Pamela Wilson is an online educator, author, keynote speaker, and founder of BIG Brand System. She helps people in mid-career and beyond to build online businesses they love.

Pamela is the author of two books: Master Content Marketing and Master Content Strategy. She’s the creator and head coach for The Offer Accelerator, The BIG League, The Content Lab, and The Image Lab.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

The two constants in my life? I've always been creative and I’ve always found myself at the front of the room.
As a kid, I lobbied my parents on behalf of my four siblings. “Can we go to the movies? Can we play outside after dark?” I got the best results, so I made the requests — creatively, of course.

That morphed into becoming student council president at my high school of 2,500 students. I lobbied the school administrators to start new, creative traditions and make changes that would benefit the whole student body.

When I started my business, I drew on those experiences. They set me on a path to creating a successful design and marketing agency that I ran for decades.

But back in 2010, I began to feel a strong desire to explore online business. I learned to write content for an online audience on my site, BIG Brand System. Soon, I was writing for other big online sites, including Copyblogger — an industry leader in content marketing.

In 2014 Copyblogger asked me to join the team as Executive Vice President of Educational Content. I happily served their massive audience for a couple of years.

I’ve written two books: Master Content Marketing and Master Content Strategy. They share simple strategies for creating content marketing to attract paying customers.

In 2020, I felt called to do something new — again.
Since 2012, I’ve been a business coach to people in mid-career and beyond. In our age group, we have a ton of expertise and almost unlimited drive.

But I kept seeing this one recurring problem.

It was a make-or-break issue — if you don’t get this right, you don’t have a business!

The issue? No high-value revenue generating offer.

So I decided to do something about it.

I debuted a one-of-a-kind program for people in mid-career and beyond who want to create consistent revenue online. It’s called The Offer Accelerator.

The OA takes people through the entire offer process. We start by identifying your values and strengths. Then we do simple market research, name your offer, set prices, test it, create high-converting promotions, and systematize the whole thing so it runs smoothly.

We focus on building high-value offers. The results are truly transformative!

I’m loving the chance to tap my creativity and stand at the front of the Offer Accelerator group every week, helping people move through the process of generating consistent revenue in their online businesses.

What inspired you to start your business?

Change and challenges — I’m addicted to them. I truly enjoy the process of reinventing my life every so often.

For decades, I had a booming design business. Then I realized if I could develop an online business, I could share my expertise with a much larger group of entrepreneurs.

The possibilities were too exciting to pass up. It was the early days of online business, and I wanted in.

Where is your business based?

I’m in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s a creative city.

Wedged between the music and art scene, you'll find a vibrant entrepreneurial community. It's the first place I've ever lived where I can tell people I have an "online business" and they actually know what I'm talking about.

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

The first step was to take an online course. Then, I read everything I could get my hands on to learn the best way to start my business, BIG Brand System.

My existing business skills came in handy: I used them to develop systems and frameworks to make my new online process as smooth as it could be.

I learned a lot by doing the work — and I learned from my mistakes.

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

Consistently showing up with valuable content is key.

In the early years, I produced weekly content for my website to build an audience and keep my readers engaged. That fresh content helped me rank higher in search results.

Writing for popular sites like Copyblogger helped me grow my own loyal following. A strong network of like-minded people benefits you, your colleagues, and your audience.

But it’s not about churning out content. You have to listen to what existing and future customers need. When you understand people’s problems, you become their trusted source for information.

Once you know who you want to serve, build a high-value offer that helps them solve those problems. Then you can create happy, paying customers.

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

When I started my online business, public speaking was high on my list of Things That Terrified Me.

Actually? It was at the top of that list!

Finally I remembered my high school days when I was elected student body president at the age of 17.

Standing on stage in front of a mic addressing huge groups of people wasn't something new. And it was nothing to fear.

I’m not sure what happened between those brave teenage years and adulthood. Somehow I began to limit what I thought I could do.

Reminding myself that public speaking was a skill I already had helped me get over the fear. That, and taking a deep breath and just doing it.

How do you stay focused?

Lists and systems are my lifeline — they always have been.

When life gets chaotic (like in the midst of a global pandemic), I grab my checklist, put my head down, and work away.

The other habit that helps me stay focused? Recognizing that creative work is easier at certain times of day — and blocking off those times so I don’t fill them with meetings or errands.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Clients have called me an “un-guru.” That’s someone with decades of expertise who quietly shares her knowledge and experience without waving it around in your face using flashy videos or perfectly polished prose.

I teach online business owners how to build a business they’ll love. Consistent revenue and personal satisfaction are equally important.

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

The most effective marketing strategy I’ve found is to commit to a higher standard of marketing.

That means you forge your own path. Don’t follow someone else’s.

If you market your business to a higher standard than everyone else, your business will stand out.

Reside inside the heads and hearts of the people you aim to serve: get to know your ideal customer well enough that you can truly serve their needs.

Dare to market and sell differently: have the courage to upend conventions if you know it will serve your customers.

Aim for simple, straightforward, and clear: remember, simple messages are easier to understand and implement — and are more convincing.

Of all the online marketing strategies out there, this one has proven to work.

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

For people in mid-career and beyond, the best way to build an online business is to get in touch with you first.

Any offer you create needs to reflect your personal strengths, values, and priorities. Plus, it needs to tap into the deep expertise you’ve developed over the years.

When you take the time to build your offer this way, you can charge more for it.

And you should!

People in midlife and beyond shouldn’t be pouring our time and energy into creating low-value offers.

Build an offer you’ll be well compensated for. Consistent revenue makes for a healthy business.

Invest time now so you can make more money in the future.

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

For keeping our work on track, I love Asana. It’s perfect for my small team, who are in three countries and three time zones.

We’re using it to structure our workflow and communicate about our tasks. It integrates smoothly with other apps we use regularly, like Dropbox and Slack.

How do you balance work and life?

Owning a business can consume all your time. I make sure I take days off and encourage my team to maintain healthy boundaries around their time and energy.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

After spending most of the day planted at my desk, I love finding ways to incorporate movement into my afternoons and evenings.
Depending on the weather that may be a swim, a brisk walk on a treadmill, or a stroll through the woods.

A little movement is the perfect antidote to all the sitting I do — and it helps me shake off any leftover stress from my day.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We’re about to go all in on video. Yes — I know I’m late to the party! Better now than never, right?

We’ll use video to connect with prospects for my Offer Accelerator program. It’s a high-touch curriculum-based program that’s application only. Finding the right people is key! Video is going to play an important role in helping us connect with them wherever they are.

How can our readers connect with you?

You can find my website at bigbrandsystem.com

And I’d love to connect on social:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelaiwilson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIGBrandSystem

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pamelaiwilson

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bigbrandsystem/