at my account, wondering what the hell I was doing…working this hard, giving everything, and still barely scraping by. You start questioning yourself: When is the big break going to come? How long do I have to endure before I finally see the fruits of all this work?
Entrepreneurship can be brutal. It’s not just your own survival you’re worrying about it’s the people who depend on you. It’s the weight of payroll, the clients, the bills, the responsibility. And yeah, there were moments where I thought about walking away.
But then there’s that little voice . That thing in the back of your head that real entrepreneurs have that says f”igure it out.” You keep going. You pivot, you adapt, you take the punches. You realize the path might change, but the goal doesn’t.
Life and business are both hard. But I’ve learned it’s nearly impossible to give up when you don’t have quit in you.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes but with guardrails, lol.
What I mean by that is the version of me you see online, in meetings, or at networking events is the same person you’d meet in real life. I talk about business, marketing, growth, mindset and honestly, those are the same conversations I have with my closest friends. I’m wired that way. I love talking about building, improving, and pushing limits.
The “guardrails” part just means I try to show up as my best self. I’m human. I have good days, off days, and everything in between but I try to lead with authenticity and intention. I’d say most people who know me would describe me as genuine, giving, and driven. I like to see others win.
Outside of work, I’m still just a normal guy. I love going to concerts, catching a game or a beer with the boys, watching YouTube or Netflix, and just living life.
So yeah, the public version of me is the real me, just maybe the more focused version. I say things how they are, I lead with empathy, and I’m confident in who I am today. I’m definitely not perfect, but I’m proud of the man I’ve become and the fact that every day I’m working to outsmart and outgrow the guy in the mirror.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Man, that’s a deep one.
When I’m gone, I hope people say that I cared. That I showed up. I hope the community sees that everything I did was about building something bigger than myself. Whether it was hosting local business and leadership groups, mentoring other entrepreneurs, or just connecting people without any agenda or sales pitch. I’ve always wanted to make the community better.
I hope people remember me as generous, consistent, and willing to give my time to help others grow.
My close friends, I hope they tell stories about how adventurous and spontaneous I was. That I knew how to light up a room, make people laugh, and bring energy wherever I went. That I could work a crowd when needed, but also knew how to listen. That I was fun, bold, and always up for something memorable.
And from my loved ones, I hope they say I was honorable, fair, and steady. That I was a giver. That I gave good advice and spoke from the heart. That I was there when it mattered – with a smile, some humor, or a shoulder to lean on.
If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I don’t do anything halfway. When I care about someone, I’m all in. When I commit to a project or a purpose, I’m all in. And when I love, I love fully.
So when it’s all said and done, I hope the story people tell is simple: that I gave more than I took, that I left things better than I found them, and that I loved people well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.strategyzoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themorganmckell/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-mckell-88004362/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgan.mckell.5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Themorganmckell
- Other: https://whop.com/growth-navigator-network/
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