Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer McKnight, Founder of Jenn Marie Writing & Marketing, LLC, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My company, Jenn Marie Writing & Marketing, is an internet marketing agency that helps online-based businesses and solopreneurs define their brands and reach their target audiences through personalized content. We plan and create websites, write online content and consult on internet marketing. We also outsource our content to web design and SEO agencies. Our focus is fully customized websites, authentic voice content, and high-quality SEO content for those seeking something more than the everyday template.
Tell us about yourself
Before beginning my business in online content, I worked in technology sales, support and journalism. After a major health scare, I started online writing to supplement my income while working from home. After five years of online writing, I recognized the potential of online marketing for small businesses. I also saw the challenges that everyday small business owners face when attempting to grow their businesses in the online space. Motivated to help those who needed it, I decided to focus on my side hustle and scale my business to a full-time commitment in 2015.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment so far is helping businesses create online presences that help them reach their financial goals. I am truly on a mission to humanize the internet. Although I have received accolades from a variety of online platforms, including Upwork, Design Rush, and Expertise., I am most proud of the businesses that have credited me for helping them create their online brands, teaching them how to utilize the internet for their business, or providing a way for new customers to reach them. I judge myself by how much of a service I am to others.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest challenge I have faced so far is balancing my personal life with my professional life. Since I am so passionate about what I do, there are times when I don’t really know how to turn things off. Remember to eat and sleep is a real problem. This tendency has helped me build a strong business but finding that balance can sometimes be challenging.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Set actionable goals. Starting a business to make money is great, but if you don’t have a specific number in mind, overworking and burnout are inevitable because you don’t know when you’ve reached your goal.
- Sell what you are passionate about. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. However, it is easier to do the long night and early mornings when you are passionate about what you are doing or selling. Passion is the fuel that keeps the machine going.
- Take care of your staff. No one does it alone. Whether you use employees or contractors, hire great people and treat them well. Finding reliable help and training them is very time-consuming, so it’s best to do it as little as possible.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.whoisjennmarie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennmariewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennmariewrites/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcknight/
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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