Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawneé Owens.
Hi Shawneé, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I would love to say that moving to Atlanta was my choice, but it wasn’t. And that building The Marketers Agency was something I dreamt of as a child, but I didn’t. The truth is that “how I got to where I am today” was nothing by God leading and protecting me through the good and the bad.
Growing up, I was a very passionate theater kid and I starred in all the plays throughout high school. Performing on stage was something that I would say came naturally to me, but I had an amazing theater teacher named Mr. Tabb who took pride in exposing my class and I to how far we could really take it.
It inspired me to study professionally, so I attended Howard University to further my career in Fine Arts, and throughout my college career I discovered a deeper love for directing and producing. Eager to find success post-graduation, I took on an Apprentice opportunity for a business that needed assistance.
The company quickly realized my value and milked it. While it provided me with exposure and experience, the commitment as a whole was extremely draining mentally, physically, and financially to say the least! I’ll spare the details for another interview, but that is why I am now an advocate for quarter recaps – where every 3 months you check-in with yourself on your goals, re-evaluate the people around you, and make sure the things you are committed to/involved in are still serving you just as much as you are serving them!
When it all came to an end unexpectedly, I had been siloed to Atlanta with barely anything to my name and very little to show for my efforts. It felt like all of the time, effort, and sacrifices I had made to literally build this company’s foundation from scratch was for nothing. It felt like all I had was the lessons learned and the extensive skills I had been growing for years – skills that all happened to fall under the umbrella of marketing.
So once I decided that I had to make something work with what I knew I could do, I connected with my now business partner, Maya Johnson, who was also ready to bet on her skills and thus, The Marketers Agency was born. Maya is an email marketing genius, and so we figured we could join forces to really help people tackle the marketing funnel from beginning to end.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My original thought was “Ha! I wish…” but then I thought about it, and I actually don’t wish that it had been a smooth road. Now that I have come out on the other side, I am 100% sure that every “wrong move” or “tough experience” led me to exactly where I am right now – which is where I am supposed to be.
When I graduated from Howard, and agreed to help the business as an “Apprentice”, it was originally presented as an equal exchange opportunity for me to grow and develop my career goals. It turned into extremely long work days that blurred into nights, months that turned into years, sacrificed relationships, and unmet promises. I found myself so deeply caught up in the “hustle” toward “success” that I grew disconnected from loved ones and my individual interests.
During those years, I didn’t realize that it was ok to pivot. It’s ok to walk away when you recognize that something isn’t benefiting you the way it was intended to. It’s ok to put yourself and your needs first. I encourage all young women to surround themselves with multiple layers of trusted advisors. Whether that’s friends, a therapist, a coach, or family. Talk to someone about what you’re going through and remember that you ALWAYS have options.
One of my favorite quotes is “The only way through it is THROUGH it”. Looking back, everything I struggled with is now a part of my story. It’s now a part of what I can relate to and speak on in hopes of helping someone else.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Business Owner, Digitial Content Producer, and growth advocate.
The Marketers Agency focuses on helping companies streamline their content execution.
Sometimes companies just don’t know what to post because having to come up with new, trendy, interesting ideas every day can be exhausting, and then organizing it on a calendar is one extra layer of marketing that takes time – so we do that for you. Good content is the marketing foundation for all businesses interested in attracting attention online. Once that is solid we move toward improving a business’s website design and email marketing.
Being a Digital Content Producer allows me to combine my love for film and marketing into one. I enjoy being able to tell stories through visual content that feature people who deserve to be seen representing life in totality. Doing that, while also marketing a product, brand, or event through quality content is the happy medium. This also led me to my position at Matrix MKTG, an experiential marketing agency that really moves the culture, where I manage social media and direct production teams creating digital content for clients across the country.
As a growth advocate, I believe everyone should live their life based upon “The 3 E’s of Elevation”. It’s a term I coined proving that growth can only happen when the following things occur: exposure, experience, and execution. The only way we can learn more about ourselves is by seeing more, doing more, and trying new things.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I remember during that time there was just so much uncertainty, confusion, and fear! Everything was shut down. Shelves were empty. School went 100% virtual. It was such an unprecedented time. I remember that I had to stop watching the news and disconnect from “reality” because it was so depressing and negative and truly focus on the solutions to the chaos. “What CAN we do to get through this – one day at a time.”
Ironically, during the pandemic is when I learned the MOST about myself because I was forced to move, act, and work differently. The biggest epiphany I had during that time is that we are constantly motivated, influenced, and impacted by the rest of the world and it’s important to break free from that giant wave of united thought and influence every now and then. It’s the only way you’ll be able to explore a vision that others may be unable to see.
Contact Info:
- Website: themarketersagency.com
- Instagram: @hey.shawnee
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawneeowens/
