We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Teri Patrick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Teri below.
Teri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today
1. Growth doesn’t always mean more My mind would often dart to monetary gains when I thought of the word “growth”. I had to challenge myself to think more about what growth meant and ultimately I realized it doesn’t always mean “more”… more money, more clients or more projects. Growth can also look like slowing down, re-evaluating and pulling back so you can then spring forward. It also looks like failing, learning and overcoming obstacles. For me, growth is both mental, physical, emotional and financial.
2. You have to trust yourself first, then invest in a mentor
There is a clear demand for coaches and consultants, especially in the online business world right now. I have invested in both business coaches and consultants long-term and my biggest learning was that I needed to trust myself first before I was able to receive complete support. I think it’s common for entrepreneurs lacking self-trust to become heavily codependent on their mentor, which can contribute to a lack of confidence in decision making and sometimes even lead to creating a business that you don’t really love.
3. Signing off on a business coach or consultant before you’ve done your research
Additionally, not doing enough due diligence on the person I was looking to hire, created many disruptions down the road. This type of quick decision can easily spiral into feeling stuck in a partnership that is not aligned with your vision, goals or values. Part of owning your due diligence is asking the right questions, reading reviews and assessing whether or not the individual you seek to hire will offer the type of support you need.
4. You don’t need a service for everything you’re an expert in
In the online space especially, there are a lot of multi-talented entrepreneurs. In the beginning, when a client would ask me “can you do this too…?” my answer was almost always “yeah of course” or “yes! We can figure something out”. While the intention started as the most innocent, it quickly spiralled me into a rabbit hole of work I didn’t really sign up for and overstuffed offers that would undo my simplified business model.
What I hope you can take away from this is that you can be an expert at something and still not have a service for it. You can be a top notch service provider and still be unavailable for random requests. Leaning into your boundaries with clients and being clear about what it is you can do vs. can not do, is the first step to creating a more aligned and efficient business.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
MY JOURNEY GETTING STARTED I never actually had a normal childhood from on the work side of things, I started working for my family businesses around the age of 14 actually answering phones, so my first job as a young woman was a receptionist – and naturally I was working in an environment with men and women much older than me
which is something that accelerated my knowledge and skills far beyond my age.
Every summer from about the age of 14 until I left for university at 18, I worked my way up in the company, eventually leading marketing portfolios and I even supported my father to brand, launch and market a new startup which was such invaluable experience at that time in my life. So with this type of childhood, it really set the stage for me to drive full tilt towards entrepreneurship, so I went to university for Business and Marketing with a minor in organizational leadership.
University put me back in a box and made me feel crazy for wanting to go out on my own, I saw all my friends applying for jobs in fourth year and I just thought well I guess I have to do this but i knew deep deep down that it would never be my path. Early on in the pandemic I started quietly working on my business while it felt like the world was shutting down. I really take a lot of pride in my ability to see negative situations as opportunities and I think that is one of the main reasons I have my business today!
I made a conscious decision to burn all other boats and focus solely on getting my business off the ground, I never ever go half into something and I had the privilege of having financial reserves to be able to take my business full time right away, which I understand many people may not have, but keep in mind I didn’t make enough to pay myself in the first year so the financial risk was very much prevalent. I started with branding and social media management and after I built my confidence in those offers I then launched into consulting and now I’m here..
WHAT WE DO
The Social Acre supports home businesses to build memorable brands through brand strategy, marketing and visibility. Our approach for home brands is a beautiful blend of consulting and done-for-you services, allowing our clients to customize their experience and brand expansion plan. We provide a comprehensive suite of services from market research and strategy to content creation, brand development, social media marketing, PR and visibility reach and more.
Our experts are here to help every step of the way in order to ensure success. Additionally, we offer real-time analytics insights into our clients’ data so they can make informed decisions and track progress. Our mission is to bring our clients the right mix of strategy, creativity and technology to craft a unique online presence that will elevate their brand and create an unforgettable brand experience.
