Tori Kayla is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Her Hub, a remote job site for creative women. She left corporate in 2019 building her own career as a freelance Virtual Assistant and has since transitioned into a full-time business owner helping 500+ women in finding their own remote work opportunities. She is passionate about helping women not only finding a career but also inspiring them to find their purpose and live the life they desire starting today.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I began my experience with entrepreneurship back in 2013 when I started a fashion blog. From that, I had a glimpse into the world beyond corporate and although I didn’t pursue entrepreneurship right away, I believe I was always wired to do my own thing from that point onward. I graduated in 2016 and immediately found myself in jobs that were okay at surface level (ok pay, decent titles, etc.) but never felt that true passion to keep climbing the ladder within those companies. In 2019 after feeling like a hamster stuck in a wheel, I quit my job and moved to Bermuda with my boyfriend to get a clean slate. Within three months I booked a portfolio of clients working as a Virtual Assistant which allowed me to make more than I had in corporate. During my days of finding work, I was often looking for remote opportunities in creative fields and thought “why isn’t there a site where I can only search for these kinds of jobs?” That is how Her Hub began and has since blossomed to helping over 500+ women worldwide. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I was inspired to help women like myself who were looking for a more creative, freeing role. When I originally started I was focused heavily on the entrepreneurship side of things, but quickly realized there were women who wanted entrepreneur perks like working wherever, whenever but didn’t want to become a business owner just yet. That made me think that I should share the remote jobs I was finding that fit that creative, free-flowing vibe without jumping ship. 

Where is your business based?

My business is based in Florida, however, I’m currently based in Bermuda.

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

The first steps I took to start my business were to set up a website and blog. In the beginning, I focused heavily on blog content centered around entrepreneurship that started to build a buzz. I then added additional site features including a job board to help women looking for remote gigs rather than entrepreneurship content. From that, I found a major need for what I was offering and fully revamped the site and business model to focus on serving those women looking for work.

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

The most effective way we raised awareness was through referrals! Word of mouth helped us build credibility as a new business. Social media has also worked, but people actually tagging others to visit the site or sharing our content has really helped us broaden our reach and increase our membership.

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

The biggest challenge to date has been deciding what to do and what to leave out. As mentioned, the brand was built for one purpose but shifted once our audience explained what they truly needed from us. With that, we’re a very open brand that loves hearing feedback, but it gets hard for the business owner to decide when to act and when to leave certain ideas on the table.

How do you stay focused?

I stay focused on creating systems within our business. It allows there to be an internal structure that we stick to and it makes it much easier to focus on the one thing at hand rather than feeling all over the place. I also start my day off with a focus on Her Hub so it has my undivided attention before my day gets hectic.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our site is different from the competition because we focus on finding new, fresh, fully remote opportunities daily from different sites. This means that instead of having to search through major sites that are over-saturated with applicants or searching multiple platforms only to find a handful of jobs, we do all the searching for you delivering a daily list of the newest jobs that are actively hiring. With our method you’re saving time, more focused on your application, and more likely to beat the competition since you’re one of the first to see the opportunities.

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

To date, the most effective marketing strategy we’ve had is consistent social media marketing. We have consistently shared our jobs daily across social media platforms which then has people follow or visit our website to learn more. The second would be SEO marketing because this allows us to show up when people are curious from seeing us on social media and then went to Google to learn more about us. These two marketing strategies together have proved to be the most effective for us this year.

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

Start. The sooner you start, the sooner you learn what works, what needs improvement, what absolutely fails, and what your audience really needs. You can have a really good idea when you’re starting out, but until you actually start and put it out there, you won’t be able to truly reach your full potential as an entrepreneur. 

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

Audible! I love being able to listen to audiobooks while working so I’m still connected and learning while also focusing on my business. 

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

Currently, my favorite business tool is Asana. It helps me keep my ideas organized, deadlines in place, and all components of my business in one specific place. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Richard Branson. I love how he created a single company and brand that was able to expand to a multinational conglomerate. My hopes are to do the same as a business owner, which is why I often look at what he’s accomplished to gain inspiration.

How do you balance work and life?

I make sure to carve out downtime that is unplugged from my email, laptop, and phone. I also try my best to stick to a “work schedule” finishing any work-related things by 5:00p to ensure I have my evenings to focus on myself and my family.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Currently, my favorite way to decompress is to visit the beach. Bermuda has beautiful beaches, so a quick trip to walk on the beach and squish my toes in the sand is my favorite way to unwind and recenter myself.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Over the next six months, my focus is to grow Her Hub by increasing our membership base and overall revenue. I also plan to focus on outsourcing tasks that no longer need me to handle on the day today. This would also help me in continuing to help women find employment opportunities by actually offering work opportunities of my own. I’m very excited about what the next 6 months have in store! 

How can our readers connect with you?

Stay connected with Her Hub on our website, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also connect with me directly on my social media profiles on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.