Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Turner.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Becoming an entrepreneur helped to save my life and enabled me to help hundreds of others expand their vision. I was not that child who knew exactly what they wanted to do, even upon graduating with a degree in Finance and Spanish. Prior to graduating, I had a job in fast-food and worked nearly full-time as a bank teller. Post-graduation, I accelerated quickly in the Corporate Finance world, but I knew there was something more that I was supposed to do. After two years working in finance, I accepted a new job at an international brokerage (stocks, options, etc.). I gained a number of invaluable skills that would carry over to entrepreneurship including developing procedures, managing in a high-paced environment, and continually adapting to new technology.
While there, I began experiencing high-stress levels that resulted in auto-immune issues, mainly uncontrollable sleep. For an extended period during a merger, I pushed myself to the brink studying for FINRA licenses, taking work home on the weekends, and managing a team in another city with a limited cultural perspective and lack of respect for long-distance supervision. I can look back and say I had an accelerated course in life lessons during that time. It also pushed me to reach for something different, which led me to entrepreneurship.
After much prayer and a skills assessment, I decided event planning and invitation design would be my way out. Thus, Rosemint Events was born. I also sold some stock that I had self-traded to provide somewhat of a financial cushion upon my leaving. In the days leading up to my last day in corporate, I began feeling freer. I am not knocking the corporate environment, but there was little that could have prepared me for some of the unique circumstances I would experience. There were some people in leadership who definitely made me feel supported and helped me to grow while there, but I got a good taste of what it’s like to have to continually work with people who are not for you. I also made it a life goal to put myself in a position where I would have more flexibility with my time, especially when thinking about my future self as a wife and mother.
I ran my business full-time while also working as a Business Manager for a non-profit and assisting at an Accounting company for about four years. I had planned and coordinated over 25 weddings in a three year period as I built my business. Others began to notice my skills in marketing and I was asked to help with social media often. I had over 10,000 followers on my Instagram account before being an “influencer” was a thing! I decided to take steps to pivot from event planning to marketing services and rebranded my business as Rosemint Media.
Once again, I gained invaluable experience while working for others, but I eventually began to realize that I had to take a full chance on myself. On my last day working for anyone, I cannot explain the weight lifted off of me. Something had completely shifted. Later that night, I felt a strong urge to be creative and paint. My youngest sister, who is a full-time artist, gave me some paint and brushes and I felt like I had discovered another side of me. Eventually, I would establish Radiant Thorns as an avenue to sell my artwork and create journals.
I am grateful for parents who prioritized programs that provided both creative and academic opportunities. They were very forward-thinking in the upbringing of myself and my siblings. For example, we didn’t have all of the latest name-brand shoes and clothes, but we were one of the first to have a computer in the home. More than anything else, I have extreme gratitude for my parents, showing up for me consistently and being supportive.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many ups and downs along the way. For some time, I didn’t recognize my value and was not charging as I should have been. A successful entrepreneur, who was the mother of a bride of a wedding I coordinated, applauded my work, gave me a huge tip, and specifically told me that I need to charge more.
I also had some stressful situations due to not standing firm on boundaries and wanting to provide great customer service. Society has become groomed to get instant responses and instant gratification. I was getting to the point of returning back to corporate with some of the late-night phone calls and over the top expectations of some past clients. After receiving so many great reviews and proven results, it clicked that I did not need to be the super-fast or less-expensive company. However, I did need to be clear on boundaries and expectations.
My advice:
1. Set boundaries, communicate them, and stick to them.
2. Use auto-responders, auto-schedulers, and other tools that help to automate customer service. Make technology your employee!
3. Every client is not your client. Listen to your gut and don’t push when you get that “this person is going to stress me out” feeling. You will learn a lot from those people, but you do not have to learn the same lessons over and over again.
4. Be clear on what is included in your service and have a plan for communication.
5. Start envisioning your team as you build so that you know exactly who you need to hire once you are able to.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Rosemint Media – what should we know?
Rosemint Media is a marketing and design company with a mission to elevate and educate brands. We have worked with hundreds of companies across many industries to produce measurable results. Our toolbox includes years of experience and a diverse perspective. Our team spans three generations and is able to be relatable to and resonate across many audiences.
We specialize in: marketing/social media strategy, full brand management, website creation. I am most proud of not being afraid to move in a non-traditional way or feeling pressure from trends. Yes, there is value in “the rules,” and it is important to know the trends, but they are not law. It is important to be innovative, know the data and goals, and do what will produce the best results for each individual business.
What sets Rosemint Media apart? Rosemint Media is able to provide full brand management, which includes strategy, marketing (on and offline), and design.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
On Mentorship: In regards to finding a mentor, focus and look at your strengths and weaknesses. Visualize the person who could help you to reach the next level. If you keep working hard and are willing to invest in you, the mentorship will appear. Be open to this not being a person that you have a personal relationship with. Some of my “mentors” are people I’ve never met, but I watch all of their teachings and buy their products! You must also be willing to be a mentor to someone who can learn from you.
On Networking: When it comes to networking, before walking into the room, tell yourself: “There is someone here who is excited to meet me and I will solve their problem. There is someone here who will help to change my life.”
Keep this expectation with everyone you meet and your conversations will be different!
Pricing:
- 60 Min Strategy Call // $107
- Monthly Social Media Management (2 Platforms) // $750 per month
- Brand Management (Marketing, Strategy, Business Building) // Begins at $1500 per month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rosemintmedia.com www.radiantthorns.com
- Phone: 312-627-9310
- Email: digital@rosemintmedia.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/rosemintmedia instagram.com/radiantthorns
- Facebook: facebook.com/rosemintmedia facebook.com/radiantthorns
Image Credit:
Destine Photos
Be Healthy Photography
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