We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mariah Zingarelli a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mariah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Owning a business is indeed a risk-taking endeavor that requires a leap of faith and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. It involves stepping away from the security of a regular paycheck and venturing into uncharted territory where you must build everything from scratch. Every decision, from a simple social media post to a major financial investment, carries a level of risk. You can’t hang your head on everything you do-which is REALLY HARD as a business owner when your actions are directly responsible for the results you and your team have.

Learning to trust yourself in this process is crucial. It involves developing confidence in your abilities and judgment, even when faced with uncertainty. One way to do this is by focusing on the journey rather than being overly fixated on the outcome. When you approach your business as a learning experience, you become more open to taking risks and less attached to specific outcomes. You are going to fail- but there is beauty and opportunity in the failure. You have to learn from everything you do or it is a wasted risk.

Another aspect of trusting yourself is learning to listen to your intuition. While it’s important to gather data and information to make informed decisions, there are times when your gut feeling can guide you in the right direction. Trusting yourself in these moments can lead to innovative ideas and unexpected opportunities.

Taking things less seriously doesn’t mean being careless or negligent. It’s about maintaining a sense of perspective and not letting the fear of failure paralyze you (another really hard things to do). Understanding that setbacks and failures are part of the entrepreneurial journey can help you approach challenges with a growth mindset, viewing them as opportunities for learning and growth rather than insurmountable obstacles.

Owning a business is inherently risky, but learning to trust yourself in the process can help you navigate these challenges with confidence and resilience. By focusing on the journey, listening to your intuition, and maintaining a sense of perspective, you can embrace the uncertainties of entrepreneurship and use them as stepping stones to success.

Mariah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Picking Daisies Media is not just a social media firm; it’s a passion project born out of a desire to empower influencers and businesses to thrive in the digital space.

At Picking Daisies Media, we specialize in providing influencer management services, sponsorship opportunities, and expert affiliate marketing management. We believe in helping our clients monetize their platforms and maximize their earning potential. From organic engagement to PR, LTK and Amazon expansion, Pinterest monetization, and blog management, we offer a wide range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients.

I started Picking Daisies as a blog in 2018. Through my dedication and hard work, the blog quickly gained a loyal following, attracting over 100k monthly readers and 10k Instagram followers. This success inspired me to expand my vision and create Picking Daisies Media, a platform dedicated to empowering women and businesses in the world of social media.

What sets us apart from others is our commitment to our clients’ success. We see ourselves as partners on your transformative journey, dedicated to helping you build influential platforms and leave a positive mark on the world. With our team of skilled professionals, we are here to guide and empower you every step of the way.

At Picking Daisies Media, we are most proud of the impact we have had on our clients’ lives. Seeing them succeed and achieve their goals is incredibly rewarding, and it drives us to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of social media.

Our main goal is to help our clients harness the power of social media and achieve remarkable results. Whether you are looking to grow your Instagram following, monetize your blog, or expand your reach on Pinterest, we have the expertise and dedication to help you succeed.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2021, when my business was less than a year old, I faced a significant challenge that tested my resilience. One of my main clients, who had started with me and even referred many people to my business, went behind my back and stole everything. At that time, we had very loose systems in place, and clients had full access to our resources, such as leads, contracts, and pitching materials.

This client went through and took every lead, every email, and even copied my contracts. They also went as far as to copy my name on Pinterest. Following this, the client started a two-year smear campaign against me. I had clients stolen, false lies spread about me, and my hard work was essentially stolen.

However, during this challenging time, I made a conscious decision to respond with silence. I did not confront the client or speak publicly about the situation. Instead, I focused on learning from my mistakes and implemented stronger security structures and contracts to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

This experience tested not only my mental strength but also the resilience of my business. It was a challenging period, but it ultimately served as a positive learning lesson. It taught me the importance of having robust systems in place and reinforced my commitment to building a strong and secure business foundation.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Maintaining strong client relationships and fostering brand loyalty in the remote service industry has been a challenging but rewarding journey for us. Since we’ll likely never meet our clients in person, it’s important for us to bridge that gap and humanize our brand.

In 2022, we made client loyalty and relationships our number one priority. One of the key strategies we implemented was mandatory monthly Zoom calls with each client. These calls not only help us stay updated on their needs and progress but also allow us to build a personal connection and put a face behind our remote team.

Additionally, we organize client trips and events to further strengthen our relationships. Sending physical birthday cards, engaging and commenting on their content, and sending welcome gifts when they sign on are some of the other ways we show our clients that they are valued members of our community.

These efforts have not only helped us stay connected with our clients but have also contributed to building a loyal client base who trust and appreciate the personalized approach we take towards client relationships. Importantly, this approach has also helped us navigate through the “slow” months and rough times online, as the strong relationships we’ve built have provided a stable foundation of support and loyalty during challenging times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pickingdaisiesmedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickingdaisiesmedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahzingarelli/