Every good marketer knows that the most powerful tool in the room isn’t a logo, a campaign budget, or a perfectly timed post. It’s the story of the people behind the product or service.
Keri Fabin, Marketing Director at A Plus Landscaping, has built her professional career on a foundation of journalism, bringing her storytelling talents to the landscaping and hardscaping industry.
Now it’s her turn to have her story told.
Finding Her Path
Fabin graduated with a journalism degree and entered the workforce in 2008, a rough economic landscape to try and start a media career.
She pivoted to PR, then social media. She worked her way through marketing roles at places like an orthodontist’s office, a jewelry store, and a wedding venue before landing at A Plus Landscaping about a year and a half ago.
The hardscaping industry wasn’t on her radar. The opportunity was.
“I didn’t have any background in the industry,” she said. “I really love design, like home design and decor. I consider myself a creative. So, there is that aspect to it that I enjoy.”
But it was the people at A Plus that made it the perfect fit for her.
“I enjoy marketing for people that have a passion for what they’re doing and want to give their clients a good experience and a great finished product,” she said.
Fabin’s day-to-day work includes managing the company’s online presence on its website and social media, scheduling project photography, and writing narratives for award submissions. But as a small business, employees at A Plus often wear many hats. Early on, Fabin added lead processing to her marketing duties, a role that allows her to see how people find A Plus and what they are really looking for.
“It’s really given me that behind-the-scenes appreciation for what it actually is,” she said. “I’m still learning all the time.”
Learning the Industry
Fabin’s ability to walk into something new and find her footing is a skill she has been honing since childhood.
“My parents moved us around a lot, so I think of myself as an adaptable person,” she said.
That early training in meeting people where they are, reading a room, and getting comfortable quickly has followed her through every career pivot. Marketing for an orthodontist looks nothing like marketing for a jewelry store, which looks nothing like marketing for a hardscaping company, but Fabin has found that the fundamentals travel well.
“Changing gears is something I’ve had to do with motherhood, or even moving a lot. I’ve always been able to find a place that is in need of someone with a creative eye and who knows how to speak to people,” she said. “I’m a take-an-opportunity kind of person. If it doesn’t work out, move on, figure it out.”
People Buy from People
If there’s a throughline to Fabin’s varied marketing career, it’s her belief that the story matters more than the product shot.
When she joined A Plus Landscaping, social media was heavy on before-and-after content. It was good visual content, but she felt something was missing. She pushed to put faces at the center of the brand, which meant convincing a crew of tradesmen who weren’t exactly eager to be on camera.
“It’s been a big mountain to conquer, getting a bunch of guys to want to be in a video,” she said. “I’m still working on that. But it’s made a big difference.”
Her journalism background informs this instinct directly. She’s a firm believer that writing and communication skills transfer to almost any field and that storytelling is the connective tissue of good marketing.
“If you know how to write, if you know how to talk to people, you can figure it out,” she said. “Everyone likes stories. What makes you different? What makes us different? Why would people want to buy from us?”
For Fabin, brand-building isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about honesty and accountability and showcasing the real people behind the work.
“Building a brand, it’s not your logo, it’s not this pretty little picture,” she said. “It’s, ‘What’s the story of what you’re doing? What are you trying to sell? And why does it matter?’ That’s the whole point, I think.”
Making It Work for Her Family
A mother of two, Fabin works part-time and primarily from home, creating the flexibility needed for her family. It’s an arrangement she negotiated openly, and one she sees as a model more businesses should consider.
“Moms are an untapped resource,” she said. “Giving women the flexibility to work from home is really overlooked. I want to be here for my kids. And I want to work and contribute.”
The setup works because she was upfront about what she needed from the start and because she found a team that was open to it.
“It’s not hard to balance it when you work with people who value that,” she said.
Outside of work, Fabin keeps her creative instincts sharp through creative writing and photography.
“The more time I get to nurture myself and my hobbies, the better and more open and patient and all those other things I can be,” she said.
Advice for Aspiring Hardscaping Marketers
Fabin’s advice for anyone considering marketing in the hardscaping space comes down to three things.
First, listen more than you talk, especially at the start.
“I don’t think you need to know everything,” she said. “Part of it is just listening to gather the information and being available and open to figuring out how to make it work for somebody.”
Second, if you’re a creative person, this field needs you. Women in particular offer something distinct in this male-dominated field, especially when much of the customer base is women making decisions about their homes.
“It is more creative than people would give it credit for,” she said.
And above all, stay open. Fabin found this job on Indeed and applied just as a way to leave a previous workplace.
“Just be open to the possibility of it,” she said. “It didn’t really make sense at first. But it’s been great.”
Fabin’s winding path through journalism, PR, social media, orthodontics, jewelry, and weddings led her, improbably, to pavers and outdoor living spaces. She’s found it to be as creative and meaningful as anything she’s done.
And that’s a story worth telling.
