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

Alright, Bianca thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am easily the happiest I’ve ever been running my own business! My first career job was at a marketing agency, and while I loved everything I learned, I saw how quickly a workplace can become toxic for its employees and how little it seemed to matter to anyone who wasn’t us. It was that job that made me realize I never want to work in that type of environment again, but I wasn’t exactly sure if I could succeed as a business having only been in my career for less than two years at that point. I was really lucky to be mentored by the owner of a successful marketing company, so by the time I was ready to start my business, I was fully confident. Obviously, the hours are long and sometimes the work seems neverending, but I absolutely love what I do and the autonomy I have working for myself. I wouldn’t change a thing.

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

I define my business as a digital media company, which includes various aspects of digital marketing and content creation. I’m also very passionate about photography and videography, so I’m working to make them a more central part of my service offerings in the very near future.

I pride myself in essentially being the one behind the scenes propelling a business— branding, email marketing, social media, SEO, anything to help my clients get in front of their prospects. I think a lot of what sets me apart from others— I’m truly passionate about getting results and exceeding my client’s expectations, and I’ve said this before, but I LOVE what I do. I enjoy everything from the “boring” analytics to the end-to-end strategizing. I’ll spend more time than I probably should to perfect a project, and I’m ecstatic when I hear that a client is happy with my work. I actually have a folder on my desktop that’s called, “Work Things That Make Me Happy” and it’s filled with enthusiastic feedback and kind comments from my clients. That motivates me more than anything!

Oddly enough, I also think being empathetic and having an understanding of the psychological aspects of marketing gives me a competitive edge. Hear me out— in the context of marketing, one of the challenges we face is understanding what our target audience could see or hear that would pique their interest and ultimately motivate them to use a company’s product or service. If you’re able to put yourself in their shoes to understand their needs and how to fulfill them, and then market to them in a way that invokes an emotional response, you’ll be a lot more successful. Sometimes it’s hard to approach marketing from a purely analytical standpoint— I think having both defines greatness in the industry.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I was fresh out of college (class of 2018) and by October of that same year, I began working full-time at my first career job. Like I said before, I loved the work but hated the environment. It was one of those things where I didn’t know any differently, I just assumed this is how it is in the professional world.

Fast forward to March 2020, when everything shut down, including the company I was working for. I showed up to work uncharacteristically excited, but within an hour our entire staff had been laid off. I remember calling my roommate nearly in tears. I thought I had lost my career, I was scared for the state of the world, and I had no idea how I was going to make enough money to stay in San Diego.

As time passed, some fears were mitigated while others were exasperated, but ultimately I did know one thing: I never wanted to work under those conditions again. I didn’t know what that meant or how I was going to make it happen (I was BURNING through my savings just to exist in this city), but within a year, I was working for myself and making almost double what I had at that agency (which, to be fair, was not much to begin with). I had full autonomy and was excited when I woke up for work every morning. I still am.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

At this point, my only strategy has been referrals. My website isn’t up yet, my company’s digital presence is virtually nonexistent, and I haven’t necessarily been prioritizing marketing my own business because I have a healthy clientele. Obviously, these are all strategies that I want to employ as soon as possible, but in my experience, word of mouth has been very effective!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biancasanborn/
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
The first one (of me) was by Christian Blake, the additional 4 photos were taken by me, Bianca Sanborn