Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in branding and marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nachole Johnson, CEO of Studio 8 Twenty-Two, located in Sugar Land, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I own a YouTube channel production agency where I offer full-service channel management services like video editing, thumbnail graphics, and YouTube strategy. I also offer a group coaching program to help entrepreneurs get organic leads from YouTube. My clients are mostly coaches, consultants, and experts looking to build their brand authority with YouTube.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a nurse practitioner by profession and started my business after my daughter was born to spend more time with her. My agency name is actually inspired by her birthday, so clearly, my daughter is my motivation. I'd been in nursing for almost 20 years when I started Studio 8 Twenty-Two and knew that my job as a nurse practitioner wasn't conducive to spending as much time as I could with my daughter. Healthcare is often demanding and involves placing others' needs ahead of yours. I always knew once I was a parent, I'd want to transition into something with a more family-friendly schedule in terms of my career. By the time my daughter was born, I was ready to do something different.
I actually started a YouTube channel for my nursing business and saw such great results in terms of sales and having people book calls with me that I thought starting a YouTube agency was a good idea. At that time, I wasn't consistent with posting on social media simply because my work schedule was so hectic, but I was getting results with just four videos per month!
So many people are scared to start a YouTube channel because it's intimidating to put yourself out there on video, and it's a steep learning curve compared to other platforms, but it will help grow your business. YouTube is not a social media platform but a search engine, 2nd only to its parent company Google. This is why YouTube is so powerful; it's backed by SEO.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is helping brilliantly talented entrepreneurs build their brand authority with YouTube. A lot of people want to get started on YouTube but get hung up on creating videos. It makes me feel so good when people who were previously hesitant to start with video marketing gain confidence on camera and start reaping the results!
Another concern over starting a YouTube channel for business is not having a ton of subscribers or views on their videos. When you use YouTube for your business, I tell my clients neither of those metrics matters! I've booked a $2,000 VIP day from a video that only had 37 views!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is doing everything on your own. When you're first starting out, everything is on you until you can hire others to help you. You'll have to learn how to manage your time, especially if you're still working full-time.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start a YouTube channel! Seriously. My business could have grown 100-fold by now if I hadn't let my fears get to me. YouTube videos compound over time, meaning that they'll start racking up views from your ideal audience, bringing you a steady flow of organic traffic for YEARS to come. Posting content on other social media platforms kinda seems like a waste considering the longevity of the posts being seen is so short.
- Get help as soon as you can. If you're a solopreneur, it's only a matter of time before you burn out from doing everything. Starting with something small, like hiring a video editor or VA to help you, will help a ton.
- Don't be a course junkie, buying course after course and not taking action on what you've learned. It's easy to get distracted by shiny object syndrome, but it doesn't help grow your business. Stay focused on one thing and master that one thing before moving on to the next.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://studio8twentytwo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studio8twentytwo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio8twentytwo/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_bvw1lbj25o1kf1nPiQ6Xw
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nacholejohnson/
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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