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

Erin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I originally majored in journalism when I went to college (much love to Virginia Tech – Go Hokies!). I wanted to tell the stories of interesting people and places. My dream was to be a magazine editor in New York City and live in Greenwich Village. That dream changed my junior year.

During my junior year of college, I took a public relations course, and I was ready to change my major almost immediately from journalism to PR. I loved the idea of continuously telling a story about the evolution of a person, place, or business.

Since graduation, my career has included working at a PR agency, going in-house and becoming a marketing director, to eventually realizing my childhood dream as the editor-in-chief of a bridal magazine (oh, the stories I could tell).

While I loved the work, I never felt like the corporate box was the right fit for me. The constant red tape and jumping through hoops to have anything approved got old quickly. I was repeatedly told to stay in my lane, the worst thing anyone could ever tell me.

I couldn’t find a job that allowed me or gave me space to use all of my experience in PR, strategy, marketing, and writing. I felt stifled and uncreative. I knew I had to make a change.

After hearing that I should stay in my lane, just go with things, or not to rock the boat one too many times, I decided it was time to do something for myself. I went back to my first love, writing.

I reached out to many of the editors in my city, and luckily some gave me a chance. As my byline became more recognizable, I had people research me and find my LinkedIn profile with all my experience. People paid me to write bios and press releases, update website copy, and create branding documents.

I loved freelancing. I worked directly with the client, and there were no hoops to jump through. If they liked it, I hit publish. If they didn’t like it, we reworked it. There was collaboration, and for the first time in a long time, my ideas were taken seriously and not watered down or put on hold. Folks were interested in my strategic and questioning nature. It felt damn good.

I had never thought about starting my own business, but I was definitely thinking about it now. I couldn’t get that crazy idea out of my head. Knowing that I needed clarity about my next step, I went where every adult goes to find answers — I went home.

In May 2015, I went home to visit my family and celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom. Over coffee one morning, I told my mom about my business idea. I wanted to start a marketing/communications firm that utilized all my skills to give clients exceptional service. She listened and then said, “well, if you’re going to do it, you’ll need a name for your company.”

I didn’t want to have a company with my name on it. I wanted it to grow and not be based solely on me. So, mom suggested I name it after something I loved. We talked about my love of the ocean and how I wanted to be a mermaid when I was younger. And as I was about to take a sip of coffee, I casually said, “should I name it something like Blue Tide Creative?” As soon as I said it, I knew that was it. That was the name of my company. I turned to my mom, and she was smiling at me. “I think you just named your business,” she said as she took a knowing sip of her coffee.

Blue Tide Creative was officially born. Over the next seven months, I saved money and built the foundation of my company. December 31, 2015, was my last day working in corporate America.

January 1, 2016, was the first official day of Blue Tide Creative. I woke up that day as the CEO + Head Mermaid of Blue Tide Creative. Eight-year-old Erin would be thrilled to know she finally became a mermaid.

In the past seven years, I’ve made mistakes and had great successes, and I know, without a doubt, that I’m on the right path. I’m growing something that makes me proud every day. I’m giving clients unique and exceptional experiences by looking at things from the perspectives of a journalist, marketing director, and PR professional.

And I still refuse to pick a lane.

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

First and foremost, I am a storyteller. This passion led me to pursue a career in journalism, which shifted to public relations during my junior year of college. I love PR because you can continuously tell the story of a person, place, or business as they/it evolve.

As my career continued to grow, I embraced new opportunities. When I moved to Charlotte, there weren’t as many PR agencies as there are now, so I pivoted to marketing. I worked in legal marketing for almost 10 years and learned about marketing, business development, event planning, and strategy. Eventually, I went back to my journalism roots and became a freelance writer and editor-in-chief of a bridal magazine.

I started my business because I wanted to use my PR, marketing, strategy, and journalism background to ensure my clients stand out from the crowd. Want to talk about KPIs or press releases, or branding? I got you.

What sets me apart is that I’m not afraid to go deep with my clients. I’ve created services that go beneath the surface and follow the three pillars of Blue Tide Creative: Educate. Empower. Elevate. The services currently offered to businesses and entrepreneurs are:

1. Our signature Deep Blue Consulting is an offering for profitable businesses with a team and a clear understanding of the ROI they provide to customers/clients but may not have a clear marketing/communications strategy and plan.
2. Our signature Concierge Service is for small businesses that need marketing and communications assistance but may not be able to afford a traditional retainer.
3. Brand and Content Audits
4. Copywriting
5. Public Relations
6. Foundational Marketing

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

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn was how to run a business. It was during my fourth year in business when I realized I was running Blue Tide Creative like the other agencies, firms, and companies I had worked for previously. I was beginning to mirror my business after a model that never felt right to me, and Blue Tide Creative was starting to feel wrong.

I then invested in myself and my business and worked with two coaches who helped me rethink my business model and unlearn everything I knew about running a business. I started focusing on creating a sustainable business rooted in my values. Since that time, and it took time, my business has grown, and I’m much happier.

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

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been to tap into my existing networks. Often business owners think about the audience they think they want and forget about the audience they currently have.

When I left my job to start Blue Tide Creative, I sent an email to contacts, friends, family, etc., letting them know about my business, my offerings, and my ideal clients, and asked them to keep me in mind for either themselves or for others. I have continued to receive business from that initial email. The email helped create advocates and cheerleaders for myself and my business.

Don’t forget to nurture your current networks. Your next client may be closer than you realize.

Contact Info:

• Website: bluetidecreative.com
• Instagram: BlueTideCreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinbreeden/