Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Lieberman, Founder of Make Your Own Break, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My name is Jennifer Lieberman, and I founded Make Your Own Break to help writers and performers realize their creative goals by teaching them how to produce independent productions with little or no resources.
Tell us about yourself
After years of pounding the pavement and knocking on doors with no success in breaking into the entertainment industry, I decided to take matters into my own hands and created the solo show "Year of the Slut." This show proved to be my break, and the play went on to win the Audience Choice Award in New York City and is now the #1 Amazon Best-Selling novel "Year of the What?" and was awarded the Gold Medal at the 2022 Global Book Awards for Coming-of-Age Books and the 2022 IPPY Bronze Medal for Romance/Erotica Ebooks among several other international awards.
Since deciding to make my own break, I've appeared in over 30 international stage productions, produced over 40 independent film and theatre productions, and helped over 100 creatives make their own break through my coaching and consulting work.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I love what I do; I'm very lucky. Sometimes I get to make my own stuff; sometimes, I get to help other people make their stuff; at the end of the day, it's quite satisfying to create and collaborate.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Consistency and finding a routine can be a challenge with all freelance work, and I need to stay on top of that, so I create structure in my days that keeps me focused between gigs or when things are slow.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Three tips I'd give to anyone looking to start a business:
- Start practicing your pivot! Nothing is always going to go exactly as planned; many times, in my experience, that's turned out to be a good thing and led to better things - so be ready to pivot when things don't go as planned.
- Do your research - what are you trying to do? Is someone already doing it? What's unique or better about your idea/product/service? Talk to random people who don't know you and get feedback. It's something they'd be interested in.
- Take a deep breath and dive in the deep end; once you've done a reasonable amount of research, make a decision and throw everything at it. Talk yourself into it!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://makeyourownbreak.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamjenlieberman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjenlieberman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamjenlieberman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lieberman-33b20426/
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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