We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Thompson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I’ve always had a strong work ethic. I learned from a very young age that if you wanted something you were going to have to work for it. I remember being 12 years old & starting my first job at my family farm. I saved up all summer to buy an iPod Nano for a whopping $200. I then spent the next 7 summers working at the farm so I could afford the things I wanted. While most of my peers were on family cell phone plans, I had a pay as you go phone. So if I didn’t have money I wasn’t going to be able to send those texts that were very important back in middle school. I also spent a whole summer working to save up for my car once I turned 15 so that when I finally got my license I would be able to buy a car & get myself from Point A to Point B. My family had a very strong sense of showing up & doing your best. You learn quickly that the work you provide directly reflects the business you are working for when your family name is literally on the sign.
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?
I started my own virtual assistant business in 2021, landing my first client on a complete whim. I knew people were making money through social media & I was ready to learn everything I could about how they were doing this. I slowly began to take on more & more clients until 2 years in, I was bringing in an extra $2,000/month. I had no idea where this journey was going to take me but I quickly realized that helping business get to the next level & use social media to make more money moves is something I absolutely love doing. I’ve spent countless hours learning the ins & outs of social media & how to best set up your brand & business to use social media to your advantage. I love getting to work with clients in all industries & helping them get everything set up & streamlined.
I have now started to offer a Money Makers Course that is everything from branding, to figuring out your niche, to mastering content creation, engagement, dm’s & more so that I’m able to help even more brands & businesses get aligned with their social media & start leveling up their online presence.
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?
The top three skills that have helped me the most in my journey are 1. Consistency. 2. Networking & 3. Grace.
1. Consistency. I had to consistently show up on my social media account for 18 months in order to build rapport, make connections & create a sense of trust with my audience & potential clients. You have to consistently choose to work on your business over watching tv or going out. You have to consistently show up when no one is checking your clock in & clock out time, when no one else is holding you accountable & when no one else cares if you succeed or not.
2. Networking. Your network will make or break you. I made got my first client through just interacting & reaching out to him through a DM. Once I landed him I then met 3 of my other clients. Not to mention I made a good amount of professional connections that led me to meeting a ton of beneficial people who have helped my business grow, from professional photographers, website designers, graphic designers & other virtual assistants. You are one conversation away from a whole new life. So start networking.
3, Grace. Building a business is not only hard but it takes you on a massive journey of self discovery. I read a quote once that said “Entrepreneurship is a personal growth journey disguised as a business opportunity.” & that is SPOT ON. So as you embark on this journey just remember to give yourself grace. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it & taking your first step is the hardest part. Just go for it.
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?
As my business grows I am always looking for more people to work with. I love to connect & work on collaborations on social media to help us all reach new audiences & grow our business. I love the opportunity to support other businesses & share them with my clients & peers who are needing help in specific areas.
If you are looking to work together in any way shape or form please reach out on Instagram @ms_money_moves & let’s start helping each other build a large & engaged network of entrepreneurs that are ready to level up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moneymovesmgmt.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ms_money_moves/
Image Credits
https://www.andreamichelle-photo.com/
or
@andreamichellephoto
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
