Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kendra DeAnna. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kendra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Proud mompreneur here! And the one thing I love about that, is having the freedom to watch my children grow up and be present for them as they need love and guidance.
On the flip side, being a business owner, you have to put so much time into the growth of your business. Especially when you’re just starting out. And that makes me wonder, if being a business owner is the best option for my family.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it is!
Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing at all wrong with working a 9-5.
But personally, I would hate to be so confined that I would need to ask someone else to be there for my family and possibly get told no, due to short staff or something of that nature.

I also believe that all the ideas and creativity that I have been blessed with, might be wasted working towards someone else’s vision.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

A lot of small business owners that have a service based business or don’t have a physical location don’t think to have a launch party or grand opening. Most times it’s not even a thought in their minds. Or if it is, they may not always follow through because, where would they even have it.

Another thing I noticed was that small businesses usually wear multiple hats in their business and rarely have time to market themselves properly on social media. And as the years go by, we see more and more that social media is becoming absolutely necessary to have a successful business.

Back in 2018, I was a singer/songwriter, but that was not bringing in any income.
So, I Prayed and asked God to lead me in the right direction and show me how to create a business that would allow me to be a stay at home wife/mom, but also be able to contribute financially to my family.
That’s when I saw a Fb post from one of my friends that said “We have baby showers and house warming parties, why not throw business showers for our friends who start a new business.”
For me this would be the perfect business!
Not only do I Love Love Love to celebrate!!!
But I Love Love Love to celebrate new business owners and their endeavors!
It’s just in my nature!

So I created Rise 2 Glow!
A company dedicated to helping small business owners feel supported and celebrated!

Well, I procrastinated for way too long on actually getting things moving. And by the time I did…
It was 2020. And the pandemic shut the world down.
No one was worried about celebrating their business.

I felt so defeated and guilty that God helped me see this amazing creative idea for a business but I didn’t act on it as fast as I should.
So I Prayed again and asked God what I should do next.
How could I keep my business open during a pandemic?
Then a good friend of mine reached out randomly and told me I should offer VA services (Virtual Assistant services). This was great bc the work I had done previously for years, was very close to that.

So, I begin offering VA services and soon realized that those businesses really needed a social media manager.
So I pivoted into being a SMM (Social Media Manager).

Now, I call myself The Business Doula because I am able to do what I’m passionate about, And that’s making sure business babies are celebrated and supported just as a birth doula would do for families expecting new life.
I believe that just as it takes a village to raise a baby, it takes a village to raise a business!
And I am so honored to be able to do what I Love.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

As much as I truly believe in the power of social media marketing, the best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth and networking!

There is nothing like have evangelist spread the word about your business because they love you not only as a person, but as a business owner!

There’s also nothing like having a good conversation with a potential client in person and allowing them to see the passion and fire in your eyes!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

You should have a 9-5 as an entrepreneur. That is a total and complete misconception that circulated in the social media space.

One of the biggest mistakes I made walking into entrepreneurship was leaving my 9-5 before generating a stable income.

I honestly don’t advise doing so unless God has spoken to you and lead you to do so, or you just have this immense desire to dive deep into your passion.

You do what needs to be done!
Work that 9-5, take notes on how a successful business is built, make note of what not to do. Use you off days and time after work to build your business.
But just make sure have a solid plan im place before you walk away from the 9-5 to pursue your dream.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rise2glow?igsh=YzAwZjE1ZTI0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rise2glow?si=NIR_VyW3yo12DwgU

Image Credits
Shesnapz Photography