My Story: From 6 Figure Sales Executive to Entrepreneur

When the recession hit in 2008 I was pushed out of my job. (More like shoved.)

I was a high-level, award-winning (many times over) sales executive, primarily in the advertising and marketing industry.

That is, until I got booted.

This was a career I devoted a large portion of my life to for almost 9 years, and I loved it.

Here's the strange thing - it never occurred to me that I would lose my job.

It was an experience that rocked me at my core. I decided never again.

Never again will I invest that much of myself into something that could be taken away from me so easily.

I was uncomfortable allowing someone else to have that much power over my life. I wanted that power to be my own. 

I will never again be willing to put everything I have into building someone else's dream.

So I left the cubicle world.

My first attempt at entrepreneurship failed, sort of.

I say sort of because is it really a failure if it leads you to the next step on your path to your true destination?

The first time around I lost tons of time, money, dignity, tears, sleep…you name it.

I fell flat on my face.

Why did I fail?

It took me a few days to figure it out.

It was a process to figure out the answer. If more people had bought what I was selling I would not have failed, because the thing is, I was putting in the work. I was willing to work as hard as it took.

So why didn't more people buy my product? Well, I hadn't asked them to, that's why.

They didn't know about what I was selling because I wasn't telling them in a way that was effective or sustainable.

What was the missing link? After reading and research for a couple of days it became rather obvious.

MARKETING.

I was working my butt off, sharing my work on social media. Trying to get other people to share it. The few people that did buy from me I would ask them to tell their family members and friends. I thought THAT was getting the word out?

Nope, not so much.

What I didn't realize is I was working my butt off trying to reach these people the hard way. I could have just paid to reach them.

You don't know what you don't know, right?

I thought being a smart business woman gave me a ticket to being a successful entrepreneur. Man was I deluded!

I thought working hard would get me a ticket, wrong again.

All day long – seriously, 7 days a week sometimes 18 hours a day – no exaggeration whatsoever! 

No plan, no strategy, just running on the damn hamster wheel. Still, no ticket.

If you don’t understand marketing you can’t reach enough people to buy your product.

You can sell just so much to Uncle Bob and them, pretty soon the jig will be up!

Here’s the deal though - I wasn’t working for shoe money.

I made the primary income in my family, so making money wasn’t exactly a decision-making process or an option.

I was close to losing my house.

After my first failure I licked my wounds for like – hmmmm 5 minutes and then it’s go time once again. Let’s turn this thing around and make it real. It was that or go back to the cubicle.

Like a mad scientist I was behind the door learning marketing. (Seriously, ask my kids/husband they didn’t see me for days.) I came out ready to rumble – went into business #2 and it was a slam dunk. I started making money right away.

Over time, while working with my clients I quickly learned they were attracted to me for more than my graphic design skills. It was my marketing knowledge they wanted and needed.

They too needed to know how to connect the dots, how to reach more people.

So this wasn't just my oversight. It turns out, it's the oversight of many.

Long story short and fast forward just a bit. I decided I had learned something that could help many businesses.

So I figured out how to create a business out of it.

Over the past decade I have created a very successful business. The marketing skills I learned made it possible for my husband to leave corporate America as well and create a business he loves.

I also get the pleasure of being a part of several small businesses that I have a hand in growing each and every day.

My very favorite thing to do in the world is I get the pleasure of working with a really tiny businesses that have never really been marketed before.

I love creating a marketing strategy that grows a business and has a real impact on the life of another person.

I am truly blessed to get to do what I love every day and get paid for it.

It took me a while, but I found my true calling and I know how rare that is. It's a privilege and a blessing, I love it so much.