Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business growth strategy and thought leadership marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Olga Zapisek, Founder and CEO of Novedia Creative LLC, located in Rego Park, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I believe we all have unique talents and stories to share that can not only inspire others but create impactful change, shaking the world up, one individual at a time. It’s my desire to help women (and the men who help women, too) leverage their brilliance and own their sovereign voice and story as they light up the digital space and increase their influence, visibility, profits, and impact on a global level through their products and services.
So, who am I, and what exactly makes me the expert in creating your heart-centered legacy empire? Going on 17 years of combined experience in media and marketing, I am now the principal business growth and marketing coachsultant (hybrid of strategist, coach, and consultant) at Novedia Creative, a thought leadership coachsultancy and agency that I founded almost four years ago.
Through a combination of done-with-you coachsulting programs and done-for-you agency services, I help purpose-driven, visionary, and ambitious female coaches, CEOs, and corporate renegades running small-to-medium-sized businesses to:
- Unlock their growth potential and brand voice
- Increase their influence and impact
- And improve their digital footprint
Why? So that they can live their version of a first-class life, make 6 to 7 figures with ease, and become catalysts of change by embracing the expert within. While my team and I mainly work with individuals and brands in health, wellness & spirituality, real estate, interior design, and business & personal development, if you are insanely passionate about something other than simply making more money for money’s sake, we are happy to have a conversation and explore how you can continue to rise to the next level and elevate life for your target market.
Tell us about yourself
I’ve always had a penchant for stories. Listening to them. Reading them. Watching them. And even more so, writing and telling them. It should come as no surprise then that my journey began in journalism and media, including running my own arts, culture, and entertainment media publication for seven years.
But I also LOVED helping others and implementing content, marketing, and growth strategies. So, when I was faced with the choice of either finding another job in corporate (where there was a good chance of my creativity, strategies, and passion being stifled like so many times before) or starting another business, I chose the latter.
I knew my impact would be lost in the noise if I continued down the corporate path. I also knew that if I wanted to climb the corporate ladder, I’d be burning the midnight oil day in and day out, missing out on everything else that mattered, like time with my family, traveling and reading books, or taking long hikes in nature. And that wasn’t something I could accept. Especially with what I was seeing reflected not only in my own life but those of other women around me of all ages – the overwhelm the burnout, the sacrifice, the restrictions, and the frustration.
I wanted to create a business where I could help women stop settling for a career or business that didn’t light them up and unlock the iconic experts already living inside them. I wanted women to see that what they do means something and that everything is available to them so long as they want it. That they can have that business where they can fully express themselves and be themselves, all while rising to the riches and creating extraordinary impact. To show them that love, money, and purpose can all have a place in their world.
And that’s how Novedia Creative came about and what drives me every single day in my business –– to inspire global healing and shape the digital future by helping purpose-driven women (and men who are on a mission to help other women, too!) to step into their business ascension and discover new ways to magnify their success, voice, and stories. I truly believe it’s high time women made some metaphorical waves. I’d love to help them do just that through holistic business growth and marketing strategy, thought leadership, community building, and content marketing.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Not to sound trite or cliché, but it genuinely is the success of my past and current clients. I enjoy nothing more than seeing them fearlessly step into their new self as they take their business to elevated and creative heights with my strategic guidance. In fact, it’s incredible to bear witness to their commitment to working toward a positive outcome, creating content without fear or overwhelm, and having a clear picture of who they serve and how they can serve them best. What’s even better is seeing the freedom, joy, and well-being they get back once the foundations are elevated or set in place. I’m lucky to play a part in their journey toward building and scaling a business that feels good to them.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
It’s knowing when to truly switch off. Completely.
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’ve finished work for the day and are lying in bed with a good book or watching the latest binge-worthy show on Netflix when suddenly your phone pings. It’s your client sending you a question. Without giving it a second thought, you pick up the phone and write them back.
Or you are on a shopping trip with your family or a vacation, but you’re constantly thinking about all the ways to improve your business and all the things you could be doing if you weren’t here. You’re physically there with them, but you’re not fully present. You’re not enjoying the moment. Your mind is still in business mode.
