Well this isn’t the first time you’ve heard (or read) this and it certainly won’t be the last:
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS HARD.
I started this company in September of last year and it was soooo exciting at first. New website, new social media, new networks, new energy…..lots of newness. I had so many grand plans for my business because I was so confident that it was meant to be, and that it was part of my purpose. I felt like I was doing everything right, I was getting introduced to the right people, and I had the right schedule (working part-time) to launch a business.
I had sooo many people saying “Wow! That’s a great idea for a business!” and so few people actually booking me. So…..as the clients started sprinkling in instead of pouring…..I had to ask myself, “How high is the DEMAND for what I’m offering?”
This, my friends, was a game changer.
I am currently reading “She Takes the World” by Natalie MacNeil, and she addresses this exact topic. When I read this part of the book, it was like that golden moment when the angels sing and a light surrounds those magical words:
“If you want to make a living by living your purpose, you need a starving crowd.”
Ding Ding Ding! I didn’t have a starving crowd!!
What I realized in that moment, too, was another game changer: There is a large number of people who need my services, but a small number who are willing to pay for them.
Did I go cry in a corner? NO! Did I feel like any less of an entrepreneur now that I realized that my services may not appeal to the masses? Nope. What I felt was a sense of relief, and a realization that I needed to re-direct my strategy. Full-time entrepreneurship is not for everyone. The blessing of it all was that when I launched the business I was still at the tv station, so I was able to gain somewhat of a following based on people who genuinely valued my career and wanted to support my next endeavor. After I left, I was in a part-time position that allowed me to have medical benefits, and quite a bit of flexibility to support my early months in business. And now, I am in a position that allows me to marry my two loves: storytelling and communications training. But that also came in the form of a full-time position, which is a huge adjustment to the amount of time I have to dedicate to my business.
So I fell into a lull. I was constantly trying to wrap my mind around my new position and how to best navigate the territory while also still fueling my passion (Crowd or Camera). I hadn’t had a consulting session in a WHILE, and wasn’t even as active on social media. So then, naturally, I started to feel like I was failing, and that maybe I shouldn’t have started the business and “where will it go from here anyway?”.
THEN – I got an email booking not one consultation but two. Long story short, I spent a Saturday morning working with two amazing young people who are on a career trajectory that I, hopefully, got to play a small part in cultivating. The energy and sense of purpose I felt leaving those appointments was exactly how I felt when I started Crowd or Camera. And that’s how I know that I’m on the right track, and that this part of my story might not be the highlight reel, but it’s just as purposeful as every other chapter in the book.
I say that to say – keep pressing. Everyone’s version of entrepreneurship doesn’t look the same. I have a family that I adore, one that I truly enjoy spending time with and that I make time for. I’m not one of those “Sleep when you die!” entrepreneurs. Nah, I think you should get a solid 6/7 hours (and I really want to make 8 happen more often). We’re all built differently, and that’s okay. Don’t compare your chapter 2 with someone else’s chapter 20. And know that as long as you are living your purpose, you are doing everything right – even when it feels weird or wrong.
Do the work, trust the process, and believe that you were uniquely created for a purpose.
If you follow me on social media (and I truly hope you do – @CrowdorCamera on FB / Twitter / Instagram) then you know that I recently had the honor of presenting a Communications workshop with the phenomenal Morgan Owens of Curvy Cardio. Morgan is not only someone who inspires me with her drive and execution, she is also my Sorority Sister! What I love about the Curvy Cardio brand is that it is so authentic to who Morgan is. She is so passionate about sharing her journey with others, offering resources and support, and encouraging women to take the real steps they need to reach their fitness (and life) goals.
I wanted to share a video recap with you that captures the essence of our ability to really break down the barriers to effective communication and how those barriers can hinder your business or brand. If you or your business could benefit from a workshop or group consultation, individual consulting, or public relations assistance, we would love to work with you. Emailcrowdorcamera@gmail.com to get started.
