We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brianna Roybal a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brianna, thanks for joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
I got my first client from Instagram! At first, I hosted a giveaway that helped more people discover my account. The giveaway led to my first paid booking on 4/3/2021. The power of social media is incredible! Not too long ago, I had a viral video on Instagram and Tiktok. Despite being a location-based service, those videos resulted in one of my busiest months.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hey everyone, I’m Brianna! Born and raised in beautiful Grand Junction, Colorado – where we’re all about the Palisade Wineries, juicy peaches, and amazing outdoor recreation activities. But, when I moved to the Front Range in 2018, I discovered a whole new world of adventure and excitement that I just fell in love with.
Now, let’s talk about my journey. I actually got my nursing assistant certification at the ripe age of 16 and went on to serve the public for a whopping 9 years! It was rewarding to help those in need, but let me tell you, when the pandemic hit, it was a scary time to be on the front lines without proper protective equipment. That’s when I realized that it was time for a change, and so I decided to pivot my career path.
But hey, I didn’t want to stop serving my community! I saw a viral video on Tiktok from a picnic company out in California and from that video I started Foothills Picnics on a whim and with only $500, I thrifted my first picnic table and was only able to accommodate two people at the beginning. As a small business owner, I take great pride in my work, and it brings me immense joy to make people happy through my services. Looking back on my first setups compared to what I create now, I can see a remarkable improvement in my skills and creativity. This business has been a fulfilling experience for me, and I am excited to continue growing and improving it.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I’m happy to share that I started Foothills Picnics with a very modest budget of only $500. I was able to thrift my very first picnic table, and from that point on, I reinvested everything I earned back into the business. In the past two years, I’ve invested around $12,000 in materials to grow and improve my offerings. I’m excited to say that this year will be our most profitable yet, and I’m looking forward to continuing to invest in the business and watch it grow.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
The social media grind is real, and consistency is key. I’ve found that it’s beneficial to follow people in your niche or other small business owners who can become your biggest supporters and help boost your engagement. I try to make everything into content, and I’ve noticed that people love watching hyperlapses, so I incorporate those into my posts as much as possible. Surprisingly, 60% of all my bookings come through my various social media pages, so I highly recommend using these platforms to grow your business. It’s easy to get discouraged, especially if you only have a few followers, but it’s essential to remember that everything takes time. Keep at it, and you’ll get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://foothillspicnics.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/foothillspicnics?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foothillspicnicsllc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_iwsq2eP9tBJqoYUBZwVAA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/foothills-picnics-fort-collins
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@foothillspicnics
Image Credits
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