Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in content creation but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Bernie Borges, podcast host of Midlife Fulfilled, located in Palm Harbor, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I run a leading media property trusted as a reliable source of content for midlife well-being. The Midlife Fulfilled podcast and Midlife Fulfilled Journey blog anchor the media property. Clients include wellness brands who partner with us to deliver their message to our audience of men and women in a midlife season.
Tell us about yourself
I've been in marketing for more than three decades. Through surveys and personal experience, I discovered that the majority of midlife men and women feel unfulfilled, despite having healthy relationships, successful careers, and overall happiness. As a midlifer with ten years of podcasting experience, I knew I could produce a podcast and blog that helps people discover actions they can take to find more fulfillment, experience more joy, and feel more successful because fulfillment equals feeling more successful.
I often say that "midlife is not the midpoint of your life." I close each podcast episode with "if you're 80% fulfilled, you're doing great!" I'm on a mission to change the perception of midlife and prove that it can be the longest and most fulfilling phase of life.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being in business for 15 years is my biggest accomplishment as a business owner. Most businesses don't survive more than two years.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
When running a business, you have to hire the right people. It's not always easy to find the right people. Sometimes you think you found the right person, but until they're on board for about 90 days, you don't know for sure. Likewise, when you have employees who don't perform to your reasonable standards, or worse yet, behave unethically, or cause others on your team to feel unwelcomed, you must terminate those employees. Each time I terminated someone, it was the right decision for my business, and the person ended up in a new position that was good for them.
Another thing that's hard about owning a business is balancing family time with work. If you're not careful, you can fall into the trap of working all the time. Don't do that. Make it a priority to spend time with your loved ones, disconnected from your business. It's good for your family and for your mental health.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Running your own business is very hard. You must have these ingredients:
- Know your "why." What problem are you solving, and why is it important to you to solve it? Why are you uniquely qualified to solve this problem?
- Know your customer. Describe your ideal customer in minutia detail. Know their emotions, not just their demographics. Your solution must solve a problem for your customer.
- Have a long-term mindset. Starting and running a business takes a minimum of 18 months. You can course correct along the way, but don't expect overnight success.
- Know your numbers. Know what revenue you need to generate to be profitable and cash flow positive. Know your expenses and manage them prudently.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://midlifefulfilled.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernieborges/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bernieborges/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernieborges/
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.