Kiara Thompson, Co-Owner and Director of Online Sales at Bead World, a Woman Owned Company

Kiara Thompson is a 24-year-old business owner in Scottsdale, Arizona. After realizing college would not teach her how to start and run a company, she left and tried her hand in real estate and started two separate companies while working at her dad's HVAC company. All avenues failed, and in a rock bottom moment, her mom and she realized her path was to join her company and create an online store to accompany her brick-and-mortar locations that sell beads and jewelry-making supplies. She built up sweat equity and now co-owns the company Bead World.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Growing up with entrepreneur parents, I had always seen myself owning a business. I would often draw up business plans for companies from art studios to apparel brands. My first venture was selling hand-painted longboards and skateboards. I only sold a handful, but I had so much fun creating a product that people wanted to use. I was always involved in art in school and in my free time, I believe that it has helped me immensely with working in such a creative position.

What inspired you to start your business?

In 2004 Bead World started as a brick-and-mortar Bead Store in Phoenix, Arizona, and soon after opened a second location in Scottsdale, Arizona. At the beginning of 2013 Bead World’s ownership transferred to Karen Thompson. Since then, Karen has multiplied the variety, quantity, and quality of everything Bead World has to offer. We grew so much that in June of 2018, we moved our Scottsdale store to a larger location. Fast forward to June of 2019, Kiara Thompson, Karen’s Daughter, joined Bead World to help create our online store.

Where is your business based?

We have two in-store locations both based in Arizona, one in Phoenix and the other in Scottsdale. Our online business is based out of the basement in the Scottsdale store. Fortunately, beads don’t take up too much space!

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

The first step was drawing up a plan of the product categories and building the website using a platform called BigCommerce. I had taught myself how to use the platform in a previous business venture, so I had some experience with building a website. It took me about 3 months to get the website online with about 1,500 individual SKUs (as of June 2021, we are at about 11,000 SKUs). Fortunately, we had access to some product photographs from our suppliers that we were able to use when adding products online, as we did not hire a part-time photographer until we had just launched.

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

Roughly 30% of our traffic is from social media and 85% of that is from Pinterest. Whenever we promote on Pinterest, I always notice a spike in our site visitors. Our pins are primarily made up of our jewelry tutorials with trendy photos to engage our possible customers. Our Pinterest traffic since December 2019 has grown from roughly 80K impressions to over 500K per month.

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

Our biggest challenge was in April 2020, when we had to close our brick-and-mortar stores for the entire month, with the online store being the only source of income. The website was still relatively new and prior to closing, we had completed about 130 orders total for the months of January, February, and March. In April, we did almost 400 online and phone orders. This forced to the creation of more efficient ways to store inventory and pull orders as well as shipping them. It was such a stressful yet wonderful experience where I grew in skill and confidence in my work. The closure helped people who would usually buy in-store feel more comfortable ordering online.

How do you stay focused?

If you know me well, you know I am a huge procrastinator. If I don’t do something that second, it might never get done. Something that has helped me stay focused and on track, is to not be afraid to multitask on many projects at once. My work never ends, I am always entering new products online, creating emails for marketing, advertising, writing copy, organizing, talking to new customers, among other things. It may sound counterintuitive but, I get a lot done by procrastinating the other things I need to get done. I don’t really like doing the same thing every single day, so this helps me keep energized and focused on my growth.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

We are best known for our high-quality gemstones for really great prices. We also differentiate ourselves by keeping up with popular trends and taking super fun and unique photos that we use in our tutorials and marketing.

Most jewelry makers enjoy feeling and seeing the beads in person. I don’t blame them, as I usually like to see and feel the items myself when I am creating my own jewelry. One thing I noticed with our competition was their inconsistent and pixelated photos. This was something I wanted to focus on to make us stand out from other online bead stores. While we are not perfect, we are overcoming this obstacle by taking the best possible photographs to post on Bead World’s website. We try to photograph our products as they would look in person. Our photographer Annie Richardson deserves an honorable mention for always coming up with new and fun ways to showcase our products. Often when I am looking over her photos, I find myself going and grabbing myself a strand of the gemstones she photographed so I can use it to make something for myself.

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

My favorite marketing tactic we use is sending weekly emails containing a 40% off coupon. This brings in predictable orders and keeps customers happy and always coming back for more.

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

Don't be afraid to make a lot of mistakes in the beginning. The mistake you make when you are little will hurt a lot less than making the same mistake when you are bigger.

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

My favorite mobile app is a tie between the BigCommerce and Google Analytics apps because they help me keep track of my progress without the need for my desktop. My favorite blog is vlogs. I enjoy watching other entrepreneurs on YouTube to see what is working for them so I can implement their ideas and tactics in my business. One of my favorite books that I have just recently re-read is: Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur by Derek Sivers. It is a short book, but it has helped me not to take everything so seriously and make me feel that it is okay not to know everything because if I don’t know how to do it, I can learn it.

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

The shipping fulfillment resource Ship Station gives me amazing shipping rates, emails my customers with aesthetically pleasing tracking information, and most of all help me to not mess up on the number of items ordered as it merely highlights a product when the quantity is over 1, simple yes I know, but it really works.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I would say both my parents are my business role models. They immigrated here from Ireland to peruse the American dream, and I would say they have achieved it. Both my parents have always been entrepreneurs and are the hardest-working people I have ever met.

How do you balance work and life?

I keep the balance at work by doing more things I like to do and less of things I don’t like doing. For the tasks I don’t prefer to do, I ask someone else to complete the job I know would actually enjoy it.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Honestly, my favorite way to decompress is pretty much any new fantasy-based TV show marathon.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

The next six months are mainly focused on the growth of our customer base through our reach on Pinterest by adding more tutorials and adding more product categories to our inventory. With beads and jewelry-making supplies, you can’t just have one or two color options, you need tens to hundreds of colors, sizes, shapes, and finishes.

How can our readers connect with you?

• You can find us at:

  • www.beadworld.com

  • Instagram: @beadworldinc

  • Pinterest: @beadworldinc

  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/beadworld

  • Facebook Group: Jewelry Inspiration – Share homemade jewelry, tips, and creativity 

"Just make sure that your answer a need before launching your startup" with Elodie Bottine

My name is Elodie Bottine, I am the mother of two adorable daughters. After obtaining my master’s degree in sales and marketing, I started my career in event management and spent the next 11 years in the publishing and advertising industry as director of business development. After moving to the USA in 2016, I took a break from my career to raise my children and I came to the realization that I wanted to do something that could make a positive impact on people’s lives.

What inspired you to start your business?

As a director of business development in the publishing industry, I had the chance to interview some of the most inspiring business leaders. Their amazing and inspirational career paths slowly led me to realize that deep down, I really wanted to embark on an entrepreneurial adventure.

But, it’s a 91 years old woman who inspired me this idea. I met Ginette at the supermarket. I helped her reach a can that was up high on a shelf, and we ended up talking. A beautiful friendship was born between a 91-year-old who didn’t have any family and me, who was far away from mine. It lasted for 10 years until she passed away 3 days before her birthday. She was the first one to meet my husband and, later, to discover my daughters. I always wondered why no one in her building had ever thought to ask her if she needed anything. That’s when the idea of launching a mutual aid neighborhood app for neighbors willing to care about each other and to help each other out by lending a hand or exchanging and sharing services, tools, food and items started,

Where is your business based?

Our neighborhood mutual aid app MyNabes is available everywhere in the USA even if the company is registered in California.

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

I started working on MyNabes in 2017. The idea of MyNabes came shortly after we moved to California. Living far away from my family, I had the desire to create a community of collaboration and assistance where our neighborhood could work as a team to help each other out, need some help around the yard, shopping, or borrow garden tools.

The first steps were for me was to validate the idea through a survey and on social networks and once the idea was validated, I had to find the right development team to make my project a reality. I also took a social network marketing management class during a few months.

