Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kevin Lashley, Founder of Without Walls Marketing, located in St. Louis, MO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Without Walls Marketing is a full-service marketing collective. We work with nonprofits, corporations, and individuals looking for outside-of-the-box marketing solutions.
Tell us about yourself
I've had 5 different employers in the last 6 years. From sales to nonprofit development, I've done a little jumping around early in my career. I can confidently say that I've finally found my passion and calling. In 2020, thanks in large part to the pandemic, I made a career change from nonprofit fundraising to nonprofit marketing. I now run the marketing department for St. Louis' #1 Homeless Resource Provider, St. Patrick Center.
I started my business in July of 2022 because I want to do for other organizations what I was already doing for St. Patrick Center, "Reimage nonprofit marketing." Whether creating podcasts, magazines, or marketing campaigns, my goal when working with clients is to be innovative and stay ahead of industry trends. My motivation is to help companies, organizations, and individuals grow their brands and reach more of their target audience.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment to date is helping my client publish and market a children's book. I helped edit the design of the book as well as created and executed the marketing and public relations plan for the book launch.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Client/customer relations. Managing the relationships with your clients/customers is not always easy.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Just do it. Stop waiting because there is never going to be a perfect time to start.
- Fail forward. Don't be afraid to fail, but make sure to learn from your mistakes and continue moving forward.
- Scale responsibly. You have to crawl before you walk, walk before you run. Don't try to grow faster than your company can effectively and responsibly manage. Make sure your growth doesn't affect the quality of the product or service you provide to your customer.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.withoutwallsmarketing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085370154244
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-m-lashley/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.