When stepping back meant moving forward: Keenan Beavis on the evolution from solo marketer to CEO

Customer stories · Jan 16, 2026

taught himself digital marketing as a teenager, experimenting with YouTube and e-commerce before most businesses had even heard of SEO. Today, as CEO and Founder, he leads

Longhouse Branding & Marketing

, one of Canada's most award-winning companies, serving 850+ businesses across 92+ industries and generating an estimated $785 million in revenue for partners.

His journey offers lessons on navigating explosive growth, building scalable systems and maintaining a strong mission through change and transformation. In this interview, Beavis shares the pivotal moments that shaped Longhouse and the hard-won wisdom he'd pass on to other entrepreneurs.

What inspired you to start Longhouse?

Beavis: I kept seeing the same pattern: talented entrepreneurs were missing opportunities online. My Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor, Marcus Soares, was the first person to bring martial arts to Canada, an absolute legend in the sport. Yet potential students weren't finding his website because martial arts is a competitive industry.

I'd spent years learning SEO and digital advertising by building a Pokémon t-shirt store and growing a YouTube channel. After helping Marcus and a handful of local businesses, I realized I could solve a real problem: making sure busy leaders are found by the people who need them.

Now I call Longhouse a "to-do list company." We help busy leaders like Marcus by taking marketing off their plate, so they can focus on what matters most, which is running their business and doing what they love. We work across many different industries because every busy leader faces the same challenge, which is being found by the right people at the right time.

“The Longhouse symbol felt perfect for my vision. A Longhouse is a place where communities gather, work together and celebrate, which is exactly the kind of relationship we build with our partners. We measure our success by your success”

How were the early days of building the business?

Beavis: I get sentimental whenever I talk about the early days. Starting on a dining room table with a laptop and a cell phone and seeing where we are now, feels gratifying.

The early days were hard. I was the busy leader that Longhouse now helps. I handled everything, from SEO, advertising, social media, graphic design, web design, accounting, sales and strategy. A few of us started as generalists and came close to burning out because we hadn't yet built the systems and infrastructure that now keep things running smoothly. What kept me going through the long days was seeing the impact. Helping local businesses and non-profits grow gave our work meaning.

Those early experiences shaped how we work today. We built Longhouse around four core principles: over-communicate, be a teacher, take initiative and create wow moments. These aren't just words on a wall. When you work with Longhouse, you get clear communication, a team that educates rather than sells, proactive ideas that keep you ahead of trends and those unexpected touches that make your business stand out.

What was your biggest challenge in growing the business?

Beavis: The turning point came when we scaled from five to ten employees. I knew I needed to transition from being the person doing all the client work to building a leadership team, but the transition was one of the most stressful eras of my life.

Clients were used to working directly with me. Even though they were now getting specialized expertise from dedicated team members, many felt uncertain about the change. That uncertainty showed up in our numbers.

We lost 40% of our recurring revenue at the exact moment our operating costs had nearly doubled.

It was a stressful era. But we made a critical decision and we needed to see it through. Instead of retreating, we doubled down on investing in exceptional talent and building better systems. Within three months, we turned it around. We created infrastructure that could scale, processes that maintained quality and a team culture that kept everyone aligned to our vision and consistently delivering the results Longhouse is known for. Not only did we win back the 40% of business we lost, we now had increased capacity that took us to the next level.

How did you navigate that transition from doing the work to leading the team?

Beavis: Navigating what I call the “chaos era” to then enter the ‘formal era’ of our business required a complete mindset shift. One that every leader that wants to grow will need to do themselves. My typical day is now less about project fulfillment and more about building a leadership team that carries forward our vision. It’s all over our branding now but before it became our messaging, I had to learn “what actually needed me most”

Without the right systems, I turned down new clients because our infrastructure wasn't scalable.

Now, Longhouse is thriving and we’re helping more leaders than ever, with consistent delivery, reviews and awards that have established us as a great marketing partner for Canadians but also has positioned us to continue our expansion across the USA.

What advice would you give other business owners about managing growth?

Beavis: First, invest in your people and systems – and invest earlier than you think. Waiting until you're in crisis mode is expensive and stressful. Preventative investment pays off.

Second, find partners and vendors who understand your business. Whether it's technology, legal or financial services, the right partnerships free you to focus on what you do best. You can't do everything yourself.

Third, stay curious about technology. The world evolves constantly and the businesses that thrive are the ones that embrace change rather than resist it. Set aside time to experiment and learn.

Fourth, set big goals. At first, I wanted Longhouse to be the best marketing agency in Langley. Then Vancouver. Then Canada. Each time we got close to a goal, I expanded it. Big goals give you and your team clear direction and something to work toward together.

“What matters most is that we're helping entrepreneurs make their impact. By simplifying your to-do list and focusing on what needs you most, you can make your impact too.”

Looking back, what makes you most proud of your entrepreneurial journey?

Beavis: The people. Seeing team members buy their first homes or advance into leadership roles. We started with a vision of helping local businesses and now we're helping our team build their futures too. I'm also proud we've stayed true to our core principles.

Now I'm mentoring and investing in other Canadian entrepreneurs. One of my goals is to become a Dragon on Dragon's Den. Seeing Longhouse's national impact while I'm still in my early thirties excites me about what's ahead.

Any final words of wisdom for other SMB leaders?

Beavis: With so much already on your to-do list, choose reliable partners. As a digital marketing company, we learned early on that unreliable internet can shut down your entire operation. It sounds basic, but the fundamentals matter.

Beyond that, remember why you started. Focus on making your impact, invest in your people and build systems that let you scale without losing what makes you special. The world is constantly evolving, so stay curious, keep learning and don't be afraid to experiment. That's where innovation happens.

Ready to take your small business to the next level?

TELUS Business Bundles

give you the peace of mind you need, plus the right tech partnership to help you grow.

Authored by: