Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in consultancy but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julie Fisher, Founder of Your Digital Guardian, located in Boca Raton, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a social media and digital parenting expert.
I help parents make keep their kids safe online and stay in control of their family's tech use to control the chaos that comes from raising digital kids and make sure that what their kids shared in the past doesn't affect their opportunities in the future (like college admissions or jobs).
I teach small and mid-size businesses how to tap into their "Hidden Salesforce" to effectively expand their reach for a fraction of the cost of paid ads while garnering the authenticity that their brand needs to grow online (aka employee advocacy). PLUS, knowing your least responsible employee won't damage your brand's reputation online.
Tell us about yourself
I started my career as an educator, then worked as the director of a nonprofit dedicated to preventing risky behaviors in kids and teens. By 2010, parents and schools were desperate for information and programming on technology, devices, and, most of all, social media. As a curriculum specialist, I dove into the topic, created programs and solutions, and spent a lot in the public speaking arena delivering programs to parents, students, educators, and professionals. That led to founding a tech company where we created social media report cards for students to understand which posts in their digital footprints could cause them trouble when it came time to apply to college or for a job. I became a consultant on all things tech and social media. I shifted to more of a coaching model during the pandemic and took my message online to find people who needed support, maps to success, resources, and information.
Helping people solve their problems has always motivated me and provided sound advice, guidance, and information that my clients can use.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Businesses and individuals come to me without solicitation because they see me as an expert in my field and able to evolve with the times.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, it's lead generation. While everyone knows about social media (and most people use it), there's a disconnect when it comes to people understanding why they need support when it comes to digital parenting (short answer: today's parents weren't raised with the tech their kids use and even though they use that tech, their experience using it as an adult is very different than it is for their kids) and employee advocacy (training and empowering your employees to share your messages online with their audience to grow your brand and theirs) aren't the idea or terms people are necessarily familiar with - so there's a learning curve I need to adapt to grow my business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Put yourself out there online - show your face, share useful tips and resources, and tell your story.
- Keep learning. Even if you're an expert in your field, there's always more you can learn.
- Be willing to adapt to change. Just because something is working right now doesn't mean you don't need to continue to evolve.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.yourdigitalguardian.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourdigitalguardian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourdigitalguardian/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julzfisher
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieschwartzfisher/
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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