Meet Corey Hurley

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Corey Hurley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Corey below.

Hi Corey, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is still a challenge I work hard to overcome on a weekly basis, and I found that a lot of my talented peers feel the same. My number one solution to overcoming imposter syndrome is… TO JUST DO IT! If I find myself feeling like I lack a certain skill or talent, I begin to get my hands involved and DO. I find that implementation of new things on a regular basis reminds you that you can overcome anything – it just might take a little bit of practice and patience!

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?
My mission as a social media manager and creative director, is to approach social media holistically, heart-centered way. I’ve always focused on social media as a relationship-building and networking platform over the numbers game of desiring 10k followers. Your follower count doesn’t dictate your revenue or your worth. People want to be seen, heard, and supported. Through our engagement strategies, that is how people feel. We wanted to avoid contributing to the overwhelm of social media and marketing your business. We know entrepreneurs build their businesses to help people solve an issue they are facing. We put people first.

In a time of influencers, constant advertisements, and dynamic re-marketing, we want to ensure our clients stand out but in a good way. The strongest conversions come from referrals; referrals come from excellent service and networking. There is a trust factor that is difficult to be manipulated. People will purchase from you because you have what they desire and feel aligned with you. What you are offering and how you offer it aligns with what they seek and desire. When people visit your website, social platforms, etc., just like when they meet you in person, energy is emitted. You either vibe or you don’t.

At Seven Willows, we take a holistic approach to social media management. We focus on building relationships with your audience, creating content that builds trust and educates them on your purpose. We provide a white glove service, paying attention to the details that set you apart from your competitors and enhance your brand’s digital blueprint. We create each piece of content and edit each video with intention. We draft copy based on you and your brand’s persona and voice. You won’t find this type of attention to detail or understanding of purpose at big-box marketing agencies or outsourcing to agencies overseas.

Overtime I’ve stepped into being a Creative Director for my clients. I collaborate with content creators, photographers, and videographers to capture the content that embodies my client’s brand, mission, and campaign objectives! This brings all social media and marketing efforts together synergistically!

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?
There are three things that I believe have helped me get to where I am…

1. Welcoming criticism with grace.
2. Asking for help/ eager to research and learn.
3. Implementation.

These might seem silly, but these are the basis of success in my personal opinion. It’s common for people to fear criticism, to take all feedback as negative, and then feel like they’re lesser or unqualified. It’s untrue. Criticism is feedback from life and others who may have more/different experiences than you. When you welcome this with open arms, you’re one step closer to being better, smarter, wiser, stronger, and more talented. Look at it as a little cheat code for success instead of a targeted negative criticism.

Knowing when too ask for help and being eager to learn is imperative to success in life and in business. I ask people for help when I don’t know something or I need an expert’s help to solve a problem. However, relying solely on others to move forward can become challenging and could leave you “stuck” in situations and limit your problem-solving skills. This is where being eager to learn and research comes into play. I advise everyone to try and tackle something they don’t know FIRST before passing it on.

Implementation – I see many business owners having a habit to take multiple courses and read many books but not take any action. The quality to know… is to realize you KNOW ENOUGH to begin.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
As a kid and a teenager, this was very frustrating – but it was a blessing! When I was young… whenever I wanted something, like a laptop, a camera, a course, anything – I had to draft a “proposal” for my parents before they would buy me something or assist in the purchase. I had to map out why I wanted a specific Canon DSLR or WHY I wanted to attend a two-week ballet intensive. Then I would have to map out my return on investment on this. What will I be doing with this new item or skill that will enrich my life? Could I make money on it? Would it make me stronger, and more resilient? Would it bring me joy, and how would it bring me joy?

By providing all of this information upfront, it made me “stick to it” so to speak. When I received my first laptop, I started writing and got published multiple times in local newspapers. When I received my first camera, I launched a photography business. Combining the camera and laptop, I began to hone in on my social media marketing skills. My first dance intensive led me to become a dance teacher through college!

While this was frustrating when I was younger, I am so thankful for it!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Corrie Huggins Photography

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