As entrepreneurs or business owners, we all find ourselves thinking about our business even when our laptops and phones are turned off. It’s hard not to, especially when it’s a passion of ours. Trust me, I’m guilty of this, too. But it can’t be all work and no play. We need to seamlessly integrate self-care and leisurely time together with our family and business time. It can all fit into our day-to-day life. And it all comes down to setting priorities, boundaries, and a schedule you can stick to – and holding yourself accountable to them.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
FALL IN LOVE WITH SALES
What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you hear the word “sales?” Be honest! Do you think it’s icky? Maybe you think it’s inauthentic? Or perhaps you think it’s sleazy and pushy — like a car salesman who is only thinking about meeting his monthly numbers and not your needs?
Well, if that’s the case: You have to switch your perspective on sales pronto, or you’ll repel your ideal clients even before you get a chance to speak to your offer. In fact, you could be coming from a place of genuine heart and value, being your most authentic and radiant self, but they’ll still feel that something is off and won’t buy from you, no matter how much they need it. That’s because your energy will be radiating that message. The way you perceive sales is the way your prospects will perceive your offer.
So how can you change your mindset around sales? The easiest two things you can do are:
- Stop seeing sales as something negative you do to a person. You’re doing something FOR them, not TO them. It’s an act of service. Focus on the purpose and the value you’re bringing to each new connection, as well as building trust and rapport between you two. See each conversation as an opportunity to bring clarity to their problem by actively listening and asking questions that will prove beneficial to them – and not just to you. You want to place your clients first and open up their eyes and mind to their unseen problems. Once they are aware of it, they can make the right choice for themselves, whether that’s exploring a solution with you or someone else.
- Stop worrying about being liked by everyone. You not only give your power away to fear then but also begin to peel away at what makes you truly unique by being what everyone wants you to be. Be different. Be bold. Be unapologetically you. There will always be someone who doesn’t like you, your service, or your product. And that’s OK. If you are looking for someone to like you, go stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself how amazing you are (in fact, I advise this, as self-love is the first step toward being in alignment in any business!), but don’t go into a discovery or sales call with the fear that if you say something a little more challenging or ask the hard questions, the other person won’t like you or they’ll be offended or triggered. If they don’t like you for pointing out the uncomfortable, they weren’t the right fit of a client for you. And isn’t it better to work with people who are?
Remember this: In business, you’re not there to be the client’s best friend. You’re there to help them. That’s not to say friendship can’t develop over time between you and your clients (especially if you’re a service-based business), but your duty to them is to elevate their life via your product or service, and you can only do that if you aren’t afraid to push past limiting beliefs and comfort zones.
START WITH STRATEGY
Too often, I see business owners trying anything and everything, from building funnel after funnel to posting on every single social media platform and blogging till their fingers bleed. If you’re guilty of this, you will most likely find yourself on a fast track to burnout, overwhelm, and frustration. Believe me; you really don’t need all those bells and whistles — especially at the beginning.
I know. It’s tempting to do all the things or to copy what others are doing, especially if it’s someone renowned in your industry. They even may advise it, leading to further confusion. But what works for them won’t necessarily work for you.
So what can you do? Focus on creating a marketing strategy that is specific to YOUR brand goals, values, and, most importantly, your target audience. This way, you won’t be throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks and wasting valuable resources on things that may not be the best fit for your brand. Instead, you’ll be using your time and money efficiently and taking sustainable and consistent steps toward your big vision.
LET PEOPLE INTO YOUR EXPERIENCE
You want to be constantly building new relationships. This will bring you clients, referrals, and business opportunities. An easy way to do this is to make it a habit to reach out to 3 to 5 brand-new people a day on social media. Send them a connection request (or a follow), and start a conversation with them. Don’t sell, though. Relate the conversation to them, to something they said or posted that moved you or something you share in common, for instance, and then ask them a valuable question.
Pretty soon, you won’t merely have a following. You will have a community.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.novediacreative.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/novediacreative
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgazapisek/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgazapisek/
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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