About
Natalie Mullen
Natalie Mullen is the vibrant, energetic owner and chief creative strategist behind Creative Sponge, a full-service marketing agency dedicated to helping local businesses thrive. Deeply rooted in East Texas, Natalie is a powerhouse community builder who leads multiple regional business groups—including founding ETX Women in Business and the ETX Growth Network, as well as serving on the leadership team for the BNI Gilmer Buckeye Business Network Chapter and active with the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce. Known for her colorful personality and passion for serving others, she balances running high-impact marketing strategies with coaching youth baseball, supporting literacy programs, and volunteering for non-profits

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I live life in high definition. I bring that same vibrant energy, bold creativity, and passion for connection into everything I do—whether I’m crafting high-impact digital strategies for growing businesses or championing local entrepreneurs across East Texas.
I founded Creative Sponge with a straightforward mission: to give local businesses the strategic, high-converting digital presence they need to stand out, command authority, and dominate their markets. For me, marketing isn't just about pixels and copy; it’s about people, relationships, and driving real, measurable growth for the community I love.
Connecting & Elevating East Texas Business
I firmly believe that strong communities are built on strong local businesses. That passion for connection has led me to take an active leadership role across several premier business organizations in East Texas:
-
Founder of ETX Women in Business: Created to empower, connect, and elevate female entrepreneurs and professionals throughout our region.
-
Founder of ETX Growth Network: Built to foster strategic collaboration, business development, and peer-to-peer growth for local business owners.
-
BNI Gilmer Buckeye Business Network Chapter: Proudly serving in multiple active leadership roles, including Growth Coordinator, Visitor Host, and member of the Membership Committee right here in Gilmer, Texas.
-
Gilmer Chamber of Commerce: Active member dedicated to supporting local economic development and community prosperity.
Rooted in Community & Service
When I’m not building brand strategies or hosting networking events, you can almost always find me out in the community giving back. I am deeply committed to hands-on volunteer work and supporting the organizations that make East Texas such a incredible place to live and work:
-
Non-Profit Support: Proud volunteer for local pillars like the Open Door Resource Center and One Love Longview.
-
Youth & Literacy Programs: Dedicated volunteer for local schools and community Summer Reading Programs, helping foster a love for learning in our youth.
-
Youth Athletics: Springtime means one thing—stepping onto the diamond as a local Youth Baseball Coach, mentoring young athletes in teamwork, discipline, and fun!
At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to leave every business, organization, and community program I touch brighter, stronger, and more successful than I found it. Let’s connect, create something wonderful, and grow your business together!
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
I didn't start a marketing agency to sell 'pretty pictures'. I started it to move the needle.
If you’ve spent more than five minutes in the business world, you’ve probably met a few "marketers." They hand you a slick presentation full of buzzwords, pitch you a generic cookie-cutter template, send you a bill for thousands of dollars, and then disappear when you ask about your actual ROI.
I built Creative Sponge because local business owners deserve better.
My background isn't built on sitting in a sterile corporate boardroom guessing what works—it’s built on the frontlines of real marketing strategy, human relationship-building, and obsessive trial-and-error. My business model relies on personal connection and partnerships with local business owners to understand their product, service, and audiences.
Early on, I realized something crucial: People don't buy from logos or algorithms; they buy from people, real people. Marketing without strong personal relations and human connection is just noise. But human connection without sharp, aggressive technical strategy is just a nice conversation. So we find the balance between, and craft your strategy around what makes sense.
I founded Creative Sponge to bring those two worlds together—pairing genuine, transparent relationships with relentless, high-impact digital marketing that actually makes your phone ring. Because as a business owner myself, I know how important each phone call can be, and how quickly those interactions can make or break me.
Why "Creative Sponge"?
People always ask me about the name. And I honestly love that. It's really up to your own interpretation but mine is this;
In marketing, if you aren't constantly absorbing—absorbing new technology, shifting search algorithms, AI trends, local consumer behaviors, and the unique DNA of every client's business—you dry up.
At Creative Sponge, we soak up your vision, soak up the data, and absorb the market noise so we can squeeze out high-octane growth for your brand.
Whether we are engineering your site for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) so AI search tools recommend you first, dominating the local Google Map Pack, or creating short-form video that makes your competitors sweat—we do it with grit, precision, and zero fluff.
Oh, and the best part? We are a real, local, human being that you can talk to anytime. No chasing customer service numbers, or waiting for days to get a call back. We respect you and your time, and thank you for interest and commitment to Creative Sponge.
Our Promise to You
When you partner with Creative Sponge, you aren't getting handed off to an entry-level account manager who doesn't know East Texas from East Coast. You are working with a team led by someone who genuinely cares about your bottom line.
-
We treat your ad spend like our own money.
-
We tell you the truth, even when it’s unfiltered.
-
We don't celebrate "likes" or "impressions"—we celebrate revenue.
If you’re tired of quiet phones, invisible websites, and agencies that ghost you the second the contract is signed, welcome home. Let’s build something unmissable together.
Ready to stop guessing your growth? Call, text, or email us today!








.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)