Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kendra Swalls, Founder of Girl Means Business, located in Justin, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I help overwhelmed mompreneurs simplify their business and marketing strategies so they can feel more in control of their business and more successful.
Tell us about yourself
I was a full-time teacher for 13 years, and during that time, I started a side business doing photography. After having my first daughter, I knew that I wanted to leave teaching and be home more, and my photography business was my way to do that...but I needed to grow my business before I could make that happen. I started focusing on business and marketing strategies and quickly saw positive results. In 2017, after our second daughter was born, I resigned from teaching and started working for myself full-time. It was the best decision I could have made for myself and my family. Shortly after going full-time, I started working with other business owners who wanted to do the same thing, and that led me to start the Girl Means Business podcast. The entire business grew from there and led me to offer 1:1 coaching sessions, online programs, and in-person workshops. Each day I wake up and feel so blessed that I get to do something I love, set an example for my girls, and make a difference in the lives of other women.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment so far as a business owner has been speaking on the same stage I once dreamed of being on. When I started my photography business, I attended a conference, and I remember looking at the women on stage and thinking, "one day, I want to be up there." It took almost eight years to get there, but in 2021 I stood on that very same stage and spoke to a room full of women. It was a surreal feeling and one of the best moments ever!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
What no one tells you when you start your business is how much it will consume you. There is no clock-in or clock-out time, so you find yourself working around the clock. Partly because you love what you do but also because no one tells you how to set boundaries when you work for yourself, trying to balance work, life and relationships can feel impossible at times.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Put yourself in rooms with people who are farther along than you. Not only can you learn from their success, but you can learn from their mistakes.
- You are going to fail at some point in your business. This isn't a reflection of you or your ability. It's just a part of life and business; how your move past the failure says more about you than the failure itself.
- Everyone is going to have an opinion or idea about how you should run your business, but no two businesses are alike, which means that there are no one-size-fits-all strategies. Look at what others are doing, but make it your own by taking into account your own personality and style.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://girlmeansbusiness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlmeansbusiness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlmeansbusiness/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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