Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Loughry, Founder and CEO of Em Dash Blogging, located in Morgantown, WV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Em Dash Blogging offers an end-to-end solution for content. We partner with small to mid-size businesses and help them grow through organic traffic– more specifically, we create a content strategy for SEO (blogs, case studies, etc.). We believe that content should be more than just SEO; it should help businesses establish themselves as thought leaders in their space. We are where quality meets optimization.
Tell us about yourself
I've been a writer and editor for over 8 years. While working for a marketing agency, I began freelancing to supplement my income and was astonished at the lack of quality content out there. Moreover, there are a lot of companies charging a high price for SEO, content, and/or strategy. I wanted to create a service that could handle all of it – from keyword research to writing to publishing it. Most importantly, I wanted to make it quality, affordable, and every decision fully transparent. Watching the businesses that we support helping make the world a better place is my eternal motivation. It's our way of contributing.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We got our first-ever client, who had virtually no digital footprint, on page 1 of Google within five months. It was thrilling. And though it's happened for many other clients, the first time was so very validating. A close second was being able to hire some team members full-time.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The mental capacity. There is never a day when I'm completely satisfied. I'm always wondering what I can do better – how we can better serve our clients, strategy, are my employees okay, how is my budget looking, should I update the website, when is the last time I networked... The constant worry is never-ending.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't stop. There will be many days where you'll have doubts, push them down, and keep moving forward. Before going into business, I heard another female entrepreneur say how it just takes grit. And she's right.
- Adapt. BE AGILE. 9 times out of 10, there is a better way. Don't be afraid to pivot. I've been in business for almost two years and JUST changed my pricing strategy. And it's better!
- Network, network, network. Take every coffee date. Go to every meetup group. Participate whenever you can. Even when it won't or doesn't result in a client, I almost always come out of it having learned something. Right now, the bulk of my work is referrals, and that's because I have A LOT of coffee dates.
- Celebrate your wins, however small. You deserve it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://emdashblogging.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmloughry/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahloughry/
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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