We were lucky to catch up with Miranda Riddle recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Miranda , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
It was a journey, but it’s a journey for all of us, I am certain. I have been all over the map in terms of my professional life – I taught for over a decade, I’ve led and managed theatre companies, I have been a makeup artist for film and television, worked as a producer and intimacy coordinator in the same field, and have had countless creative and advocacy ventures (working to raise awareness and create change for causes from HIV/AIDS to Childhood Cancer to Brain Cancer to Invisible Illnesses). When the 2020 pandemic struck, things shifted. Film and TV as we knew it died. Teaching, as I had done it for most of my working life, also died. I needed to move into something else, but something that filled my soul. And it was by pure luck (and through a dear friend) that I met the person who would end up becoming not only my business partner but also my best friend – and we built a business out of helping people reclaim themselves, their time, and their lives – and be the best they can possibly be. And while my work is NOT my life, my work is a window into my purpose – leaving things better than they were when I found them.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
At Salt to Pine Company, we are more than just “virtual assistants” the way that most people think of them – I often get asked, “Oh, is that like when you chat with Amazon online?” or if it’s AI related. That couldn’t be further from what we do. We work hand in hand with business owners to build their brand, find their perfect niche, market them mindfully and authentically, and so much more. Yes – we also clean out inboxes and return phone calls. But the moments that matter most are when my clients tell me they got to go to their kid’s soccer game because they knew I had that contract under control. Or that they have done so well due to our new marketing efforts, that they were able to schedule a trip back home for the first time in years.
Salt to Pine Company grew from the mind and heart of my business partner Danielle Karsch as she transitioned from an admin position at a real estate brokerage into building a business that gave her more time to be with her kids and more freedom to be what they needed their mommy to be. We want to offer our clients the same experience, time and time again.
We started in real estate and that will always be our core niche, but we have clients that are therapists, life coaches, interior designers, blue collar workers, and so much more. If you need us, we’ve got your back. Coast to Coast.
We are planning on instituting some new special offers – VIP days and coaching offers – as we head into this final quarter of the year, and I’m really excited to see what 2025 has to hold.
At the same time as running this national, six-figure business, I try to keep my hands in creativity – I manage my partner, Donavan Freberg’s, photography studio here in Los Angeles and often work side by side with him as his makeup artist. I also am an advocate, currently focused on helping build awareness around several invisible illnesses that I live with. It’s a full time job but I couldn’t be prouder to have my voice (and therefore the voices of so many others) heard!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
When I try to distill the cosmic soup that is my life journey and my career, three things float to the surface as skills/qualities that I NEEDED to get where I am now –
Empathy
Resilience
Grace
Without these three things, and an immense amount of faith that what is supposed to happen WILL eventually come to pass, I would not have made it to this point in my life. I try very mindfully to live by the four agreements – Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best. The first and last come easy to me – I’m a terrible liar, and a people pleasing eldest daughter. But the middle two are incredibly difficult to get comfortable with and cultivate and I still struggle to this day, especially when it comes to taking things personally. That’s where the grace and empathy are most important – instead of taking a perceived slight personally, I try to remember everyone is walking their own path and we have no idea what is going on in someone’s life or mind. I try desperately to always extend as much grace as possible – until proven otherwise, you have my respect and trust.
With that comes an exercise in boundaries, and anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am giving, graceful, and full of love – until the moment comes where someone goes too far. And then my boundaries tend to go up like an iron wall. It’s a PRACTICE, not a skill that you master and don’t work to improve after it’s mastered. It takes work every day and with every experience. It is a forever journey!
How would you describe your ideal client?
Everyone I work with and everyone I WANT to work with has a few key characteristics I consider “non-negotiable” –
-A good sense of humor
-The ability to not take EVERYTHING so seriously (it’s just business!)
-A growth mindset
-Building and growing from the place of servant leadership or altruism as much as from the place of needing security and building a name.
I want every single client to succeed – but I also am always interested in their deeper why. If your answer is “I want to make a kablillion dollars, and be famous”, that’s not really going to fit with our mindset and workflow. If your answer is “I want to make plenty of money so that I can take care of my parents as they grow older”, or “I want to begin generational wealth in my family for the very first time”, or “I just really think there are people out there who NEED my business…” Now we are talking.
Real Estate Agents have always been and always will be our main niche – helping people find home is a gift and an honor. But we also deeply desire to serve underserved communities in the business world – femme, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled business owners – we see you and we want you to thrive. And as someone in several of the above listed communities, it’s my mantra that a rising tide lifts ALL boats and we get so much farther holding hands than pushing to the front.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.salttopineco.com
- Instagram: @therealmirandariddle, @salttopinecompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salttopineco
Image Credits
Donavan Freberg Photography
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