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

My main challenge was to make people understand why we are different from this other neighborhood social network (Nextdoor). But quickly, by explaining our concept simply, our users understood why we are unique. It’s all about helping our neighbors out through kindness and collaboration.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

The beautiful goal that I am pursuing is to recreate the neighborhood spirit that existed in the past and to place communities in a more collaborative, supportive and convivial ecosystem. For that, we offer 20 categories so you can ask or offer your help to your neighbors. But MyNabes is also a mutual-aid platform where there is no comment section, just a private chat so you can easily communicate with your neighbors willing to help out without receiving off-topic comments. 

The originality of MyNabes also lies in its system of remuneration for services rendered: You can choose to say thank you with fruits or veggies from your garden or a homemade dish, you can offer services in return (I keep your dog during your vacations, you keep my pets during mine) or offer a drink, money or simply say "Thank you!".

Since the beginning of this adventure, we have committed ourselves to our users to remain free, without advertising and not to share their data because we are convinced that we must return to the values of mutual aid if we want to make this life more enjoyable for everyone and we hope that MyNabes will help connect neighbors as well as all generations in real time.

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

Writing a blog and promoting it on Facebook has been the most effective marketing strategy so far along with the content we post on Instagram.

We have been fortunate to get the support of several journalists since the beginning of this adventure and it helps a lot since we are a free app.

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

Just make sure that your answer a need before launching your startup. The surveys that I did really allowed me to develop my initial idea towards something that people wanted to find, namely more friendly and collaborative neighborhoods.

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

MyNabes of course! 😊

Who is your business role model? Why?

My dad because he never gave up his business which was also his passion even when times were very tough for, he and my family. And he was right.

Michelle Obama is also someone very inspiring to me, I love how she spreads kindness and how inspiring, amazing and thoughtful she is.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Exercising! I exercise at least 4 times a week. I get up at 6 a.m. to do HIIT and strength training.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

In the same spirit we have decided to launch a new category “Connect with my City Hall”.

Through the new category “Connect with my City Hall", residents can engage with the City in order to share their ideas for a better city as well as their questions and concerns. It also gives the City Hall a new way to engage with their communities, share city communications with their residents but also to drive solidarity in the City.

-        Solidarity between generations: encourage isolated people to share their knowledge with the community and thus maintain a social life

-       Solidarity by opportunity : facilitate the connection between people in need and people who are able to help this way making it easier for busy people who are willing to volunteer to find opportunities.

How can our readers connect with you?

By downloading our app here

Or by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

Website: www.mynabes.com

Our social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

MyNabes description :

MyNabes is a mutual-aid neighborhood app. With this app, I am pursuing the beautiful goal to recreate the neighborhood spirit that existed in the past and to place communities in a more collaborative, supportive and convivial ecosystem.

In October 2019, Raluca Perkins and myself, Elodie Bottine, launched MyNabes, a mutual aid neighborhood app based on kindness and sharing in the community. MyNabes has been created for neighbors willing to care about each other and to help each other out by lending a hand or exchanging and sharing services, tools, food and items. There is no public forum but only a private chat. 

"Just start, learn from your mistakes, and enjoy the process" with Samantha Harding

Samantha Harding is a Fashion designer and now businesswoman living in London. She had everything ripped from her at a young age due to life events but she still perceives to live her dream with her brand Sahar by Samantha Harding and enjoy the process during the way. Grateful to still be alive and have amazing support from those who know who they are!

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born in Dubai and raised in UAE, always on the beach. In my teenage years I moved to Brazil, Brazilian mum was scared of war outbreaks in a close Arabic country. In brazil I started surfing, always found an excuse to leave school early and hit the waves, luckily I never failed any subject so wasn’t a problem. I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer ever since I can remember, always drawing croquis at a very young age. I went to fashion university but like school always traveling to surf different waves around the world from Hawaii to Tahiti. I started my business in university selling to friends and friends of friends. In 2017 I was in a life-threatening accident where my ex-boyfriend was drunk and driving like a manic on an island in Brazil called Fernando de Noronha, miraculously I survived, hence the doctor walking and the first site looking at me saying `How is this girl still alive. I was forced to stay awake through the whole process, if I decided to take the nap I was ever longing for I would have died. I had over 100 stitches all over my body, ruptured all the ligaments in my right ankle. I was 4 months in bed without being able to move nor able to do anything by myself and had to learn to walk again slowly. The recovery process was `fast` as doctors said because I focused on staying calm, keeping me positive & eating organic. I also received the lovely news of staying three years out of the sun and not surfing for a year. The things I most loved in life were taken away from me. Now I have almost fully recovered with scares to remind me how I’m grateful to still be alive and still continue to pursue my dream. I had a choice to start fresh and move to London so here I am, now based in London. Sahar by Samantha Harding is my dream and I work on it until I get there, where every there is. I sell my designs in a lot of luxury boutiques around the world, focusing on Bali and trying to aim at exotic destinations to keep it exclusive now just launching in Las Vegas and Ibiza, also selling online.

What inspired you to start your business?

I’ve always loved to design clothes from an early age. When I got into surfing at the age of 13 there were never any nice bikinis to wear so I started to make my own. So one day I woke up and just decided to create Sahar, now know as Sahar by Samantha Harding. My whole life revolved around surfing, I did try to become a pro surfer but when I started competing all the fun started to disappear so I kept it as a hobby and focused on Fashion.

Where is your business based?

At the moment my business is Based in Brazil, I’m based in London, I have structured it in a anyway I can live a nomad life. All my designs are produced locally and hand-made in Brazil. The real Brazilian swimwear.

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

I started it in university in Brazil – Rio de Janeiro selling to friends because they liked and wanted my designs in 2012. I slowly started to expand and let the brand unravel itself through time.  Now I Have a few representatives around the world in places like California, Malta, Portugal, and Bali. Every day my brand grows a little more. Slowly but surely.

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

I used to do a lot of influential marketing in Brazil which got me on the map but nowadays I focus on getting them into boutiques in exotic locations where the product sells itself. One put it on and you're sold. I also like to create content with people I find influential and who have some kind of amazing talent like singers, DJs, successful women with real talent. 

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

The accident was my biggest challenge because you never expect to go through something like that. My first question to the doctors after I was all sewn up was, `when will I be able to surf again` they looked at me and laughed. I was in the middle of my MBA when it happened and was finishing the course, I basically had to stop everything I was doing and focus on recovery which was really hard because I was doing so well and earning about 30k per month, but I did still work a little bit every day from my cellphone secretly.

Also making the decision to move to London, I’ve always been a girl whose second home was in the sun on the beach or in the sea surfing, all that was taken away from me. The funny story is after many painful sessions with the dermatologist who was looking after my wounds, he said to me, why don’t you move to London, you have a passport & family there, hence my dad in born and raised in London, so I thought for 1 minute and decided to follow his advice, I mean I couldn’t go in the sun for three years and where in the world is there no sun? LONDON! After facing two big challenges of a heavy life-changing accident, deciding to move countries, now Covid. At least everyone took a hit with this one.

How do you stay focused?

I put in about 4/5h daily into my business no matter what, I try to keep my diet clean and healthy, also hit the gym or exercise when I feel I get overworked for some reason. I also like to keep a pen and notebook by my bed and in my bag, just in case my cellphone is dead because I get flashes of designs and great ideas out of the blue and very randomly.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Everything is designed by me, but I do add commercial pieces to the collection just to keep the collection balanced. Everyone loves a simple classic bikini. I also aim to use the best quality materials there is, I try sustainable fabrics but sometimes the quality is just not that good as one of Sahar`s goals is long-lasting pieces, I still have bikinis which I wear today from my first collection, so do my close friends. I also get my collections produced locally and all in Brazil with local family businesses, which come from the communities’ aka Favelas. It’s a way to help the less fortunate by giving them incomes whereas in Brazil the difference in classes is crazy. Also before I do business with anybody in production I personally head down and check everything out, meeting the families and the places my designs get made.

