Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brittany Herzberg, Founder of Copy by B., located in Raleigh, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Copy by B. is an SEO + case study copywriting agency for service providers who want to increase revenue without being "on" social 24/7. I show clients how to harness the power of SEO, story, & social proof. And let those bad boys do the bulk of the selling for them.
Tell us about yourself
Hi, I'm Brittany Herzberg! I became a copywriter by way of massage therapy and COVID. It was in those long months of being home & missing my massage clients that I felt the power of social proof. I reached out to my clients, asked for testimonial quotes (I asked what they were most excited about once we were able to get back in the massage studio), & revamped my website messaging + copy. And then! I tuned in to an online summit where the topic was largely around business messaging & marketing. The lightbulb went off—"I'm a copywriter!" My business started off small—I was mostly doing projects for friends in the health & wellness space. And I was taking on any and all copywriting gigs to see what I enjoyed the most (and what I was best at).
I officially launched my copywriting business to the world in early 2021 with a focus on helping health & wellness providers with web copy & messaging. But I've since opened up to helping ALL service providers and started focusing on SEO strategy & case study copywriting. I realized the thing I love most is hearing & spotlighting others' stories. Shouting them out! And helping them get the recognition they deserve. With SEO + case study copywriting, I'm able to pull in all those elements I really enjoy: storytelling, findability (SEO), & connection-driven copywriting.
It took me a while to recognize WHY that was something I'd been drawn to—but I finally figured it out! That's the kind of thing I'd do with my massage clients. One of my favorite examples of this is when I had a male client who was going in for pretty intense neck surgery. He was nervous, of course. But thankfully, I'd just had a female client go in for a very similar surgery. I was able to share bits of her story with him, and I could tell it gave him some comfort.
One of my BIGGEST missions in life is to let people know they're not alone. These case study stories do that! They help the reader connect with the business owner and their client. They're able to see themselves in the client's journey. And the goal is 1. to foster those deeper connections and 2. hopefully speed up that Know/Like/Trust factor and ultimately to have the reader turn into a paying client.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I love my work, and I'm able to meet some of the MOST amazing humans! There's nothing that beats that feeling. I'd also say gaining recognition in my field feels really good! I've worked really hard in the last year to build a name for myself, and I can see it paying off. I was in tears about it just recently—happy tears—just thinking about the fact that people know my name now! They know who I am & how I can help someone. That makes me so happy and incredibly proud.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
My biggest challenge has been battling myself. What I mean by that is this... I often share that I'm a recovering perfectionist. I'm learning that done is better than perfect (my podcast with my friend, Crystal, is a perfect example of this). People don't expect perfection—they just want help. And if you're helping them, they really don't care about the rest.
I'm also learning how to delegate and ask for help. That has been a HUGE lesson for me. And lately, I've been leaning toward finding people who can take on tasks that I've been holding onto for no good reason. It's such a freeing feeling!
Being a business owner brings up a LOT of a person's "issues," shall we say. But it's still such a rewarding feeling to be able to be my own boss & help others!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start where you are and grow from there!
You don't need lots of money. You don't need lots of followers. You don't need a huge email list. You need a good offer that does what you say it will and a top-notch client experience. Organic marketing is your friend!
Focus your energy on figuring out who you want to help, how, and what you want to be known for; even if you don't know how to answer that at this moment, just the fact that you're starting to think that way will help you find those answers. - Done is better than perfect.
Seriously. This is coming from a straight-A student & recovering perfectionist. People just want to feel seen, heard, & helped. If you get that done—you're doing more than enough! - You are not alone!
Get a supportive group of fellow business owners. That was something I wisely did early on, and these humans are the gift that keeps on giving.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://brittanyherzberg.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittany_herzberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-herzberg/
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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