Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jeremy Hamburgh, Founder of My Best Social Life, located in Irvine, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a friendship and dating coach for adults on the autism spectrum. Along with Ilana Frank, our director of education, we run the Social Life 360 program at our company, My Best Social Life. Our clients are adults who are autistic or otherwise neurodiverse, and they come to us because they're lonely and they want new people in their lives, but they struggle to connect with others. So, our specialty is helping them connect and build meaningful relationships!
Tell us about yourself
My path was more circuitous: I was a dating coach in the Jewish community, and the autism community invited me in. When I started working for the Adaptations program at the Silver Center for Special Needs, what I saw was that there were neurodiverse people who wanted friendships and relationships, but very few professionals had success in making that happen.
At the time, I was a young, scrappy New York lawyer (my day job), and I decided, "If anybody is going to crack the code to social success for autistic people, it's going to be me." So, that's what drives me every day! And I'm proud to say that the Social Life 360 program that Ilana and I run is like nothing else anywhere in the autism world, and our clients experience amazing transformations that really light a fire under us to be the best we can be.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is seeing my clients succeed. When they come to us, they're usually lonely, sad, and frustrated. Most of our clients don't stay that way. We do everything we can to turn that around and turn it around quickly.
I have clients who've made great friends. I have clients who've started dating. Some have even gotten engaged and married. And one client even had me IN the wedding. There's no better feeling than that!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a coach, what gets me out of bed is empowering my clients to achieve their dream friendships, relationships, and social lives. If I could hand them success on a silver platter, I'd do that. But I can't. There's no magic pill for social success. There are no shortcuts. So, the progress that our clients make is entirely dependent on their readiness, willingness, and ability to put in the time and effort. Obviously, that differs from person to person.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Plan as much as you can ahead of time. It's easier to alter the plan on the fly than it is to create one at the moment.
- Be prepared to work your butt off. Ilana and I work from early in the morning until late at night, almost every night. To serve our clients at the highest level and attract new ones, we're each typically working 60-70 hours a week.
- Be the best at what you do. When someone hires you, they're trusting you. Honor that by going above and beyond.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://mybestsociallife.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.hamburgh.mbsl/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-hamburgh-01541233/
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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