Sequoia Craig is a marketing consultant and web designer for coaches. As the founder of Sequoia Craig Design, she helps coaches avoid tech overwhelm through website design, SEO, and email marketing. Sequoia bridges the gap between coaching and technology by infusing her tech business with coaching practices, self care, and well being. She currently lives in Aptos, CA with her partner and their two pets.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I’m a college dropout actually.  It’s not something I actively flaunt because there’s a lot of stigma around it, especially for women.  After I dropped out of college I worked a few odd jobs before I decided I wanted to learn about business consulting.  I reached out to two business coaches and they offered me a full time job managing their businesses.  From there I learned how a business operates.  I’m self taught when it comes to website design, though I did have two mentors along the way that supported me when I had questions, especially around SEO.

Because I consider myself the bridge between coaching and technology, I’d also like to mention my connection with coaching.  I grew up in an emotionally abusive household where I spent my time walking on eggshells.  My mother is a narcissist with borderline personality disorder.  I grew up thinking that everything was my fault, that I was selfish, and that my role was to serve her.  It has taken me a lot of hours of coaching, therapy, and healing to get to where I am today.  The thing about growth is that it’s a constant journey, it’s not a destination so I’m nowhere close to “done” but I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve done to get to where I am.

What inspired you to start your business?

I wish I could say I had this beautiful a-ha moment but in reality, I didn’t.  With the pandemic, my hours got cut so I started taking on my own clients.  I never really considered that this would lead into anything, but my partner told me at the time that this was my path.  He’s super intuitive but I brushed it off.  I still think about how funny it is that he knew before I did.

Where is your business based?

All of my work is done remotely, but I am currently living in Aptos, California.  It’s a small town right next to Santa Cruz, about an hour and half south of San Francisco.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I hadn’t even set up my website or social media before I got my first client.  It was a referral.  After that client I started to see a tiny sliver of possibility.  I quickly got my website up and started with that.  I spent several months in limbo trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do.  For awhile I didn’t use Instagram at all which is interesting because now I get the majority of my clients through Instagram. That being said, I think the best thing to do when starting a business is to figure out exactly what you’re solving.  Identifying the problem, your ideal client, and your solution is the map to the path of your business.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Providing value.  On instagram, on calls, blogs, emails, etc.  Everywhere I show up I try to provide tons of value.  The thing about giving away juicy content is that people think, “If this is the free stuff, imagine how good the paid stuff is!”  This is how I get all of my referrals.  They all come from people who have gotten tons of free value and then referred paying clients my way.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

People always talk about how challenging it is to become an entrepreneur but I really did not understand why.  The first six months of my business were breezy.  I was getting clients and feeling good and then the mindset challenges hit like a ton of bricks.  Suddenly I was overwhelmed with imposter syndrome and fear of failure.  I couldn’t figure out why it happened so randomly and I definitely couldn’t figure out how to get past it.  So I hired a coach.  And it has proved to be the best investment to date.  I’m not totally out of imposter syndrome and I haven’t yet seen the most confident version of myself, but I don’t feel helpless.  I had no idea how deep the self sabotage ran and my coach helped me identify it and move past it.  Do not underestimate the power of a good coach.

How do you stay focused?

My partner calls me a tornado for a reason.  I fly around the house doing various things.  That’s how I’ve found I’m most effective.  If I have a lot to do I’ll make a to-do list and I’ll do one thing on it and then do something else, non-business related.  Then I’ll come back to my to-do list again and then do something non-business related again.  I kind of bop around all day, but it breaks it up and keeps things interesting.  I’m sure there are business bros out there who would say this is “not the right way”, but I’ve learned that leaning into my desires and honoring my sacred feminine energy works great for me.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I try really hard to not focus on my competition.  I don’t follow them on social media and I stay away from their content, otherwise it fuels my imposter syndrome.  That being said, the best way that I’ve found to differentiate myself from my competition is to lean into what sets me apart: me.  My values, my personality, and my individuality are what make my business unique.  That’s why I will always honor my own way of doing business.  I’ve had clients tell me that I listen to them, that I hold space for them, and that I am easy to work with.  These testimonials are my favorite because they highlight who I am as a business owner.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Education has been the most effective way for me to get new clients.  To me it feels like there is so much gatekeeping when it comes to website design and SEO so I am super transparent and educational about the work I do.  My goal is that people will consume my content and learn how important these things are.  That way they can make the most educated decision on whether they want to do it themselves or outsource it.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Find a great coach that challenges you, calls you on your sh*t, and inspires you.  Then hire them.  Coaches are there to help you get to where you want to go by eliminating all the brain gunk in the way.  I’ve worked with some brilliant coaches who have helped me get unstuck in so many areas of my life (not just business).

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite book is We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers.  It’s the most inspirational book I’ve ever read (well I actually listened to it).  If you’re someone who identifies as female and wants to start your own business or already has your own business, this book will fire you up.  I listened to the book and increased my prices, showed up with more confidence, and fired up my business.  It’s powerful.

My favorite blog is my own because it’s full of awesome content and resources all about web design, SEO, entrepreneurship, and self love.  C’mon, of course I have to shout myself out!

My favorite app is called Paired.  It’s a couples app that asks you each a question every day.  It helps bring me back to my relationship with my partner and the way it’s built is brilliant.  If you’re an entrepreneur (or just a busy person) in a relationship, I highly recommend the app.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tool is ActiveCampaign.  It’s an email marketing tool that is super robust and powerful.  If you’re not utilizing email marketing yet, consider this your official invitation to do so.  I say this to almost every person I come in contact with: your email list is invaluable!

And if you don’t need a super robust builder, I suggest Flodesk.

Who is your business role model? Why?

A few months ago I would have about seven answers to this question, but right now I only have one: me.  It’s a funny time to get this question because I’ve been actively trying to listen less to other people and follow my own path.  I’ve been getting tons of signs from the universe that I am the one with the answers to my questions and that I am the leader of my own path.

How do you balance work and life?

The best way to balance work and life is to have extremely clear boundaries.  I don’t work on the weekends and I don’t work past five.  Of course every once and a while there is a workshop or an event on the weekends that I want to participate in, but I never do any client work outside of my official work hours.  This is a hard boundary that I will never waiver on.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

A walk with my dog and my partner.  Or curled up on the couch with them watching Friends sipping on a glass of riesling.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

The next six months for me are all about steady growth, consistency, and fluidity.  I’m working on leaning into the feminine and listening to myself.  I do have some big changes coming to my SEO packages but I’m not ready to share those quite yet.

How can our readers connect with you?

Shoot me a message on Instagram or send me an email at design@sequoiacraig.com!  You can also find me on social media platforms with the handle @sequoiacraigdesign.  My website is sequoiacraig.com.

Links:

Instagram

Website

Email: design@sequoiacraig.com