Walking the talk as a new entrepreneur

When I set out to create Lindsey Wagnon Marketing, I had stockpiled a LOT of information from more than a decade of professional writing and marketing work. I’ve blogged (I was among the first “professional” bloggers), been an ad agency copywriter, covered news for an NPR-affiliated radio station (bleh), wore the reporter hat for a small community publication, submitted countless lifestyle magazine articles and worked full-time in the marketing department of a mortgage company, climbing the ranks to marketing director. Yes, mortgage company. 

My thickening career portfolio (one of the perks of being in my mid-thirties *gasp*) may have given me the confidence to launch a personal brand, but wow, I was not prepared for the challenge of applying all my cumulative knowledge to my own company. When it’s so personal, yet needs to be your best professional representation, there’s another level of pressure. 

Raise your hand if you’re an entrepreneur who can relate. 

So, honestly, the past couple of months have been a test in walking the talk. I may know a lot, and even practice a lot of what I know on a daily basis, but doing it for myself is the hardest assignment I’ve ever faced. I thought I was aware of my weaknesses and limitations before, but I’m HYPER aware of them now *cough* design *cough*.

Fellow entrepreneurs, I salute you. You may, like me, feel the weight of everything that isn’t up to your standard, needs more time or money that you just don’t have, has glitches you don’t know how to fix and isn’t exactly at the ROI you expected by now, but listen, you’re moving forward a little at a time and that’s what matters. And let’s be honest, we wouldn’t be leading our own companies if we didn’t kind of love being in charge of every part of it – even if it’s shockingly demanding. 

I also think the common demands of small business ownership are the best reasons we all need to stick together and support one another. If you’d like to join my Lindsey Wagnon Marketing tribe, find me on Instagram or subscribe to my YouTube channel. I’d love to connect!

With that said, I have a toddler, some chores and a marathon training run to attend to. Overachiever much? Nah, not me. Oh, and here’s a Cora picture in case you need a laugh.