Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Van Nguyen, Founder of Envisionary Studio, located in Tempe, AZ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

At Envisionary Studio, my strategic business partners and I are seasoned professionals with over two decades of experience delivering business, branding, social, marketing, and PR results. With our refined eye for beauty, experience in a multitude of industries, hyper-vigilant attention to detail, 360-degree branding approach, and breadth of vision, there's nothing we can't handle. Our team has a limitless mindset and optimistic worldview, making the impossible possible. We have a visionary approach to life and strive for perfection. We use more advanced technology and science to understand humankind to enhance your brand with the wish of a better future.

Our customers are ambitious entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, ambassadors, and/or small business owners operating in the United States. They are also employees looking to launch their first start-up. Our customers offer the following products and services: real estate, photography, book, courses, cinematography, music, beauty, fashion & apparel, events, coaching, public speaking, podcast, legal advice, dental services, health & wellness, healthcare, biohacking products/services, apparel line, and education. A lot of our philosophies are much like a utopia. We focus on solutions that deliver results to move clients closer to their ideal future.

Tell us about yourself

I started out in my teen years as a model doing beauty and fashion campaigns; that’s when I first understood the importance of making a great first impression and personal branding. In my 20s, I worked for a Beverly Hills PR firm producing and managing red carpet events for some of the most popular celebrities in the world like The Kardashians, Forest Whitaker, and All-4-One. During my time there, I closed my first million-dollar contract.

By 2016, I launched my first boutique public relations firm, messageNOW. Four years later, after realizing I have a keen ability to observe an individual’s strengths and develop a presentation format that will enable a person to put a “best foot forward,” as well as a refined eye for beauty. I made the decision to rebrand to Envisionary Studio to focus on 360-degree branding as a service. During my years as an entrepreneur and even before, I’ve been mentored and coached by some of the industry’s best! During my time working for Kevin E. Lew, DDS, MD (one of LA’s best oral maxillofacial surgeons), I learned how to operate a business like Disneyland. CoFounder of B~Spoke LLC and Leadership Coach Jim H. Lee (coached Asian American leaders at Tesla, Google, and US Bank) taught me to know myself to lead myself and how to use the five voices as a tool to effectively influence people and lead. The CEO Whisperer, Business Growth Guru, podcast host of Second In Command, and COO behind the world’s leading mastermind COO Alliance, Cameron Herold (he grew three companies to over $100 million, five-time author, people are now replacing their vision statement with Cameron’s Vivid Vision, and to date, he has done public speaking engagements on every continent in the world), taught me ways to operate better, how to apply the Kolbe A Index to best collaborate with a team, and his Invest In Your Leaders course was a great crash course to download his 30+ years of experience coaching leadership teams. Sales Coach and Real Estate guru Scott Richey taught me value-based pricing strategy and how to close the right clients and handle objections.

Due Diligence and International Business Consultant L. Burke Files (highly sought out by media, international speaker, award-winning author, President of The American Anti-Corruption Institute, Founding Professor of Hayek Global College, awarded by the US President, Founder of Internal Due Diligence Organization, and President of Financial Examinations & Evaluations) taught me how to do due diligence and mitigate risks. Licensed Attorney, Brand Strategist, and Business Advisor Ethan Fialkow, JD, MBA, DDP first introduced me to digital marketing, understanding business law and contracts, branding, graphic design, websites, and how to properly launch and run a business by streamlining operations with some of the best tools out there. Public Relations Veteran Brian Boothe (worked on some of the biggest PR campaigns for Netflix, Disney, and National Geographic films). Thanks to all my mentors, I am the hard-driving businesswoman you see today. They equipped me with insights, skills, and tools to mentor others over the years and coach people on ways to accelerate goal achievement, solve problems, and prevent pitfalls in life and business. If you’re interested in learning more about brand building, check out my upcoming articles at Brainz Magazine.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I consider the wins I get for my clients my biggest accomplishment. Whether it is getting my clients to get on Forbes and LA Times, making it number one on Apple podcasts in education, helping them get the job they want, or selling out events. Being client-centered and serving my clients to the best of my abilities has led to working with people I admire and wonderful experiences I didn't think possible before.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Juggling time and prioritizing relationships, brand building, business, personal and career development, and self-care without burning the candle at both ends.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Think about the end goal, or at least have a clear vision of where you want your business to be three years into the future. I recommend checking out the book Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold.
  2. Be intentional about your actions so that each decision you make leads you closer to your brand goals.
  3. When you are launching, or if you have already launched your business, make sure you set your business up right to create a great brand experience for everyone you work with and your customers.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Understanding people and what they value is crucial to your business. Many of my successes have been a result of me using the experiential, empathic engagement to interact with people. I try to put myself in other people's shoes and anticipate their needs and wants. I have used the same approach to land clients, make quality friends, get journalists to publish projects, drive audience engagement at events, and so many other situations.

One last thing, I must mention after listing out all my mentors and coaches, it’s important to find mentors to help you along your entrepreneurial journey. You can learn a lot from people with much more experience. Learning is perpetual, and the more you can pay attention, listen, and become an agile learner the faster you can reach what you define is success.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://envisionarystudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/envisionarystudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/envisionarystudio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vanrevival
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanrevival/

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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