We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jomarie Cortese a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jomarie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Often the greatest growth and the biggest wins come right after a defeat. Other times the failure serves as a lesson that’s helpful later in your journey. We’d appreciate if you could open up about a time you’ve failed.

A little bit of background. I worked at brand Design agencies at first. I was receiving a majority of positive feedback from bosses up until this point. I started my career thinking, “I’m a pro I can do anything”.

I’ve always wanted to be a business owner. My parents are entrepreneurs so I have always been inspired to take that route. I was still in the early stages of my social media management career when a co-worker referred my services to two small businesses. I met with these businesses and I ended up taking them on. These were two of my first clients working solo. Early on I noticed a disconnect in each of our expectations. We weren’t seeing eye to eye on the work I delivered. Both clients ended up terminating the partnership after a couple of months. After they terminated the partnership, I was confused and hurt. I felt like a failure and started to doubt my career choice. I thought, “Am I the type of person who’s cut out for the job”? I ended up pushing forward with the agency and the clients I had.
As time went on and I saw results and received positive feedback from clients. My confidence was coming back

Now I look back and realize those two clients may not have been well suited for my work and vice versa. As I look back at the situation, I realize it’s essential to clearly define expectations in the early stages of any partnership. I’ve also learned not every potential client is the right fit and I don’t have to say yes to everyone. From my experience, social media managers have a long-term relationship with clients so finding the ones that fit your capabilities is essential. Another takeaway is to go into a discovery call over-prepared. Research the client so you have a good idea of who they are and where they stand.

Jomarie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Jomarie Cortese. I’ve always been a creator. When I was a kid, I was always doing some sort of arts and crafts, building something, or putting on fashion shows with my mom’s wardrobe. In high school, my friends and I started a jewelry business. It was a hit with our classmates, but we soon after went into retirement. Creating something of my own was always so satisfying to me. It’s how I liked spending my free time. I’m born and raised in Northeast Georgia to two immigrant parents from Italy and the Philippines. My parents are entrepreneurs. They work hard to grow their small business and grew their restaurant from the ground up. I practically grew up in that pizzeria. I saw how much work and dedication goes into building your own business, but also how rewarding it can be. They have inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship. Growing up surrounded by three very different cultures has helped me appreciate each individual story and its unique qualities. I’m constantly finding the beauty in everyone’s story. As a social media manager and content creator, I believe your brand is unique and worthy of sharing. My values are heart, intention, transparency, and innovation.

I am a social media manager and influencer content creator. I started my career as a social media manager at a branding agency and now work independently with clients. I provide a range of services, including social media content creation, email marketing and influencer newsletters, graphic design, blog, post strategy and execution, video editing, and Like To Know It strategy and execution.

I am here to be your co-creator. My job is to take your brand, vision, and goals and present them into visually engaging and meaningful content.
I prioritize who you are as a brand and focus on creating meaningful content that connects with your audience. I also stay up-to-date with all the current social trends. I think it’s important that every brand maintain relevance and continue to evolve. I love finding the balance between trending and intentional content.

I am proud of the Content I’ve created for Premonition Goods. It’s an online Mercantile created by Hunter Premo and her husband, Cameron Premo, founded in the heart of Nashville, TN. Premonition Goods offers handmade hats, bespoke accessories, and unique goods. I’ve worked with Hunter and Cameron since the very beginning along with the team at Tiana Gidley Creative. I’m currently working independently to create all of their social media content and email marketing. It’s a brand that has a lot of heart and believes in providing goods for all your memories in the making. Premonition Goods has an Instagram following of over 15.8 K and continuously grows in reach and engagement. You can get a glimpse into my work for premonition goods on my website

Have you ever had to pivot?

I was working part-time freelance Social Media Management at a branding agency. After being there for over a year, we received the news that the agency decided to take a step back from their employees. My co-workers and I were given the opportunity for potential client work, but nothing was certain. I had two options; potentially take on client work or find a completely new job. This was a huge shift for me. I was at a crossroads. Either I take the chance and start my own social media studio or start the job search. A lot of fear, doubt, and second-guessing came into play. Being new to the industry, I wondered if I had what it takes to make it on my own. Ultimately the dream I’ve always had popped into my mind: you’ve always wanted to have your own business. I told myself if you don’t try to pursue this, you will regret it. I wondered if maybe this was the way it was always meant to be. If I found a corporate job, would I be stuck in the typical 9 to 5 routine? At the end of the day, I took the chance and started my social media studio. It hasn’t been easy, but I don’t regret the decision. Fast forward to the present day – I’m building my brand and working with clients I respect and connect with. I’m excited to see what else is in store.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Working in social media means staying on top of trending content and having a quick turnaround time. I think that’s what I have had to relearn and accept. I’ve always been a planner so I like to stay organized and know exactly what’s in store for my week. The way I maintain order is to plan out each week at the start of the month. Then, I leave space for urgent content that might come up for the client. Now I have the room to create content on a tight deadline.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jomariecortesecreative.com/

Image Credits
Premonition Goods- Original photos by Kassidy Marie Photography