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

Reaching out to exclusive beautiful boutiques to sell my designs and Instagram ads.

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

Just start, learn from your mistakes & enjoy the process.

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

I read a lot, I have a lot of favorite books but one I found very changing was Celestine prophecy and principles by Ray Dalios. I carried the big book of principle all through Bali, a big mistake but kept me busy in Ubud and Lembongan ( if know know, you know). I aim to read about 2/3 books monthly ranging from business/ marketing/ self-help, anything that will help me improve as a person.

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

With my cellphone, I can do everything from it. Just use the appropriate apps.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My dad, always knows what to do, to say, and pulls me out of the deep-end always.

How do you balance work and life?

I’m a workaholic; I love to work because I feel like I’m not working. When you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work, except for the stressful moments but then a little bit of yoga, mediation, or surf just erases all the stress.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Going to a restaurant and enjoying a nice meal, yoga, meditation, surfing or just getting out into nature. Lots of parks in London.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

After just expanding to Las Vegas and Ibiza, Launching my new collection, I plan to work on my next collection, look at new places to expand & enjoy the process.

How can our readers connect with you?

Through my email – Saharswimwear@hotmail.com

Or my business Whatsapp - +55 21 986527437

Website : www.saharswimwear.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/saharswimwear

My instgram: www.instagram.com/samanthaaharding

"Don’t let societal norms or outsiders scare you away from achieving your dreams" with Pamela Zapata

Pamela Zapata is the Founder and CEO of Society18. She works with multicultural and multiethnic fashion, parenting and beauty influencers on branded campaigns for partners such as IPSY, Sephora, Almay, Fabletics, Urban Decay, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Not Your Mother's, Macy's, Foot Locker, TRESemmé, American Eagle Outfitters, P&G, Google, Olay, Unilever, Dove, Lego, and Hallmark. Prior to founding her company in 2019, she cultivated relationships and troubleshot talent issues as liaison between network on-air talent, representation, and internal businesses for E! Entertainment, Ryan Seacrest Productions, Style Haul, and Sweety High. Pamela was just named one of the top 25 talent managers for YouTube creators and top 15 talent managers helping micro influencers land brand deals by Business Insider. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My name is Pam, and I am a talent manager and marketing executive with a unique range of experience. In 2019 I founded Society 18, a bicoastal influencer management and consulting agency with a focus on multicultural and multiethnic content creators and digital strategy. Prior to starting my business in 2019, I garnered over 10 years of experience working in influencer strategy, integrated marketing, talent relations, casting, and production for some of the biggest networks, brands and agencies in the industry.

I began my career in Los Angeles where I worked for companies such as E! Entertainment, Ryan Seacrest Productions, Style Haul, and Sweety High. During that time, I cultivated valuable relationships by successfully and strategically utilizing influencers and talent for digital and on-air programming, brand sponsorships and events that supported business initiatives, drove ratings, and increased revenue.

After relocating to NYC, I became the Director of Influencer Marketing at United Entertainment Group, where I led influencer partnerships, strategy, procurement, negotiations and campaign reporting for various personal care brands within the Unilever portfolio including Suave, Dove, Love Beauty Planet, Axe and Popsicle. I eventually moved on to my role as Senior Director of Influencer Marketing at Starpower, where I oversaw multiple campaign and influencer casting initiatives for key beauty brands including Estee Lauder, Bobbie Brown, MAC, BECCA and La Mer. Within this role I had a range of responsibilities including campaign ideation through concept execution, while also overseeing strategy, client management and talent relations.

What inspired you to start your business?

My “Aha Moment” happened during those ten years in the trenches. I saw a gap in the industry when it came to diversity. Not only were POC not always represented in campaigns, but I found that many diverse creators did not understand their value when comparing what their counterparts were receiving for branded projects. That gap is what fueled me to take the leap and start my own company! There was a need to address the issue which pushed me to work directly with multicultural and multiethnic content creators to help them understand their value while also helping advise brands and agencies on the importance of strategically including diverse influencers into their brand campaigns. 

Where is your business based?

We’re bicoastal, with a presence in both NY and LA.

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

The first step was reaching out to the content creators that I already had an established relationship with. I talked to them about why I was starting my own agency and how I thought I could provide value to their business. Thankfully, after 2-3 clients signed on, 3-4 more came around through referrals, which assured me that I was moving in the right direction. 

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

98% of our roster has been referral based. This is due to the importance we place on getting to know our clients on a personal level, not just professional. As an agency, it’s important to know what each of their likes/dislikes are, what their passions are and how to make our partnership as effective as possible. Checking-in and having that open line of communication is crucial to ensuring a transparent and trustworthy relationship.

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

Starting any business can bring a sense of isolation, which can distract you from your bigger purpose and have you wondering whether you made the right decision. When I first ventured out on my own, I was constantly battling with myself on whether I was going to be capable of supporting myself and finding success with this idea, which led to many moments of self-doubt. However, in the back of my mind I always knew that this was my true purpose, and all the hard work would pay off, which it has. Knowing I’m a part of something that is for the greater good continues to push my drive and make all the long nights worth it. Being passionate about your work and the effect it has on people will keep you going.

How do you stay focused?

Society 18 has seen immense growth within the past year, even with the pandemic taking over all aspects of our lives. I’ve been able to double our staff, and our roster has grown tremendously within the past 6 months. I credit this mostly to my ability to keep going even through the days in which I wanted to give up. Knowing I’ve been able to weather all the bad storms in 2020 and still bring on additional team members, clients and campaigns is further proof that the universe rewards you in many ways when you take courageous steps. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our objective is to be the agency of record for brands who are looking for insight and support on influencer initiatives and holding them accountable in terms of their diversity/inclusion commitments. With our wide range of multi-ethnic creators and seasoned team, we want to be the agency that brands immediately think of when they need guidance, and we pride ourselves in providing best-in-class services to anyone that chooses to prioritize these important initiatives. I have always emphasized the importance of working with multicultural and multiethnic content creators, and as someone who is well-established in this space, I am in a unique position to advise any brand that wants to be part of the solution on how to get it right when it comes to diversity, which is something I take very seriously. Not only is our roster diverse, but each of our employees have strong backgrounds from various vantage points which can help us when pitching, creating strategies and developing potential partnerships.

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

Transparently, we haven’t had an established marketing strategy that has fueled our growth. Our digital and social channels showcase our clients and the work we do; however I truly believe the value we bring to our content creators and brands is what has propelled the business forward and has been the biggest contributing factor to our growth as a company.

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

Simple - you’re in charge of your own life. Don’t let societal norms or outsiders scare you away from achieving your dreams, whatever they may be. If you are not happy in your current situation, it is your obligation to yourself to make a change. Want to start that clothing business? Do it. Want to go back to school? Do it. Block out the white noise and surround yourself with people at your level. Having a strong support system has helped me tremendously, especially during the times when I wanted to quit. Whether that is your family, friends, partner or team members, it is crucial to surround yourself with trustworthy people that believe in your vision to accomplish the impossible.

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

My favorite app at the moment is Clubhouse. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the communities the app has built and have loved being a part of conversations that have been happening offline for so many years.

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

A business coach. Having someone who really understands business structure, scaling, etc. that can support you when you are making critical decisions that will affect your business is crucial. Unless you have entrepreneurs and business owners in your network who have been in your shoes, it is hard to really get the support you need through your friends and family. Although they can provide encouragement, they won’t understand the gravity of some the decisions you are making.

How do you balance work and life?

There will be days when a vacation is needed, so knowing you have a team you can rely on to steer the ship while you take a moment to yourself will help. Make sure to also take a step back whenever you feel yourself feeling overwhelmed. As a founder and CEO of a company, wearing 100 different hats is probably one of the most challenging and underestimated aspects of running a business. One must know a little bit of everything – Legal, finance, marketing, operations, HR etc. It’s something that can be extremely defeating, especially when you don’t have all the answers. Dive into your network and find resources that can properly support you. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

The Headspace app has been a great tool for disconnecting in the morning and late evenings. Taking a run along the running path by the Hudson River near my house has also been extremely therapeutic for me lately. I’ve also spent some time catching up on my favorite shows - Ozark on Netflix and Billions on Showtime.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

The next 6 months will be dedicated to structure, tech and hiring/onboarding. I’d love to start scaling the business in the next 12-months, so it’s critical that these elements are put in place to support the growth properly.

