Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexa Verink. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Alexa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
Content is the fuel for my entire business, so I still keep a tight grip on doing it myself! I think it’s important for business owners to run their own social media & ads at least to the point of getting some initial results so that they can understand the systems, trends, & what works before handing it off to someone else. You understand your offer & audience better than any 3rd-party provider will, so learning the best way to communicate with your people in the social space is a crucial part of the process.
I also think we’re (already!) heading into an AI-saturated era with content creation where unique, creative, human-driven content will stand out among the sea of computer-generated ideas. It might take longer to make your Reels & TikToks, but the humanity will be felt, which increases trust with viewers.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I followed the college-to-corporate pipeline straight through! I was doing marketing & insights work for global food & beverage brands for over 10 years when I realized that the path ahead of me was not leading to a lifestyle I wanted long term.
It took a few years of experimenting in different online business models, but I landed in high-ticket affiliate marketing in early 2021 after realizing that the systems folks use in this industry are very similar to what I was using for huge, multi-national brands… but to build their own wealth vs. a company’s.
So now I have the privilege of partnering with an established preventative wellness company out of Japan to offer their health technology, & I also show other high-performing corporate employees how to start a high-ticket affiliate marketing business online so they can shift out of careers that aren’t serving them.
I don’t know that I’m necessarily SO unique in my space—a lot of folks are offering ways that people can escape the corporate structure—but I love that I can be the person who understands the fallout people go through when they realize their status at their company isn’t actually amounting to the life they wanted & can be there to offer them an alternative that *will* lead them to their goals.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Phew, this has happened so many times! When I first started dabbling in the online space, I got involved with a low-ticket multi-level marketing company. I think we all know the type. I was told to reach out to everyone I knew, get them to buy from me, & become a product pusher. It felt off, but I didn’t know any other way at the time, so I put all my faith into those tactics. I thought it was THE WAY out of a 9-5 career for me! I even quit my corporate job & moved my boyfriend & I across the country to live with my mom for 6 months so I could “make it happen”.
Spoiler: it didn’t.
I realized the business model was unsustainable & wasn’t aligned with how I wanted to interact with my customers.
I ended up having to crawl back to a corporate role for a while, but going through that experience helped me hone in on HOW I want to operate as a digital business owner, which I’ve carried with me ever since.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I am all about paid advertising. I absolutely love it. I knew when I got into affiliate marketing that I’d rather rely on leveraging my money to gain leads & buy back my time vs. hustling for hours on end just to keep expenses as low as possible. I’d say 95% of my business has been built with paid ads on Instagram & TikTok.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
all photos are mine!