Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melissa Kandel, Founder of Little Word Studio, located in Newport Beach, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I run a boutique content company focused on writing, content creation, and strategy. Our clients span several industries, including real estate, food, wine/spirits, tech, fitness, entertainment, education, and fashion.
Tell us about yourself
I started my business years ago as a blog called Little Word Studio, where I'd mostly post short works of fiction and write up local events around town. I'm a third-generation entrepreneur and always had that "itch I couldn't quite scratch" feeling while working for a large corporation. The job was great, but I needed more to satisfy my entrepreneurial passion.
And one day, while driving along the winding roads of Big Sur, I decided I needed to quit my job and start something new. So I did. That's when Little Word Studio turned from a blog into a full-time business. Four years later, I'm motivated by my hard-working team, our incredible clients, the difference they're making for others, and a drive to continually improve on what we can creatively offer, always being better tomorrow than we are today.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Running this business over the past four years, even (or especially) during the global pandemic, and experiencing year-over-year growth since launch. A company is not a static entity; much like a person, it evolves and changes. You must be agile enough to see those transformations, anticipate them, and embrace them as they come.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a small business owner, there is no "send this to the IT department" or "ask the events team about that." If something needs to get done, you have to do it. With our growth has come delegation to my fantastic team, but there are still some things that will only get done if you, as the business owner, do them. It's both the most challenging and rewarding part of being an entrepreneur.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
The little things are the big things.
Think long and hard about That Thing, the one that keeps you up at night and gets you out of bed early in the morning. If you don't have that "I have to do-this right now or-else" feeling about the business, you're just starting. Don't do it. You need passion to sustain you through the shadowy valleys and fuel you to the sunshine peaks.
Entrepreneurship is not easy, and it's not for everyone. If, after all this contemplation, you decide it's not for you, that's OK! But if you decide it's for you after careful consideration, go for it with everything you've got. No matter what happens next, you'll have already succeeded.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://littlewordstudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlewordstudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlewordstudio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilwordstudio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/littlewordstudio/
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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