How can our readers connect with you?

You can follow Society 18 at @societyeighteen and my personal page at @pamelazapata. Our website is www.society18.com.

Self-Care CEO Kristin Summers: Tackling Self-Care Limiting Beliefs One Bubble Bath at a Time

Kristin Summers, self-care mindset coach, mental health writer/speaker, and app creator shares her journey from severe postpartum depression and anxiety to thriving entrepreneur.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up in a small town in mid-Missouri. A career in personal development wasn’t even on my radar but I knew I wanted to be a writer and give back to the world somehow. I earned a journalism degree and was in the magazine publishing industry and freelance writing space for many years before I decided to use my skills to be an advocate for mental health and self-care for all.

What inspired you to start your business?

After my third child was born, I developed severe postpartum depression and anxiety from the birth control shot. It was hell on Earth but the truth is that if I hadn’t gone through that then I wouldn’t have grown into the person, the mother, the friend, the partner, the entrepreneur I was meant to be. It all started with my self-care app idea. For years I studied mental health and self-care as I healed. One day I thought, “Where is my gold star for being an adult?” From there, a fire grew inside me to help others and create something of value. During COVID, the app development was put on pause. Mind Star, the app, was available for Android when the pandemic hit. Personal issues took precedent (divorce). I almost wondered if the app was over but then as I began to heal from the divorce, I saw how my own self-care journey through it all led to me finally launching my self-care mindset coaching business, pursue paid speaking opportunities and writing my self-care divorce guidebook.

Where is your business based?

Kansas City, Mo.

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

First, I did market research. When you have an idea for a business, it’s actually better if it’s something you won’t personally use but believe in because based on the research you know other people find value in the product or service. I found people in similar spaces and started asking questions. I put some serious thought into the time and commitment level it would take as a true overnight success … because “making it” is actually someone who has been grinding for 5-7 years. I also did research on the type of business – LLC? C-Corp? – I became as much of a sponge as I could with certain people I looked up to in different areas of my life.

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

Honestly, TikTok has been great for my business. I can’t pay for that kind of engagement on any other platform. I have more than 10k plus followers and I am grateful for every one of them. It’s about quality not quantity and having that mindset has made a difference in how I approach many areas of my life. 

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

My mindset was and is the biggest challenge. It’s something we all must, not necessarily overcome because we all will have bad days, but something we all must figure out how to navigate. It isn’t about getting rid of the waves; it’s about learning how to ride them. Our beliefs about the world are formed by age 10 or younger – this means your views about relationships, life in general, money, etc., are all formed way before our brains are even fully developed. Thankfully, we have neuroplasticity and a growth mindset to help us rewire those limiting beliefs that subconsciously hold us back so we succeed and thrive in our lives. Everything ends and starts with the mind.  

How do you stay focused?

Believe it or not, there are benefits to doing things in the old-fashion ways, and what I mean by that is that there are benefits when it comes to remembering things by writing things down. I write down my to-do list for the next day as I’m winding down and I immediately feel a sense of relief. Then the next morning, I look at the list again after my self-care morning routine and prioritize what has to get done immediately because of a deadline. That’s first. Second is what is going to move me forward into a better tomorrow, and, third, what is something I can do toward my larger, bigger picture goals. I also take self-care breaks between tasks to help focus on the next one.  

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I don’t consider myself a life coach, that’s too broad. I’ve chosen to help educate people on what self-care really is and not what society tells them it is. I’ve worth with therapists and psychologists closely as I put together my 5-Pillar Program for self-care. I don’t pretend to be anything I’m not. I gladly refer clients to licensed professionals if I don’t feel like I can help them. I offer guidance when it comes to finding compassion for themselves; help people realize their limiting beliefs around self-care; and how they can incorporate the 5-Pillar Program into their lives with confidence and compassion. We all live in our world, our own reality. If I can help one person, I’ve changed the world already. I’m not out to change the world. I’m here to help millions of worlds.  

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

Be prepared that those closest to you will not always support you. It’s your call, it’s not a conference call. Those close to you will have a purpose in your success story, a role to play so to speak … it might always be as supportive as you want it to be. These people might and usually do have best of intentions, but they can’t see your dream – it seems too much, and it is too much for them because it’s not their dream. And that’s okay. Remember small minds have small dreams.  That doesn’t make their dreams any less or more important than yours, we should support each other goals and dreams but perspective is important when it comes to trying to convince someone that your dreams matter.  If you want to go big, be big but don’t expect those with medium-size dreams to see it.  

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

You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero, Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo, and Unscripted by MJ DeMarco. Jen’s book is great when I need a pick-me-up personally. Marie’s is fantastic when I feel like I’m stuck with my business and MJ’s keeps the entrepreneurial spirit very much alive.  

How do you balance work and life?

I honestly don’t believe that true balance exists. There are going to be times that your family is going to take more of your time than your business and there are times your business is going to require you to dedicate more time to it. That’s more than okay. The same goes for self-care, there are times that you are going to have to slow down and take care of yourself better. When we give the love we so freely give to others to ourselves, we are able to give love without expectations and that’s what life is about.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Dancing and listening music are two ways I like to unwind. The research behind how music can affect our mood is fascinating. I even have a cry playlist when I feel overwhelmed and need to get it out. Crying releasing hormones and lowers our cortisol levels, hence the phrase “have a good cry.” I always feel better after I allow myself to feel and process my overwhelm. We hold stress and trauma in our bodies so loosening up the body is a great way to decompress. I’m in the self-care space so I have definitely more than two ways

What do you have planned for the next six months?

More self-care 8-week courses with me, mini self-care courses (available this summer), more private coaching and the release of my self-care for dating and divorce book. Whew! Who’s ready for all that? I am!

How can our readers connect with you?

You can find me on TikTok @selfcareceo, IG Kristin_rsummers or they are welcome to check out my website backtoselfcare.com, and enjoy some of my self-care freebies including the Self-Care Guide and the Self-Care Emergency Checklist.

"Choose your business partners wisely" with Miranda Yan, Vinpit

Photo Credit: Miranda Yan, Vinpit

Miranda Yan is the founder of VinPit, which is a SaaS-based business. It is an online platform for used vehicle buyers who want to run checks on their history. 

What inspired you to start your business? 

The idea of setting up VinPit came to my mind when I was trying to help my friend buy a second-hand car and realized that there was no effective model that the buyer could utilize to dig up details about the used car's components. An unaware owner can face severe challenges in the future if the vehicle was involved in illegal commotions and has a troubled history. Therefore, I decided to build a website that works as a "VIN check" booth for such buyers. 

Where is your business based?

Vinpit operates through the internet, so it’s wise to say that this business works on an internet-based model. It's a virtual platform that anyone could access. We are currently providing services targeted to the US. 

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

I started the business by researching the idea and checking the marketability of the concept. I also looked for any competitors or similar companies. Recognizing the target and making arrangements for the fulfillment of their needs and expectations was the next step. I made appropriate hires with my partner and pushed forward the development of service steadily.

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

It was digital marketing for us. Since I had worked as a marketer for an internet giant for years and gained great experience, I understood the power of digital media marketing. I never left any opportunity to leverage it to increase awareness about our brand.  

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

Like any other growing entrepreneur, my first hustle was of growing capital. Managing a team virtually, building a robust, feature-packed platform, and opting for efficient marketing channels is exceptionally challenging. I tried cutting costs on unnecessary expenses and took one step not to burden the finances available. It's the visit management that has helped us come this long, too, in the coronavirus times when all the industries have been impacted massively. 