We believe deeply in our signature methodology, The Memorable Brand Method, to develop custom solutions for each client. The Social Acre team leverages its experience working with realtors, designers, and home service organizations to master authentic presence, activate brand legacy’s, and elevate visibility.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
#1 Growth doesn’t always mean ‘more’
Growth doesn’t always mean “more”… more money, more clients or more projects. Growth can also look like slowing down, re-evaluating and pulling back so you can then spring forward. It also looks like failing, learning and overcoming obstacles.
Growth is not a linear path, it’s filled with ups and downs. It means learning from your mistakes and taking risks knowing that failure can often be part of the outcome. It also means stepping out of your comfort zone to challenge yourself and nurture new skills or ideas. Growth allows us to become more than we have ever been – it gives us the opportunity to discover who we really are and what our purpose is in life. The most rewarding part of growth is being able to look back on your journey and celebrate all that you’ve achieved.
So embrace change, take risks, learn from mistakes, never give up and always keep growing! You’ll find satisfaction, success and ultimately happiness as a result.
#2 Trust yourself first, then look for support
The best investment I have made in myself is taking the time to trust my gut. As entrepreneurs, we often think that the only way to grow is by getting advice from a mentor or coach. But if you don’t trust yourself first, it will be hard for someone else to guide you. Take the time to work through your own ideas before seeking external help. Once you are ready, there are plenty of ways to get expert advice – from attending courses and seminars to working with a business mentor. So lean into your boundaries, trust yourself and invest in the right external support when it comes to achieving long-term growth.
By taking the time to challenge yourself and rethink conventional approaches towards growth, you can create opportunities for sustainable success.
#3 You don’t need a service for everything you’re an expert in
As a multi-talented entrepreneur in the online space, it can be tempting to offer every service you’re capable of. It makes sense – after all, if all your skills and knowledge could generate more income, why not? While this may seem like the most logical choice, it’s important to recognize when too much is simply too much. You don’t want to become overwhelmed with work or overstuffed offers that will only cause chaos and undo your simplified business model.
Knowing when and how to say “no” can be just as important as knowing what types of services—and expertise—you should invest in. Not only will this help you maintain focus, it will also allow you to grow your business in a realistic and sustainable way.
What I hope you can take away from this is that you can be an expert at something and still not have a service for it. You can be a top notch service provider and still be unavailable for random requests. Leaning into your boundaries with clients and being clear about what it is you can and can not do, is the first step to creating a more aligned and efficient business.
There are a few key points to consider when deciding which services to offer:
1. What do you enjoy doing the most? Investing time into something that brings you joy is essential for both productivity and customer satisfaction.
2. Which areas can showcase your expertise? Offering services related to your core strengths will give clients more confidence
How did you build your audience on social media?
It all started with a dream and a determination to make it come true. When I first began my journey of building my online presence and audience, I was scared. Scared of the judgement and criticism that other people would have of me and my ideas. But, I pushed past those fears because I knew deep down that on the other side of fear was something incredible.
So, each day I set out with one goal in mind: reach out to as many people as possible and build genuine connections along the way. This meant attending networking events, joining relevant Facebook groups, and researching potential contacts within my community that could help me grow my business. As time went by, these efforts paid off – slowly but surely.
The most important thing for me was consistency; making sure that whatever content or services I provided were always top-notch quality – no matter how small or insignificant it seemed at the time. Eventually, this created a snowball effect where more opportunities kept coming in from different sources such as Instagram Live series which allowed me to network even further.
Most importantly though –– through all this effort — what really made everything worthwhile was connection; connecting with amazing people who had similar passions & interests as myself while also getting acquainted with inspiring individuals who encouraged me throughout my journey every step of the way.
Eventually after months of hard work & dedication –– My online presence flourished into something great thanks largely due to persistence & passion combined together into one powerful force.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.thesocialacre.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thesocialacre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSocialAcre
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teripatrick/
- Other: CONNECT WITH TERI PERSONALLY Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/teripatrickk/ THE SOCIAL ACRE SHOW – PODCAST TSA Show – https://www.instagram.com/thesocialacreshow/ Podcast Links – https://www.thesocialacre.com/podcastlinks ALL LINKS https://www.thesocialacre.com/links
Image Credits
Sandra Monaco Ashley Klaash