We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenelle Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenelle below.

Jenelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

Oddly enough, my first client was my previous employer, Sugarlands. I’m not sure if that falls into the friends category since I developed friendships during my time there, but I know they went with me after I left because I proved myself during my time there. Perhaps the relationship is why they stick with me – even through the bumps in the road?

But, all of my clients are either referrals or people I’ve met in person and networked with. I have a website and social channels, which I intended to use in the early days. Ironically, despite having marketing in my company name, I do none for myself.

I think this makes every new client even more special, knowing it’s directly due to people seeing the work of me and my team. In spite of the growth, I can tell you where I was when they reached out to me. I actually just got a referral email a little bit ago, and it’s still exciting even if the novelty has worn off a tad.

Jenelle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

To me, the experiential (promotional) marketing industry is one that you tend to stumble upon, and you get sucked into. It is a great opportunity for people who like variety, not sitting at a desk, and especially for those who thrive in chaos. And, that’s exactly what happened to me.

I stumbled into it during graduate school and it snowballed from there. I had zero intentions of being a business owner, but it seems life had other plans for me as here we are and, despite the internal criticism, things are going well for me and my company overall. I know other agency owners, and many of them started as a brand ambassador like myself. It gives us an edge over those who have not and do not go into the field. It gives us a credibility, an invaluable knowledge base, an established reputation based on our own names and merits, and understanding for our own teams.

Most of what I do is staffing events for clients, which are currently all liquor clients. We recruit and train brand ambassadors to represent these brands at in-store tastings and festivals. I strive to continually make improvements that help my clients and teams. But, I really enjoy flexing my creative muscle and hope to do more of that in the future.

Speaking of the future, I plan to continue improving, expanding, and creating solutions for problems. I do have a few solutions currently in the works – applications that will improve the success of these events and eliminate some of the hurdles that we continue to face as an industry. The expansion is in progress as well, my friend and teammate, Brittany, will be heading up the event planning side of the business, which we hope to fully launch by summer ’24.

It’s a delicate balance between people and business for me, and I don’t think enough business operators consider the people. I want to succeed for myself and others, I want my team and those close to me to continue to be in better places. I don’t succeed without them.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My whole life has been based on resilience. This and my hyper independence are actually trauma responses from childhood, and people with ADHD tend to also be hyper independent. So, it’s really more of a built-in feature for me.

As an adult, I have made it through being homeless, jobless, extreme debt, and so much more. I have also made through severe depression. All of these things are what society tells us to suppress, but they’re a part of life and things that happen to so many people and shouldn’t be held in such a negative light.

As a business owner, I probably think about shutting it down at least once a month. I struggle with everything from communication with clients, keeping my team on track, my ADHD, among so many other things that I can’t even think of right now. When you’re in the heat of the moment, the smallest bumps can feel like a sinkhole, so it’s a matter of either talking it out with someone or reminding yourself of the mountains you’ve climbed. Sometimes, a raving review comes through from a client at the right time and snaps you out if it.

It’s hard to pick a story when all the memories come flooding back, but all the stories make up who I am, where I am, and how I am still here.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The irony is, like I said before, I don’t really market myself or my business. I have social media and a website, but they’re just kind of there. That’s not where my focus is.

I do well in the field, and it shows. That is how I get clients. They either see me and I network in person, or they are referred to me by someone who has.

My focus is on doing well for the clients I have and improving myself, my team, and my company. I also believe in work-life balance, and want to spend time doing things I enjoy and with people I enjoy spending time with. So, back to the question, the best source is word of mouth, the all-time advertising champ!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blushedmktg.com
• Instagram: blushed00
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Professional photos by Red Barryl Portraits (Dianna Frausto)