How do you stay focused? 

I have realized that the key to remaining focused is a proper work-life balance. I have established clear-cut boundaries for my personal and professional life and do not let any of them affect the other. This way, I'm also able to focus on one thing at a time, give it my best, and log off to switch to another role. I also practice yoga and take out time for self-care to prevent stress and burnout. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

I think the difference lies in our approach. We aren't planning to introduce a tech-savvy program that is fascinated with many bells and whistles. Instead, we have developed a straightforward platform that anyone could use. We believe in technology and want to use it to cater to our customer's needs, but it should not make the inexperienced user's interaction with our service baffling. Most of our competitors try to target car suppliers. We have built our platform for ordinary people who want to gather information about used cars without a costly and cumbersome process. 

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

PR marketing strategy has worked the best for us. It has landed us a significant amount of media exposure and helped us in remaining visible. Since establishing the brand presence is one of the foremost challenges for any new entrepreneurial venture, PR marketing has alleviated our struggle remarkably. 

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

Choose your business partners wisely. See that they are professional and respect boundaries in all matters, especially authority and control over the business. A good leader can make or break the future of the venture. Make sure their ideas and goals related to the company align with yours, and you share similar thoughts on management and other areas. I would also like to add to that, keep reviewing yourself. I have done this regularly, and it has worked wonders for me. Through this, I identify which decisions I make are working for my business and which are not. It also tells me the area I need to improve on, which can help any entrepreneur grow gradually. I would suggest to the upcoming entrepreneurs that it’s not always about what’s coming. One should look into the future and not forget to look behind, and it lets us analyze the decisions we make and keep improving. 

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

I don't have one particular favorite app or blog. Since there are many apps that I use daily and numerous blogs, I tend to read every day to gain market insights, choosing one clear winner among them would require a thorough comparison. However, to name a few, I like simple planning apps like Evernote, Google docs, etc., that make my work life easy and sorted. I read blogs like Forbes: Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, HubSpot, Small business trends, etc., to learn about the latest development in the tech industry. My favorite book is Paulo Coelho's - Alchemist. It has excellent motivational quotes, and the faith and consistent efforts exhibited by the protagonist inspire me a lot. 

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

Proofhub is one of my favorite business tools that helps me ineffective management and conveniently track projects’ progress. It helps in easy collaboration, organization, and cooperation with team members and has a fantastic set of tools that facilitate smooth remote working. 

Who is your business role model? Why? 

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, is my business role model. He was an exceptional entrepreneur who had his rigid stance on cost savings and was criticized many times by people, often labeled " stingy," but that did not affect him, as pleasing people was never on his priority list. He was, in fact, proud of his reputation and carried a carefree attitude that inspires me the most. 

How do you balance work and life? 

My mantra is not to fuse them both. I prepare a routine every night before and try my best to stick to it. Furthermore, I also allocate time for self-care and prioritize my health over anything, which helps me stay away from frustrations and stress. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

I read. Whenever I'm stressed, I like to take a break and re-energize myself with positive thoughts and some "me-time.” I read motivational books, quotes, success stories of entrepreneurs and remind myself why I chose this as a career and what I can do to better my strategies and policies. 

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

I have planned to indulge in a rigorous marketing campaign and reach out to as many people as possible through digital marketing platforms. PR marketing would be our front runner, but we would also like to try our hands at other marketing techniques.

How can our readers connect with you?

Anyone can connect with me through my Linkedin account. If you want to communicate with Vinpit, you can do that via the "contact us" column on our official website https://vinpit.com/.

"Believe in yourself and always maintain your integrity" with Logan Rae

Photo Credit: Argon Agency

Highly innovative and passionate with a dash of sass, Logan Rae is a spearheading marketing professional whose underlying mission is to help businesses achieve new levels of scalable growth. As the founder of a leading marketing resource Argon Agency, Logan has an extensive background involving social media demand generation, brand/product strategy, SEO, customer engagement, and revenue optimization, and knows how to creatively foster cutting-edge executions that allow businesses to advance above their competition.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Born and raised in one of the toughest areas within Miami, Florida (Carol City), I discovered early on the true meaning behind commitment, resilience, and a strong work ethic. Furthermore, I grew up in a home with a mother facing mental health challenges and an absent father, which ultimately became the catalyst to leverage education to leave my home environment.

Upon graduating high school at 15, I proceeded with my undergraduate studies at Cornell University and Florida Atlantic University, all while simultaneously becoming emancipated at 16 and becoming a teen mom at age 17.

In 2015, I chose to branch into the world of entrepreneurship, founding the Bacon Boxes brand. My marketing efforts and business plans were effective enough that the brand became nationalized in less than 20 weeks from product conception, we won notable awards (SCORE American Business Championship, Inc Magazine’s Coolest College Startup, etc) and entered an accelerator program (FAU Techrunway).

From that point, I shifted my education merging behavioral sciences with technical marketing. I worked across many industries both freelance and holding various positions from Digital Marketing Director to Chief Marketing Officer until founding Argon Agency.

What inspired you to start your business?

I started Argon Agency after being disappointed in the company I was working for at the time. I left a 6 figure c-level position in the middle of the pandemic and everything just fell into place.

Traditional digital marketing was a series of smoke screens, empty promises, one-size-fits-all cookie-cutter campaigns, and charts and graphs that look pretty, but don’t actually mean much. There had to be a better way. There had to be a way to provide clear, customized marketing campaigns that provided results, not just pretty charts and vague answers as to where your budget went. From that realization was born Argon Agency.

Where is your business based?

Argon Agency is based in downtown Lake Worth, Florida.

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

Due to my prior company (Bacon Boxes) and notoriety from self-branding, it was easy to walk into my new industry. I immediately had support and I had clients before I had processes. The universe really came through and helped uplift my efforts.

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

I believe your network is your net worth. I do for myself the same thing I do for my clients. I tell my story and I build genuine relationships. My goal is to be in as many rooms as I can at the same time.

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

My biggest challenge has been finding the right employees. I have been trying to build an environment that we look forward to being in - work that doesn’t feel like work.

I have made the mistake of hiring friends. I have hired people with fabricated resumes and portfolios. I have overpaid and invested months with inexperienced people to get their skill set where it needed to be. I have hired people that took my processes and ideas then started replications.

All of these situations weren’t good for my business. I wasted a lot of time and finances trying to make situations work. On a personal level, it hurts to have people I invested in, trusted, and respected take from me with no regard. However, it validates my structure, processes, and ability to mentor.

The biggest way to overcome these challenges has been to focus on the bigger picture, never stop looking for the right people, and keep my mindset on what I need to improve on in order to support getting the right team in place.

 How do you stay focused?

I love what I do and have built my company with the goal of it fitting my dream life. Most people work to retire and enjoy life. I built a life I don’t want to retire from. Staying focused is easy.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Most marketing agencies offer a service, but not a strategy. You can go to a marketing agency and say you have “x” dollars to spend monthly and you want a specific service yet that budget could be more effective in a different type of campaign. Most agencies won’t care enough to tell you and most freelancers don’t have a diversified background to evaluate it beyond what the client is asking for.

We are different because we offer full strategy support. We evaluate EVERYTHING you are investing in your marketing and help businesses take action through our campaigns but also in-house to optimize their scalability. It is our goal to act as a knowledge bank and chief marketing officer for every company we contract with.  

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

Results and being accessible. Ironically we are a marketing agency that has not marketed itself yet. We have no social media presence. We only have a website because we needed it to obtain a merchant account. Yet, we are overwhelmed with business and actually have a waitlist for our services and companies that have paid a deposit to hold their place.

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

Believe in yourself and always maintain your integrity. It is so important to stay true to yourself, your team, and your clients. When you cut corners you lose value. It’s okay to go at your own pace. When you give yourself the time you’re less likely to burn out and more likely to build a stable brand with longevity.

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

 This is a hard question to answer. I would have to say I’m a big fan of Simon Sinek. I was introduced to his books while taking a leadership course in college and have kept his teachings integrated into everything I do.

