By: Cindy Castañeda
Trade shows, press releases, social media, marketing plans and ad campaigns. I was involved with everything to do with marketing! Some might say I was the marketing department. In 2008, plans changed, marketing jobs disappeared and the recession caused me to take a new, scary, unchartered road. I started thinking, “What if I started my own marketing consulting business?” I felt very confident in the marketing side of business; I had worked many years in customer service, so I knew how to retain customers. I was recognized for being committed and making things fun and creative. I thought, “If this doesn’t work, at least I got to do what I loved.”
This is when opportunities started appearing, after I began working in health care. I was sharing with a co-worker that I know web design and was very knowledgeable with marketing. He said, “Oh, I know someone who needs help with a website and some retail marketing.” My face lit up! “Oh, really?” I called her and met with her at her antique shop. Then, a friend of mine I met while being organizer for a Meetup group “Charleston Italian Language Group” needed a website for his new band. Just getting these opportunities and bartering with these contacts made me feel like things can really happen! Then, the marketing world transformed from a focus on marketing and websites to everything pertaining social media. I decided to exploit the opportunities and read, learn and get as much training as possible in social media marketing.
Over time, I started promoting that I do web design, custom marketing plans and social media marketing. I felt these three were a great formula! However, after a lot of networking and asking key questions, I received responses, “I really want to be involved in social media marketing.” “I should know what my customers are asking about.” “If you showed me how, we might talk.” Immediately, I saw these people as lost opportunities for business. Then, I met with Janice Todd, a beauty coach with Jafra Cosmetics, and she said, “We should talk because my company keeps on talking social media sales, Facebook and getting followers.” I said, “Let’s meet and see how I can grow my social media business.” In 2015, Janice helped me start Brand Yourself, a group where I train businesswomen how to grow their business on Facebook. Since then, it has developed into Social Media Game Night! I created this because people didn’t want me to sit around lecturing them, so one day I made a Social Media Hunt Game, leaving social media tips with different restaurants, and the fastest person would win a free gift! Everyone smiled, so I said this is what I have to do from now on. Surprisingly, I got some leads from this.
Surprising Lessons from being an Entrepreneur in a Fast-Paced Industry:
- Always be willing to change what you offer to be competitive.
- Always ask people key questions that would be most beneficial (in my case, how to grow their businesses).
- Be willing to make mistake after mistake because that is where excellence is achieved.
Cindy Castaneda has a gift to see a person’s potential. She helps clients grow by providing customized marketing strategy, social media marketing, social media training and web design that attracts followers with a unique approach that is authentic. With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and MBA in London from Hult Business School, she works as a seasoned marketing professional in both agency and client environments and is highly regarded for event management, powerful ad campaigns, social media marketing and successful lead generation. You cab contact her at: Http://www.castwebdesignsc.com, or on Twitter: @castwebdesignsc, Fb: facebook.com/ castwebdesignsc or by e-mail:cindycastaneda_ mkg@yahoo.com