We recently connected with Audrey Salazar and have shared our conversation below.
Audrey, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Some are born with an innate sense of purpose, others (like me) have to experience the trials and tribulations of life in order for purpose to be revealed. You see, I never thought I would own my own business. I did, however, always dream really, really big.
Even as a young adult entering college, I had a vision for my future, one that I thought was so sure. I was going to be a fashion editorial writer. And even that was a spinoff from my initial vision of being a professional soccer player. Little did I know that those were only the stepping stones for me to find my true purpose in life.
To give you a little back story, I stopped playing soccer my freshman year of high school after tearing my ACL. I tried to go back to playing once I healed, but I was never the same. It was actually during my healing process that I discovered my love for writing. Upon graduation, I decided to pursue the field of journalism. Which brings us back to that big vision.
Well, come to find out, journalism style writing simply was not for me. I could not, for the life of me, write like a true journalist. Instead of thinking this was the end of the road, I decided to enroll in a Public Relations elective class and discovered that PR marries the two things that I always loved – creative writing and marketing. I quickly changed my emphasis to public relations and set my eyes on a new vision: helping businesses tell their story.
As I entered my final year of college, I was fortunate enough to intern with a boutique PR firm in San Diego, J Walcher Communications, where my mentor at the time was actually in charge of helping some of firms clients break into social media marketing. I was given the opportunity to write posts, engage on their platforms and found that I had a real eye for growing a channel organically. I started looking at social media differently, and actually began using it to get my own travel blog off the ground.
After graduation, I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted to work for a traditional PR agency anymore, I really liked this whole digital marketing thing. So I ended up getting a job working with a well known SEO expert who was just starting a new business here on the west coast. I learned so much about digital marketing in that role and got to continue growing my skills in blogging and social media management.
We worked with a lot of big companies in various industries, which was great, but something was still missing. I really started getting the urge to want to help more people. I started having more conversations with the people around me, the businesses I supported and the people I knew who were brave enough to branch out on their own. It led to me realizing that I wanted to put all this passion for storytelling and love for digital marketing to use for local and small businesses.
So at the end of 2016, after getting hit by a car while riding a bike in Portland, Oregon (a story for another time) I came home, quit my job and decided that I was going to dedicate my skillset to helping those with a passion and a dream for running their own business make a name for themselves in the online world.
What started as a dream to be a professional soccer player turned fashion editorial writer turned PR agency maven ultimately led me to where I am today, CEO and Owner of a growing digital marketing agency that specializes in helping small to medium size businesses grow their brand’s online presence.
I guess you could say that, in the end, it was the purpose that found me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the owner and founder of Let’s Bee Social Digital Marketing. Founded in 2017, Let’s Bee Social was created with one goal in mind: to help passionate business owners hone in on their brand’s online presence.
We’re a small yet mighty team of passionate, hard working digital marketing specialists and content creation experts. Our specialists serve as your business’s own marketing team that designs & executes results-driven strategies to achieve your online goals. While our media and production team serves as the powerful content driver of these strategies.
We offer a wide variety of services from social media strategies to coaching and full service social media management as well as branding, consulting and web optimization packages. It’s truly our goal to be the small team that creates a big impact for your growing business.
Affordable digital marketing solutions are at the heart of everything we do. Which is why we’ve recently launched the DIY Marketers Club, a FREE network of entrepreneurs, small business owners and passionate side hustlers looking for a place to grow online together.
After nearly 7 years of owning my own business, I’ve found that it gets a lot easier when you have a support group of people you can relate to and learn from around you. That’s why I created this club as a place where you can ask questions, share knowledge and celebrate results!
This is a place where you can learn how to silence that little voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough. Learn how to post like a pro and show up confidently all while meeting new friends along the way.
DIY Marketers get access to our FB Group, a weekly trend report and discounts to our DIY Marketing Courses all at no cost.
It’s been my way of giving back and continuing to help keep the dream of owning your own business alive!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would have to say (1) organization, (2) doing what you say you’re going to do and (3) creativity.
If you are just getting started and you are looking to grow in these areas, it’s important to start small and be willing to test different things to find out what’s going to work for you.
When it comes to organization, everyone’s brains work a little differently. For some they need a visual calendar, for others they need a task list, if you’re like me you need both. I’ve always been a big fan of a planner and making lists. I use my Google Calendar for meetings, deadlines and events, then I use my written planner for figuring out the tasks I can do in-between those times. I’ve been using a Passion Planner since I started my business and it’s the best so far. Especially with the end of month reflections to help you look back at all that you’ve accomplished each month.
If you’re looking to be a person of your word, the best place to start is by keeping promises and commitments you make to yourself. If you say you are going to work out today, go work out. If you say you’re going to call someone, call them. It’s these small practices that build your confidence and allow you to show up and deliver at the level you are capable of.
With the area of creativity, the best way to grow in this is to never stop creating. Even if your method of creating changes, you have to continue to find ways to challenge that creative spirit to come out. I love sketching, painting, writing, design graphics, etc. Creativity looks different in different phases of life. Be okay with that evolution.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
One of the bigger challenges as of lately has been around pricing. There’s been a multitude of various challenges around the subject. Some where pricing is being questioned, or rates are trying to be lowered, or simply not being valued for the price point that is quoted.
I think this is something that a lot of business owners in the service providing space face. It’s hard enough to come up with your pricing and then have the confidence to back it up. To then be questioned at every turn by someone who says they want to work with you can be a bit demoralizing.
I’m working through it by reminding myself that we have the credentials and the results to back up the work that we are doing. And also knowing that I am not only pricing for myself, but for my team. We go above and beyond in what we do, all while working to keep our pricing as affordable as possible.
If you can relate, my biggest piece of advice is to remember that what is meant for you will be yours. You don’t need to undercut yourself, your value or your prices for anyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.letsbeesocial.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/letsbeesocial
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/letsbeesocial
- Other: https://letsbeesocial.gumroad.com
Image Credits
Photos by Victor Hernandez
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