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

Another hard question. I would be lost without my mentor Ron Cocquyt. I met him through an accelerator program I won entry into with my first startup, Bacon Boxes almost 5 years ago.

Mentorship, accelerator programs, and boot camps are a godsend. If we’re talking just software I would say Teamwork - it manages my life.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I admire so many it’s hard to just pick one.

I find myself checking in on Reshma Saujani who founded Girls Who Code. I find her story and motive inspirational and I love the goal of her company. She is facilitating an environment where women can become inspired, obtain resources and learn valuable skills that put them in a predominantly male industry.

I also admire Shannan Monson. She’s a mom and entrepreneur on a mission to change the statistics for women in leadership. I can’t wait for my obligations to calm down a little bit. One of the first things I plan to do for myself is sign up for her CEO School.

How do you balance work and life?

I integrate them into each other. I find it's best for my whole team.           

We have a leisurely 9 am start time. The goal is for everyone to come into the office between 8:30-9:00 am and not stress if there's extra traffic or jeopardize their safety if they’re running late. We take the first 15-20 minutes after everyone has arrived to get personal chit-chat out of the way, make a cup of coffee and grab a snack.

I found that if I order everyone’s favorite caffeinated beverage, snacks, and lite lunch items for the office every week it keeps us in higher spirits and balances us. Whereas before I did that I would often be too busy to leave the office and end up not eating all day.

I implemented team building into our routine. Monthly we do something different than the group votes on whether it be yoga, a company-paid lunch, or a two-day stay at a beach club for example. This allows us some leisure and bonding time to just relax and decompress. What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I like the gym. It's a place I enjoy when I’m in all moods. No matter what I end up leaving feeling motivated yet relaxed.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Growth, education, and fun.

I have been tightening up processes and implementing new services. We’re going to be recruiting additional talent and working on new ways to exceed our clients’ expectations of us.

How can our readers connect with you?

www.instagram.com/thatmarketingbitch

www.instagram.com/argon.agency

www.argonagency.com

logan@argonagency.com

561-867-0027

11 S. J Street, Lake Worth, FL 33460

Antoinette Genevieve Williams, Founder of Apotheosis Art

Image Credit: (IG) @felixthemua

Antoinette Genevieve Williams talks about life, art, and how it feels to be a blasian woman in a time of upheaval.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up in the suburbs of Las Vegas, in Henderson, NV with my mother and two older sisters. It was actually my middle sister that took me to my first museum exhibition. The show was a retrospective of Dale Chihuly’s work and a video installation by Jennifer Steinkamp. It was an exceptional experience and altered the way I had always consumed and interacted with art.

What inspired you to start your business?

I officially started the company in 2016 and

 registered an LLC in 2017. At the time I had worked with a few online galleries and felt that the offerings were limited. I knew that there was another option for people to connect and appreciate art, but also that there were unexplored options that were already being implemented and utilized by architects, graphic designers, and artists. At that moment I decided that even if I couldn’t make a true online gallery work, I was willing to see how far I could go. 

Where is your business based?

The business is based in San Diego, but I am currently in Copenhagen. I hope to maintain a global perspective as we grow since my practice has always been focused on global dialogue. We already represent artists based in the US, EU,  and Australia.

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

I started the gallery with an exhibition.  It wasn’t official and I hadn’t invested in branding, a website, or a means to start a real business or company. At the time, it was very much an idealistic vision of what an online gallery could be. Since then I have been pushing the boundaries regarding what an online gallery does, how they represent artists, and where we can offer some opportunities for emerging artists.

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

It was very hard to get everything on track, and we are still trying to find a way to get funding to complete the virtual gallery. I had envisioned the somewhat “common” digital galleries in 2016 / 2017 and have since tried to find a way to fund the company and get the model built without VC funding.  I worked closely with the SBA in late 2017 / 2018 and was told I had qualified for a CDC small business loan (through SBA) and should have no major issues.  Unfortunately when everything was finalized I did not qualify as my personal credit score was 3 points shy of their requirements - the inquiry alone ended up hurting my credit score by 30+ points.  This was especially disheartening when I read more about it and realized that this is not uncommon for women-run enterprises, and is also backed up by the stats.  Actually, it is more disturbing to me that female-owned companies in both the US and UK are severely underfunded despite representing more than 40% of small business (figures vary) in both nations ((https://www.computerworld.com/article/3584734/minority-tech-startups-in-the-us-have-seen-almost-no-progress-in-vc-funding.html) / https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/uk-vc-female-founders-report/

 This figure is even worse for women of color, who tend to receive about 2.4-2.6% of VC funding.  The US Small Business Association recently had a survey which showed that of the 14% of businesses which chose to identify race in their loan application, Black-owned businesses received 1.9% of loans while White-owned businesses received 83%. So in essence I was fighting to gain access in an industry that did not represent me well, and a small business association funded by the government that wasn’t made to support me.  I should also note that I identify as mixed-race (Chinese, Taiwanese) & African American) on most of my documents, but was recently informed that they will classify you into (1) ethnic category when qualifying you for SBA loans.

After the many trials struggling to find a way to get funding or support, or guidance/mentorship,  I realized that the only way forward was through my own dedicated efforts.  It was in late 2019 that I ended up finding a gallery in DTLA that invited me to be a guest curator.  Then 2020 hit and I had to reevaluate everything again.  I’m happy to announce that the gallery is now on its way to launching an app this summer and we have found other avenues to continue creating a space for all people. 

Every show I have tried to execute was always a small effort and it was always tricky to find a way to find a space.  I hope that in the near future we can find a way to secure consistent collectors or funding that will allow us to continue focusing on what we set out to do from the initiation of Apotheosis.

How do you stay focused?

Staying focused is hard. It is even harder for entrepreneurs that have to work full time and still find a way to push their business idea.  I find that the best way to keep myself motivated, balanced, and calm is by meditating daily, eating yummy food (not always healthy), and reminding myself of the why?  Everyone’s “why” will be different, but I know that my purpose is to tear down boundaries, and limiting belief systems, while still making sure that I am providing all I can to artists that I work with. It isn’t always easy to remind yourself that the fight is worth the potential victory, especially as a founder or entrepreneur without a team. However, I know that regardless of what happens in the future I can look back and be proud of the efforts and work that has been done thus far.  Having friends or someone to support you never hurts either, so if you have a friend that has started a side-gig, small business, or something in that vein, support them!  The best thing you can do for them is to remind them that they are working toward something that is worthwhile, even when they forget that themselves.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I am not sure if we are so different from our competition, and I am not certain why we all have to be.  There is a certain level of regionalism that occurs in art collecting at the lower price tier, but there is always room for varying perspectives.  In my opinion, there is no way the world would work with just 10 or 15 big-name galleries.  Real art happens in the spaces in between.  The best art just happens.  If we push our spaces and institutions in a certain direction, that will inevitably influence the young, emerging artists that need to find their way through their practice and experimentation.  There is no other way for an artist to become great - despite what you have been taught.

Iliya Valchanov, Co-founder of 3veta: Never Underestimate Your Abilities

Photo Credit: Alexander Nikolov

Iliya Valchanov is a co-founder of 3veta.com, an end-to-end solution for hosting online meetings and getting paid. He is also a co-founder of 365 Data Science and a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 800,000 students.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My name is Iliya Valchanov and am a co-founder of 3veta. Going a bit back - I was a Mathematics competitor for 10 years. Later on, I graduated with International Management, Economics, and Finance. Despite that, I was always fascinated with teaching so I co-founded 365 Data Science and became a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 900,000 students to date.

What inspired you to start your business?

The first time around, I joined a couple of friends in their efforts to create online courses. I was taking a gap year, so it made sense for me to take a risk and try my luck. It worked quite well, and we scaled the company from 4 people to 30 people.

The second time around, with my current project, 3veta, I was already an experienced business owner. Therefore, it was much easier to make the decision. We just had a very, very good idea and decided to pursue it. 

