Sarah Chapman-Funston & SCF Marketing: Making Strategic Marketing Accessible for Growing Businesses

Sarah Chapman-Funston is the Founder and Principal of SCF Marketing, a marketing strategist with more than 11 years of experience helping businesses grow with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Her work is rooted in making marketing feel understandable and accessible for growing businesses.

She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners learn what marketing really means for their specific business, not in a complicated, theoretical way, but in a practical way that connects directly to their goals. Known for her warm, approachable style, Sarah focuses on working alongside her clients to help them feel comfortable with marketing decisions.

Sarah enjoys breaking down complex marketing ideas into simple, usable building blocks and teaching business owners how to think about marketing for their own brand, customers, and services. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, she believes the best marketing starts with understanding who you are as a business, who you are serving, and how your brand should show up in the world.

Her coaching style blends strategy, education, and hands-on guidance to help clients feel confident moving forward. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sarah is an alumna of the University of British Columbia and now works from her home office in South Surrey.

sarah chapman-funston, marketing director, portfolioyvr, entrepreneur, vancouver, bc, helen siwak

THE BUSINESS.

SCF Marketing provides strategic marketing coaching designed specifically for growing businesses that need expert guidance without the high cost of agency retainers or full-time marketing hires.

Founded by marketing strategist Sarah Chapman-Funston, the company offers flexible coaching with a minimum two-hour session commitment and no long-term contracts required, helping entrepreneurs build strong, sustainable marketing foundations.

The company’s approach focuses on three key phases: brand foundation, marketing strategy, and execution support. Every client begins by refining their brand through a Brand Readiness Assessment, which clarifies their messaging, target audience, competitive position, and visual direction.

By establishing a clear brand identity first, businesses are better prepared to invest in marketing activities that actually perform. From there, coaching shifts into practical strategy development, planning marketing channels, campaigns, and content that align with business goals and reach the right customers.

Clients also receive hands-on support during implementation, including vendor coordination and guidance on executing campaigns effectively.

With more than 11 years of experience in strategic marketing and brand development, Sarah’s coaching style combines expert insight with practical education to help business owners understand their marketing.

sarah chapman-funston, marketing director, portfolioyvr, entrepreneur, vancouver, bc, helen siwak

IN HER WORDS.

“To be honest, if you had asked me in my early 20s whether I wanted to work for myself, I probably would have said no. At the time, my idea of being an entrepreneur meant owning a storefront or running a large company with employees, and that did not feel like the right fit for me.

It was not until I started working in corporate marketing that my perspective shifted. Through my work, I had the opportunity to help educate and support smaller businesses, and I realized those moments were the parts of my job I loved most.

With experience, I realized consulting would let me use my expertise to help businesses meaningfully, focusing on what I enjoy most: helping owners understand marketing and grow confidently.

A formative experience that shaped how I think about work was spending a term studying abroad in Europe during my early 20s. I was part of a small group of about 20 classmates, and we spent a lot of time collaborating, travelling, and learning together. Through that experience, I realized how much I thrive working closely with people and building one-on-one relationships.

I did not run any formal ventures as a kid or teenager, but I was always balancing a lot at once, including multiple sports, dance, choir, and musical theatre. Managing all of those commitments taught me how to stay organized, prioritize, and handle a busy schedule. That ability has translated directly into my work today. In my business, I often have many clients on the go at once, all in different industries and at different stages of growth, and I love being able to move between those worlds while helping each one move forward.

One of my most memorable early business experiences was realizing that the service I thought I should offer was not actually what clients needed. In the beginning, I started helping friends of friends with their businesses, mostly by explaining how marketing worked and giving them advice. My instinct was to create big, detailed strategy documents that they could follow for the next several months.

I assumed that is what people expected from a marketing professional. But I quickly realized something important: most business owners did not want to be handed a document and sent on their way.”

“Working with those early clients helped me realize that what people really valued was the collaborative, coaching-style approach that allowed them to feel supported throughout the process. My entrepreneurial journey has evolved in a way that reflects both my personal priorities and professional values. As a mom and primary caregiver to two young children, I have intentionally allowed my business to grow at a pace that supports my family while allowing me to focus on building strong client relationships.

Early on, I prioritized partnerships that felt like a natural fit and helped generate growth through positive client experiences and referrals, which remains one of the most meaningful aspects of my work. By growing my business organically and staying true to my coaching-style approach, I have been able to work with clients who value strategic guidance, trust, and long-term collaboration.

I have not been involved in multiple ventures of my own. My focus has always been on building and growing a single business that reflects my strengths in strategic marketing coaching and brand development. Rather than pursuing multiple ventures, I have chosen to invest deeply in developing my coaching practice and refining how I help businesses understand marketing.

sarah chapman-funston, marketing director, portfolioyvr, entrepreneur, vancouver, bc, helen siwak

Building my business while raising two young children has required intentional prioritization and discipline with my time. I have learned to be clear about when I am working and when I am fully present with my family, as both are very important to me. Mark, my husband is also a business owner, so we manage balance as a team by coordinating our schedules to support both professional and family commitments. Because I have limited working hours, I focus on high-impact work that aligns with my strengths and delivers the greatest value to my clients.

A pivotal moment in my business was clarifying my service model and realizing it filled a real gap in the market. There is strong demand for accessible, collaborative marketing support rather than traditional agency-style services. Many people tell me they have never encountered marketing guidance offered in quite the way I provide it, which confirmed that my work solves a real challenge for business owners.

Over the past year, I have prioritized in-person networking and building real-world relationships with other business owners. Meeting people face-to-face helps me better understand their work and explore ways we can support each other and our clients.”

“A key part of growing my business has been expanding my referral network so clients can access trusted professionals without spending time searching themselves.

I connect clients with designers, photographers, and other service providers when needed.

I also value being part of supportive female business communities where collaboration and mutual growth are encouraged, as these relationships strengthen both my business and the value I provide to clients.

My biggest role model and source of inspiration has always been my Mom. She is the kind of person people naturally turn to when they need support, guidance, or perspective.

Growing up, I watched how she became a trusted source of help not only within our family but also among friends and community members.

My Mom’s courage taught me to be brave in pursuing my own path.

The heart of SCF Marketing is making high-quality marketing guidance accessible to growing businesses.

My business is built around the belief that you should not need to choose between expensive agency retainers or hiring junior in-house support just to get strategic marketing help.

Today, SCF Marketing offers flexible marketing coaching through two-hour sessions, focusing on helping business owners build strong brand foundations before scaling marketing activities.

My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to have confidence in the unique value you bring. Even in a similar market, your experience, perspective, and approach are what make your work distinct. You do not need to be an expert in everything, so focus on what you do best and seek support when needed.”

SARAH CHAPMAN-FUNSTON, FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

SCF MARKETING

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Collaborator: This story is created in collaboration between Helen Siwak and the featured subject. As the founder and publisher of Portfolio.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, Helen works closely with entrepreneurs to share their paths of innovation, resilience, and growth. Each story in this series is co-developed through interviews and first-person insights, blending authentic voices with Helen’s editorial expertise to highlight the remarkable individuals shaping British Columbia’s business landscape.