We recently connected with Sheila Dunne and have shared our conversation below.
Sheila, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I never considered myself a traditionally creative person, but over the years, I’ve come to view creativity more wholly as one’s ability to think outside the box, approach problems uniquely, and produce novel ideas, products or services. Inherently, this is key to an entrepreneur’s success.
The best way to keep my creativity alive is to invest in continuous learning. For me, that means meeting new people, hearing new perspectives, surrounding myself with others who challenge me, and seeing new places and cultures. One example of this is our team’s monthly ‘coffee and learn’ sessions, where we watch or read something interesting together and discuss.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
At Toggle Communications, we leverage newly accessible communications tools and technologies to create and distribute sales and marketing assets at affordable price points. My favorite part of what I do is getting to work with all different types of businesses and non-profits, alongside an incredible team including my co-founder, Lauren Sanderson.
I have always loved creative problem solving and from a young age gravitated towards entrepreneurship. In high school I launched a grocery delivery service and monetized an Instagram account with 200,000 followers. In college, I started a social media agency, Dunne Goodwin, that worked with 85 brands across the country.
What excites me most about Toggle Communications is learning about emerging AI and new digital platforms, and building something scalable and turnkey for brands — as opposed to a traditional agency model.
I am also a new mom, and love having the flexibility to work from home and spend time with my four-month-old son.
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?
Three skills or qualities that have been impactful include networking with clear goals and follow-ups, being imaginative and utilizing free resources such as public libraries and university programs, and maintaining a strong personal brand. I would encourage folks early in their entrepreneurial journey to start with trial and error to see what your customers or clients need and want (be adaptable and pivot), and believe it’s better to make mistakes early and often to learn and grow.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes! We would love to connect with graphic designers, videographers, video editors and copywriters interested in collaborating with our team. Additionally, we’re always interested in partnering with small businesses with stories to share we could bring value to.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.togglecomms.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-dunne-317116101/