Where is your business based?

Our business is registered and based in Sofia, Bulgaria. However, with the current situation (relating to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020), more than half of our team is not actually there at all. Together with the fact that we are a completely online business, our physical location has become irrelevant – a lifelong dream of mine.

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

The very first step was to create a series of sessions in which we could really talk the idea through. We called it a boot camp.

During our first bootcamp, the concept changed a hundred times within the span of a few days. However, by the end of it, we had a very clear idea of what we wanted to achieve.

Every six months, we get together for another boot camp where we can decide the next steps of our business.

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

Our business empowers service providers to get online and start providing their consultations online.

As such, LinkedIn has been by far the best place for us to find our target audience and raise awareness.

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

Being a business owner is an eternal challenge.

Historically, the biggest challenges I’ve faced were due to overly optimistic goals. I believe that anything could be achieved with enough passion and perseverance (grit), but time is not always on our side. Actually, it is always against us.

Therefore, my nemesis has always been time. I want everything to happen today, if not yesterday.

To overcome this challenge, sadly, I have learned to be patient.

How do you stay focused?

Usually, I do all my mental-heavy work in the morning and early afternoon. Once my mind becomes exhausted, I start pulling “mindless” tasks from the backlog (e.g. post an article, schedule a post, format some Excel spreadsheet, etc.). I don’t need to be too focused for those, especially because I have many checklists.

If my mind clears up, I reengage in the demanding tasks.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

3veta is fast, reliable, and extremely easy to use. And this is what our customers want.

Ultimately, we have been striving to achieve the lowest number of clicks from sign-up to getting paid (similar to what Revolut did in the Fintech world). 3veta is simply made for online video consultations in 2021. We haven’t used tech from an older product that was later refurbished – no, we are utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. Moreover, when it comes to video, we haven’t simply added “an option to integrate with Zoom”.

Instead, we have optimized any and all parts of the product – with less choice, there is more actual work done on the provider’s part.

Finally – our team. Given a good product and decent funding, having the right people on that team is the only thing that makes the difference between success and failure. We are the five co-founders with very different skillsets, but with one common goal: to make an extremely successful product.

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

We have also automated almost any process that could be automated. Most prominently – email marketing, content dissemination (e.g. you post a new article and it gets promoted on all of your social media or even other places), auto-replying chatbots, etc. I am pretty sure that these will be the most effective strategies long-term.

Certainly, there are some channels that are better than others for each company. With 3veta, we know that all of our providers are professionals, so LinkedIn is our most natural match. So that was our most effective strategy so far.

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

You can achieve everything you want, as long as you fully devote yourself to it.

Five years ago, I was a Finance graduate with a Mathematics background. Since then, I have hardly used Math or the Finance that I studied. However, I can code, create machine learning algorithms, edit videos, write compelling articles, manage people and projects, run ads, and much more.

Everything I have accomplished has been possible because I have never assumed that I cannot do something, without trying.

Stay open to learning and never underestimate your abilities!

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

App: The Slack mobile app has really changed the way I work from my phone. Therefore, it is on top of my list.

Blog: The one blog I’m devouring lately is Li Jin’s Substack, focusing on the passion economy and how creators are being empowered to make a living from their passion.

Book: There is no single book that can make this list. However, ‘Winter of the World’ from the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. Why? It’s just a really good book. Reading Ken Follett helps you understand why some people are great writers and others are just… writers.

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

Trello.

I have tried out a dozen different tools to organize my work (Asana, Jira, Monday.com, etc.).

Most of the time, Trello is all that one needs.

So simple, yet so powerful.

If every tool online was like Trello, we would have a perfect world.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I haven’t found a single person that I can call a business role model. I try to internalize as much as possible from different business leaders.

Steve Jobs versus Bill Gates has always been the most intriguing of clashes to me. I like both of them (and dislike both of them). So, the best of these men would be my business role model.

How do you balance work and life?

This one is the easiest. I started working with my sister and wife. Therefore, I no longer have to balance work and life.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Being in a sensory deprivation capsule (flotation pod) is one of my favorites. It is a capsule that you enter naked, you float on top of the water (with a lot of salt) that is the same temperature as your body; it is completely dark; there is no sound. Being in such a pod for an hour or more helps you really get rid of the noise in your life and focus on your inner self.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I have decided to start a multi-media approach to both the company brand and my personal brand. As such, I am starting a podcast (audio), a LinkedIn series (video), and a Substack (text). I believe that this approach is not only great for our marketing efforts but also a great way to challenge myself in different formats.

How can our readers connect with you?

The best way to find me is on my LinkedIn account[IV1]. However, if you feel like reading, my newsletter will be more appropriate.[IV2] 

If you are interested in providing online services, then 3veta [IV3]  is the place to be.

Embrace flexibility and messiness with Deborah Haile and Jonah Seyum

LESLIE ANDREWS PHOTOGRAPHY

As part of my interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonah Seyum and Deborah Haile, mom and son duo who are bestselling coauthors.

Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, world traveler, and bestselling author, Jonah is eight years old and has traveled to 10 countries. He is the first published Eritrean child author and enjoys spending time with his family. Passionate about sports and reading, Jonah plays soccer and basketball as well as loves reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He also enjoys learning new languages and dancing to Eritrean music.

Founder and Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, writing coach, and bestselling author, Deborah is a busy working mother committed to seeing the world with her son. She loves seeing the world through his eyes and sharing stories from their travels by writing Jonah’s Global Footprints: Book 1: The Search for Elephants in Thailand, and Book 2: Finding My Amigo in Cuba, and more to come in the series.

She holds a master’s degree from George Mason University in Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. Deborah is originally from Eritrea but grew up in Minnesota. She is passionate about teaching children about global cultures and wants to help make travel an essential part of every childhood. Deborah plans to publish more books based on the different countries she and Jonah visit. 

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path? 

Thank you for the opportunity. When Jonah was very little, he and I weren’t able to spend a lot of time together because of the long hours I spent at work (I had and still have a full-time job), not to mention the time required for my graduate school program. I’d work all day and then take classes at night, just trying to keep up--though I always felt like I was behind and not enough...never enough at work, at grad school, and as a mother. I hoped that if I just worked a little harder, things would somehow get better, but nothing seemed to help. And the harder I worked, the worse I felt until I began to burn out, the mental and emotional tax of “work harder” overwhelming. 

In the chaos, I’d found a respite in travel—I loved seeing different places and it was a way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life with work, school, and other responsibilities. After his first trip abroad to the Dominican Republic when Jonah was 17 months old and then his next trip at 20 months (this time to Dubai and Eritrea for a family trip), I could see that Jonah loved to travel too. I wondered if I was onto something; could there be the potential for travel to be a chance to spend some special time together, perhaps helping to make up for any time we’d lost?

Well, travel hit the spot I’d been searching for, creating a space for Jonah and me to share new experiences, go adventuring, and learn about ourselves, and the world together. (And the family travel trend continued).

Now at eight years old, Jonah has been to 10 countries around the world. Then from these travels and sharing with friends and family, we began to get questions about what it was like to travel the world with a young child and what Jonah thought.  

As we began to share more of our experiences, the idea to write books came up, and we started our book series: "Jonah's Global Footprints". Then that became a mother and son business with Tiny Global Footprints where we aim to share the educational impact of travel in childhood and inspire other families to travel with their children! 

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? 

There have been many times I struggled with my business (and continue to struggle!—a first big challenge has been working to balance my full-time job with being a mom and working on our mother/son business. I wish there were more hours in a day and that I had two of me! That's been a challenge from the beginning and that I keep working on—work/life balance and time prioritization.

Another has been on the tactical end: Jonah and I were starting to write books and there was interest, though did I really want to start a formal business? I was debating opening an LLC for publishing the books (and maybe other business ventures) or just writing and publishing my books on my own.

