Today I am bring you Jacinta Grand of Social Circle who is sharing her 8+ years of digital marketing experience with us. She works on cutting through all the noise by focusing on her to-do list and surrounding herself with other like minded business owners. Read on to find out more about Jacinta below!
When and why did you start your business? Give us the backdrop to your story!
I started my business a little over a year ago. I spent several years working at ad agency with huge corporate clients and wanted to share some of the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired with small businesses that may have limited resources.
How is running a successful business different than what you thought it would be?
You can’t go it alone! When I first started my business I would lock myself indoors for long periods of time and just work. Although, this method was sometimes effective at getting things done – I had a focus group of one. As a result, many times I became unfocused on my projects and just didn’t finish them. I’ve learned that having a support group is so critical to staying motivated and focused on the bigger goal. You need people to applaud you for a job well done and people to push you when the going gets tough.
I would describe myself as:
Social, Confident, Optimistic
What is the biggest thing you struggle with as an entrepreneur? Either past of present.
I think the hardest part about being an entrepreneur is proper prioritization. When you’re in soloprenuer mode it’s easy to get lost in “all of the things” that need to be done on a daily basis. I’ve recently become a lot more focused with my To Do Lists which used to seem never-ending. I prioritize everything into categories of when I need to get something done. Creating categories such as “This Week”, “This Month”, and “This Year”, have allowed me to really zone in on what’s priority on a day-to-day basis and cut through the noise.
Describe to me the most exciting minute of your entrepreneurial journey.
The most exciting minute was last summer when I taught my first in-person class on Facebook Ads. I was so excited to educate entrepreneurs on how they could use Facebook ads to grow their business. That was a defining moment for me, because obviously leading up to the class I was so nervous! Once I was in front of everyone teaching, I definitely had my “aha” moment. I realized that this was absolutely what I wanted to be doing!
What was the tipping point for your business?
The tipping point for me was when I was actually able to turn down clients because I knew ultimately they weren’t going to be the right fit for me. That’s when I really started to feel like I was building my business on my own terms. Coming from a career at an ad agency, I often had to work with clients that had unrealistic expectations and often didn’t respect work/life boundaries. Thankfully, small business owners and entrepreneurs have a lot more humility and are truly thankful for the value and level of services I provide them.
What do you consider to be your single greatest achievement (personal or business)?
This is a very personal moment, but my father suddenly passed away from Cancer a little over 2 years ago. I spoke on behalf of my family at the funeral and it was definitely one of the most challenging moments of my life. I’ve done a lot of public speaking in my professional career but absolutely nothing prepares you for a moment like that. I felt so fragile that day but somehow I had to be strong for my family and deliver a comforting message to all of our friends and family who came to the funeral that day to support us. It was a tough day but after surviving that moment, I now feel like I can make it through anything.
What do you do on a daily basis to grow as an entrepreneur?
On a daily basis, I try to remember that everyday equals progress. There are going to be some days where nothing visible happens that provides evidence that your business is growing. I think it’s very important to remember where your business is today and where your business was when you first began. It’s important to keep things in perspective so that you don’t become discouraged.
Share some knowledge! What is one tip that everyone can use in your niche?
Task-blocking. Unlike multi-tasking, you pick one task and focus on that task for a specific amount of time. The timer on my iPhone is my best friend. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in a very short window of time.
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? (Yes, you can only pick one.)
Pistachio! It’s a childhood favorite that started my healthy obsession with ice cream.
About Jacinta:
Jacinta Grand is the owner and founder of Social Circle, an agency committed to helping entrepreneurs with limited resources realize their dreams. She has over eight years of experience in agency and client-side digital marketing consulting. When she’s not writing or creating courses to help small businesses she can be found having a private dance party or singing out of key. Find more about her here: Blog, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
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