Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alicia White, Founder of Alicia in the Wild, located in Dallas, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bears, Bison, and Birds, oh my! Let me take you on a virtual wild ride using stunning photos and lively stories from my wildlife encounters in Yellowstone National Park and my own backyard. My community knows me as Alicia in the Wild: A Wildlife Storyteller, Advocate, and Photographer. As an award-winning speaker, I offer you a front-row seat to the tiniest of birds to a 500-pound grizzly bear, emphasizing the need for wildlife protection as well as the mental benefits of nature. My presentations inspire people to learn about the joy and calm that the outdoors can provide and become aware of wildlife advocacy and habitat restoration.
Tell us about yourself
Thanks to my mom, I’ve spent decades in nature looking for wildflowers, birds, rocks, and shells. In 2006, my husband and I visited Yellowstone National Park for the first time, and we’ve been back every year since because it’s never the same thing twice. We might see dozens of coyotes one year and fox the next. Black bears may hide while grizzly bears show off. You just never know! It’s exciting! Another benefit is the lack of cell coverage and clients. This allows me to escape, experience, and rejuvenate. Everyone needs time away, and being in nature can be so instrumental in allowing your brain, and even your soul, to reset.
Over the past few years, I have begun wildlife advocacy in my own backyard by creating a habitat for songbirds, rabbits, and frogs to live. This brings hours of joy each day and opportunities to photograph birds during migration. It’s not uncommon to find me rescuing turtles from busy streets, moving them off the roadway. I even saved a Great Blue Heron from starvation, getting it to a rescue organization to remove plastic trash from around his beak that prevented him from eating. It’s moments like these that validate the importance of sharing these stories so others can be aware of wildlife and their well-being.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I love watching people leaning in and actively listening to my wildlife stories. Seeing a person smile or laugh always brings me joy, and to me, that is a great sight of accomplishment!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Most event planners want speakers to provide information or strategy attendees can use. Though my presentations aren’t strategy driven, they do offer something we all need - a mental break - at the very least! I haven’t quite created messaging to show just how beneficial my presentations can be to their audience.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Identify your target audience - not everyone is your IDEAL client.
- Don’t be afraid to promote yourself! No one else will do it as well as you.
- Know that you bring value to what you do. And truly believe it!!
- Have a clear, single-sentence message that describes what you do. Make it simple for people to understand.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.aliciainthewild.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaintheWild/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciainthewild/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciainthewild/
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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