All of the to-dos for setting up an LLC sounded intimidating and overwhelming. However, as I thought about our plans and dreams and what we wanted to accomplish longer-term, I knew it'd be better to go the formalized LLC route. So I took a deep breath and got the paperwork and everything else that was needed together!

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

A huge part of my drive is from my son Jonah—his smile, hugs, and encouragement keep me going. Another part has been from the families and children who have started to follow our work. We regularly get new book reviews on Amazon (which amazes me) and I receive messages sharing that our books, website, and brand encourages them to travel and write books. They ask questions and share what they've done or are going to do. On a hard day, those messages give me the boost I need to keep going.  

So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?  

Today, things are going well. I won't kid you—it's difficult to juggle a business with a full-time demanding job (as well as being a mom and human—ing in general). However, I know our business and our books have a purpose. I've seen firsthand the impact of world travel on a child—the educational piece of visiting new places and experiencing different cultures including his own Eritrean culture.  

I love seeing the world through his eyes as we learn about history, geography, languages, and so much more. Jonah talks about his travels and is always excited about our next trip. He's also enjoying writing and has written his own book (Basketball or Soccer?), as well as has started to share tips, ideas, and suggestions to other kids (and adults!) interested in writing a book. His enthusiasm and growth have been amazing to see, as has the special bond we continue to develop through traveling and writing together. It's hard at times, though so rewarding at the end. 

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

A mistake from when I was first starting out? Oh my —the entrepreneur road is bumpy for everyone, and the bumps keep coming! Let's see. The first one was worrying about sharing that our books, something we'd made ourselves, were for sale. Friends and family had asked and expressed interest, though I know that I don't like feeling sold to, so I wasn't sure how that would turn out.

I was almost afraid to start sharing that they could buy the books once we started publishing the first one! It struck me as funny how much I'd worried about what others might think and then saw how delighted people were when they were able to get a copy. They would have been disappointed if we hadn't shared about where they could purchase them! 

This mistake about worrying about how to sell something we'd created has taught me a few things.  

1) Fears and worries will come up in business. Sometimes you have to sit with them and see what's really there.

2) Especially related to selling, there are people who are looking for what you're offering and who would be disappointed to not be able to find it! Sure, there may be some people who aren't interested, but that's okay. There are others who will be so excited when they hear about your book (or product/service/offer). So put it out there!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

One big thing about Tiny Global Footprints is that it's a mother and son company (we're co-CEOs!) and that it started when Jonah was only six years old! A second really neat thing is that between the two books we've written together (The Search for Elephants in Thailand and Finding My Amigo in Cuba) and then the one he wrote by himself (Basketball or Soccer?) Jonah is now the youngest best-selling Eritrean published author ever. It’s great to watch his growth. 

On the story end, Jonah has started doing a "Monday Tips with Jonah" series on Instagram where he is teaching other children and families about travel, being an author and how to write and publish a book, how to learn a new language (he's currently working on Spanish), and more. The feedback we've been getting from his lives and posts has been amazing and heartwarming. We're hearing that it is inspiring other families to expose their children to being creative and opening their minds to entrepreneurship!

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

A first tip would be to prioritize self-care, however, that looks for you. If you love to travel, take the time for an afternoon, day, or weekend away, whether solo or with your family and/or friends. It may seem hard to juggle at the moment, though you'll be amazed how much better you will feel coming back with a rested and refreshed brain! And it doesn't have to be a long trip/break. What's important is that it is something different, that you get yourself away from the daily grind.

A second tip would be to remember that the road will be bumpy and to cut yourself some slack. You'll never get it all done (there will always be more to do because life continues)—and that's okay. When you feel the "I must get this done or I'm not enough/a failure/..." start to play in your mind, take a deep breath (and maybe a quick nap). Whatever you are able to get done today WILL be enough—and you are enough. And you can start again tomorrow.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Jonah is the first person who I'd note. From when he was little and cuddling in my arms as I typed on my computer, working on schoolwork for grad school, or a project for my job, he would be the first person to smile at me, to kiss me, to tell me I could do it. A few months ago, I was on a work call and he came into the room. I could tell he needed something, so I wrote him a note: "What's wrong? I'm in a meeting, Jonah." He wrote back: "I just miss you." I responded: "OH, I MISS YOU! A lot & can't wait to kiss you! :)" to which he noted: "After you are done with your meeting, I can't wait to give you a big hug!" It just touches my heart. 

A second person is my second mom/BF, as she is incredibly important to me and has been there for me through so much. We recently took a trip together to St. Thomas and it was amazing. She helps me remember to have fun, laugh, and be kind to myself.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?  

On our social platforms and with our books (in the interviews, podcasts, and articles we've been honored to be a part of), we're working hard to inspire kids and families to see the world and go adventuring—whether through the pages of our books or by getting in a car, train, plane, or boat.

We also share the process of writing a book—the ups and downs, the how-to’s—to demystify the process so hopefully others will know that it's possible for them too! We hear from a lot of people that they want to write a book but that it feels too hard. We're working to show them that it is possible and that they can do it, that their story is worth sharing, (and important to share).

On a different note, we're also working to share everything Jonah is learning about his Eritrean culture because it's important for children to know the cultures, stories, and traditions of their families and where they are from! And we hope to inspire other families to share their culture with their children, too. 

What are your "5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my company" and why? Please share a story or example for each.   

1. Keep going when it gets hard—I've felt (and still feel) discouraged many times, but going back to my purpose always helps me keep going.

2. Don't compare yourself and/or your business to anyone else. This is something that I've struggled with, especially around social media and followers! However, I am working to keep reminding myself that I don't really know where anyone else's business is or how it's doing (nor is it any of my business). What's important is to keep my eyes on my own business and show up for it.

   3. There will always be things you will need to figure out. I can't tell you the number of times something new has come up as an entrepreneur where I was like "What is that? I don't know how to do that!"—whether with things about my website and figuring out how to log in and make changes or coming up with a content calendar or figuring out what platforms are best for us to use. There is always something new to learn!

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Following up on #3. There will always be new things to learn and I'm not going to be an expert in every tool, platform, and aspect of entrepreneurship. I do what I can, and when I am in over my head (or realize I don't have the time). That means it's time to ask for help from someone who specializes in that part of being in business. I've gotten help with my website, PR and marketing, social media, and more. It's okay to ask for help!

5. Embrace flexibility and messiness. The business may go in directions you didn't foresee or maybe your partner (like my co-CEO wanting to write his own non-travel-related books) may have different ideas about what they'd like to do. And that's okay! Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that seem to come out of nowhere and take some time to show how they fit into the bigger business picture. :) 

Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”? 

As a founder, there will be highs and lows—guaranteed. One thing that has been very helpful for Jonah and me has actually been our Instagram feed as it's been a journal or diary. While some days I've wanted to pull my hair out while figuring out what to post, it's been amazing to look back through our photos and posts and see everything that's happened over the past year! When I've felt down, seeing the pictures have reminded me of past challenges, as well as the wonderful times that came right around the corner, which has helped me remember that it's a messy journey and to keep showing up. 

I'd also recommend keeping a "testimonial" or "fan feedback" folder, doc, or file for the days when things feel hard, and you want to quit. When you receive a note or email or review that touches your heart and makes you smile, stick it in the folder, doc, or file. Then, when a hard day comes (which will happen), pull out the folder and read through it. Seeing the words I've received always helps me remember my purpose and why I'm building this business! 

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would want to go into schools and share a "Your words matter" movement, sharing with the children (especially those in under-resourced and underserved districts) what it's like to become an author and how they can become an author, writer, and/or speaker too. And whether or not they become a writer or speaker, it's more that I want all children to know that their words matter and that THEY matter. Imagine if every child (and adult) in the world right now knew that and believed it—that would be amazing. I'd love to go and share that message. Because I know its importance with every fiber of my being.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can visit our site: tinyglobalfootprints.com and follow us on Instagram @tinyglobalfootprints_ https://www.instagram.com/tinyglobalfootprints_

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much.