I know, I know…..what’s new? Well….it’s not the fact that she created pandemonium that I want to talk about. It’s HOW she did it, and how you can do the same thing (maybe not as massive….but we can pretend).
What Queen Bey did was simple, and we’re seeing it more and more now than ever before. It’s called “Content Control”. Beyonce has become a master at not only controlling what she puts out, but HOW it gets distributed. You know this wasn’t just some spontaneous announcement, right? Like – she probably planned this for weeks or months, to happen on this day, and in this exact way. Social media has afforded us the opportunity to have more control over our public image than ever before (in both good ways and bad)….why wouldn’t we harness that power?
As an individual or a business, you have control over your content and how it is portrayed. We often think that we have to have someone “cover” our stories….but why not maintain the control and tell the story yourself? This is the exact reason why YouTube programming has taken off. This is why “stories” are such a hot ticket right now. Everyone has a story to tell….and we have to become increasingly more aware of how, when, and why we share what we do. There is power in storytelling.
At Crowd or Camera, we can help you tell your story – in person or online. Here’s an example of a video we shot and edited for one of our clients, MORTAR, about a Pop Up Shop they hosted featuring 5th & 6th grade student entrepreneurs.
Let’s get started and break the internet, shall we? 🙂
Hello Dreamers and Doers. So right about now is when everyone starts talking about “New Year’s Resolutions”, right? And how they’re going to make these magnificent changes going into 2017…..and “oh just wait, it’s about to be LIT”…..and “I can’t wait to start this new diet, business, or lifestyle change!”
I have one question: why wait?
If it means anything to you…..which, if you’re willing to drag out some elaborate resolution plan for it, then it must mean something…..why not start NOW? Why aren’t “End of Year Resolutions” a thing? There is something that I’ve recently re-discovered, and that’s this thing called a sense of urgency. A call to action. A will to succeed, no matter what and no matter when. As an entrepreneur, you have to always be willing to step up to the plate and knock it out the park – not wait for the perfect pitch. I know it’s the holidays and we just want to eat, drink, and be merry. But MOST of us also want to achieve our goals and create the life we deserve to life – and that doesn’t always mean waiting until the first day of the first month of the next year, does it?
Remember: the race is not given to the swift or the strong, but the one who ENDURES to the end. Let’s finish what we started.
If you’re a business or brand…you know the importance of being active on social media platforms. You ALSO know how important it is to physically represent your brand at events by having authentic conversations with your target audience. But how do you master BOTH?
I’ve attended, hosted, and helped facilitate tons of events where striking the balance was nearly impossible. This lead me to the realization that there should be a person exclusively dedicated to branding your event on social media platforms. We have an abundance of tools available to us now that can showcase the visual awesomeness of your event to those who were unable to attend. And guess what? They’re 10 times more likely to attend the next one based off of what they see happening in their absence.
We would love to help. Crowd or Camera will manage your on-site social media, from your account, and create engaging written and visual content. Interviews, pictures, video – all catered to your growing audience.
Businesses and brands want coverage for whatever they are doing or whatever services they offer. It’s a natural inclination. When watching or reading media, you might catch yourself saying “Man I wish my company could get featured or be called on as a source of information”.
Well guess what? They want you as bad as you want them. “They” being whatever media outlet or social media platform you are referring to. One of the biggest misconceptions about the broadcast industry is that these stories just appear out of thin air. The truth is – stations and websites need your content as much as you want it to be featured.
Beyond breaking news and leading news stories, producers are often relying on user-generated content. Story submissions, informative and visual events (often “official”, meaning city or state sanctioned – but also community and lifestyle events, which are realized through press releases), and social media are the main sources of content for many outlets. Positioning yourself as an authority or valuable entity in whatever your field of expertise, and knowing how to make yourself marketable to media (the necessary tools) will all help you become the “go to” brand or person for those coveted time slots.
Not sure where to get started? That’s where we come in. 🙂 Fill out our contact form or simply email kyla@crowdorcamera.com.
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