We recently connected with Joyce Kyles and have shared our conversation below.

Joyce, appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

There are many positives of having what is considered a regular job. During the early stages of transitioning into the role of business owner, I thought about working for someone else on a regular basis. There are emotional and financial securities that come with doing so. I knew my exact rate of pay, when I would be paid, and how often. If a problem arose with a client, I experienced issues with malfunctioning equipment, needed operational supplies, etc., there were office managers, supervisors and coworkers I could consult with, make requests, and lean on for support and guidance. Within a couple of years of making the decision to work for myself full time and seeing some major personal and professional wins, the world was faced with a pandemic that no one expected or was ready to encounter. Unfortunately, many of my opportunities were scaled back or were no longer available. I did go back to a regular job for a year. I resigned because in my heart, I knew that I wanted and needed to get back to the business of operating my own business.

For me, my business IS the regular job. I truly enjoy the freedom and flexibility of being a business owner. There are so many lessons I learned. Being a business owner puts me in a position to think about discipline, consistency, accountability, trust, organization, and attention to detail in a different way. I came to realize that all of the reasons I’ve considered working for someone else could be achieved in my own business with the same dedication I’ve given to employers. I don’t see anything wrong with anyone pursuing a regular job vs working for themselves. Or working a regular job while exploring options regarding business ownership. Both experiences have been great for me. Ultimately, I know that I love the flexibility, freedom, and ownership I feel as a business owner. I’m happy with my decision to fully commit to this journey.

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

Joyce Kyles Consulting is about helping clients move from stagnation to solution-centered strategies. As a consultant and certified life and thriving skills coach, my areas of consulting and coaching include personal/life coaching, leadership coaching, staff retreats, team building, and program and resource development. I’m a credentialed international speaker and presenter who speaks on a myriad of topics including mental health, women in business, domestic violence, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and technology (gamification and mobile learning topics).

What sets me apart is my ability to talk about and offer guidance on hard topics with an emphasis on thriving and realistic strategic planning/goal setting. I’m able to relate with my clients and audiences because of my transparency regarding my own lived experiences. I have an extensive and diverse professional background. People are looking for realistic and tangible options to solve their problems. They don’t need or want fluff. I do my best to ensure I meet and exceed expectations. I have more than 20 years of professional and personal education and experience. I’ve worked with individuals, businesses, nonprofits, colleges, law enforcement, government, and social agencies, etc., locally, nationally, and internationally. I’m also a 2x Amazon best-selling author, a published freelance writer, and the Executive Director and founder of Walking Into A New Life. The mission of WIANL is to provide community awareness and tangible resources to individuals impacted by domestic violence. I’m a business with a cause.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My advice to anyone just starting to build their social media presence is to be honest and transparent. Share your journey. While I don’t think it’s necessary to bare your soul, it is fine to share the trials and pitfalls you’ve experienced whether personal or professional. Celebrate your wins. Acknowledge your clients and supporters. do it often. Be consistent. I built my social media audience by sharing consistently and learning more about what was of interest to those who r,esponded, reached out and/or shared. Being a business owner, like everything else, has ups and downs. I built my audience by sharing from both perspectives. And, I’ve also asked people to like, share, and support what I do. If you have the resources to invest in purchasing ads to promote and sponsor your business, I think it’s a great idea. The key is understanding the strategy behind doing so. I encourage everyone just starting out or even those more seasoned, to reach out to others who have been in the social media space for awhile. Ask them what has worked, what hasn’t, what resources may be available for free vs paid, and review your level of engagement on each platform you’ve chosen.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Word of mouth goes a long way. Relationship building is important, and it needs to be genuine. Being transparent, providing realistic strategies, and focusing on thriving have been the most effective for building my reputation. Because of the way I’ve chosen to operate my business, there’s an established mutual trust that has been established and maintained. I truly believe it’s the foundation for establishing and maintaining the desired goals. Staying connected with others via social media, my website, email, and random thank yous have also been helpful. And, and I share my successes and struggles, and I do my best to let my clients and audiences know that I am here because of them. I appreciate them trusting me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joycekyles.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joycekyles/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joycelkyles
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joycekyles/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/joycekyles
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCttqv7bRzSuW8fyMe4JCbnQ

Image Credits
Lead photo credit: Matthew Hernandez @matternphotography