We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Jenkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience has always just been demanded of me. My late childhood/teen years were rough. My parents divorced when I was 8 and it really rocked what I believed to be my foundation. I was faced with lots of tough situations as a kid and a teen, and had to figure out how to endure and how to keep moving forward. I didn’t always know the right path forward and made lots of mistakes, but somehow made it to 18 and moved to NC to start fresh.
At 19, I became pregnant with my daughter, and that changed everything. She became my reason. Everything I’ve done since then has been for her, and now, for all three of my children. I made a decision early on that I would break the cycle I came from and create something entirely different. I wanted my child(soon to be children) to have a life filled with love, purpose, and stability and that choice gave me a deep, unshakable sense of drive. I was determined to give her/them a life that looked nothing like the one I came from. That fierce sense of purpose has guided me through every chapter, and now, as a 32 year-old mom of three, it continues to push me toward growth and healing.
In 2016, after years of fighting through toxic relationships, I met my husband — an established entrepreneur and, truly, my rock. From day one, he has been an unwavering source of love, belief, and encouragement. He saw strength and potential in me before I fully saw it in myself. He’s walked beside me through the chaos, pushed me to keep discovering who I am (and through almost ten years he has seen every personality and identity I’ve taken on), and held a safe space for me to heal and grow, not just as a mother or businesswoman, but as a whole person.
We hit more hardship between the two of us in the last ten years than I would have ever imagined possible (stay tuned for my book 😉 ), but we had each other. With the foundation of love and partnership and the challenges we faced as a couple, and him pushing me to start something that was mine, I built Social by Stephanie, Inc., a digital marketing agency specializing in content creation & social media marketing. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy — but nothing about my journey ever has been. I’ve taken the grit, resourcefulness, and relentless problem-solving I learned from enduring my past and turned it into the foundation of my business. I know how to push through uncertainty, how to show up with consistency, and how to build something from the ground up.. because I’ve done it before, in life. I bring to my business the same creativity and determination that helped me survive the past, but also the support, safety, stability, and encouragement that’s allowed me to truly thrive.
Resilience, for me, is both born and practiced. It’s a mix of survival instinct, purpose, and the steady belief, from both myself and the people who love me, that I was meant to build something more. And it’s the heartbeat of everything I do — for my clients, for my company, and most of all, for my kids.
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?
Social by Stephanie, Inc. is a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in content creation & social media marketing. We also design websites, branding kits, email campaigns & newsletters, AND we’re getting ready to launch our influencer marketing program (eee!!) which will partner influencers/content creators of all followings (nano, micro, & macro) with businesses and vice versa.
The most exciting part about Social by Stephanie, Inc, in my opinion, is it’s completely limitless! This company started with me freelancing as a stay-at-home mom with a Canva account and has turned into a corporation that helps small businesses tell their story and stand out in an overcrowded digital space. I went from knowing no one and not knowing what my mission was to growing a network of supportive women and structuring a company without ceilings. I work mainly with solo women entrepreneurs who are trying to get their businesses seen with organic marketing (AKA no ads) but have been growing my team to enable support of more medium sized businesses. I could not be more excited about where my brand is headed.
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 had absolutely no skills when I started this company! I was a cosmetologist for maybe 6 months before I started bartending & waitressing and the only skills I had were hospitality/customer service and loving really pretty things/presentations (LOL). BUT, thinking about it now, these are probably two skills that keep my business thriving. But I had to learn from scratch all of the business aspects and management skills. Social media is all about aesthetics and connection, and in 15 years of customer service jobs I became really good at building relationships. Making things pretty has always just been a hobby of mine so when I put the two together, I had a really good foundation to start with.
I am still early in my journey but if I had to choose advice to give, it would be to just start! Nobody out here knows what they’re doing at first and life is all trial and error. Make the mistakes but do it anyway. LEARN from your own mistakes and be unapologetically you and everything else will fall into place.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
Double down on your strengths! Being well-rounded and able to do everything yourself is necessary when running a company, especially when it first starts, BUT long term it will burn you out! You should be able to do everything but choose what you’re best at and outsource the rest. I believe in building a team and collaborating with people who are smarter and more talented than I am in areas outside my zone of genius.
Am I good at what I do? Definitely.
Could I be better? Always.
That’s why I prioritize surrounding myself with people who elevate the game. Collaborating with and hiring individuals who excel in areas I don’t allows me to grow, learn, and stay inspired.
Right now, my team is small and still growing. But even in these early stages, I’m learning so much and staying energized. I’m also outsourcing the tasks that drain me, so I can focus fully on what I do best without burning out.
Don’t waste your time stuck in mediocrity. Focus your energy where it counts. Work with people who complement your strengths.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.socialbystephanie.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/@socialbystephanie
- Facebook: www.faceboook.com/socialbystephanie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-jenkins-a9050b151/
- Other: tiktok.com/@socialbystephanie
Image Credits
Luisa NC Photography for branding photos — all other rights/designs are property of Social by Stephanie, Inc.
