We recently connected with L Brinks and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, L thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?
I initially started out as a social media manager for queer and fat-positive brands because there was a severe disconnect between virtual marketing services and the queer entrepreneur community in my social sphere. Of course people can get referred to agencies, but the questions I got time and time again, and continue to get are “But how can I hire someone trans like me?”
I love the opportunity to connect people ,and when I started my businesses i had no idea the biggest pull as an entrepreneur was going to be forming connections and bringing trans people together to collaborate, get hired, and market their services efficiently. The how part – “how do I start charging for my work” followed quickly after I began advertising my services as a consultant and social media manager, and the rest has since snowballed from there. But at the center of my work has continuously been the concert that trans people need money, and should be compensated for their work, their efforts, and the emotional labor they give out so freely (in my experience) in corporate job settings.
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?
I’m a #selfstarter currently in digital marketing and media with my niche currently squatting over social strategy and social services. At first, I was teaching people how to use Instagram (still do these days) or Twitter. I wanted to be a teacher in college, and found out coaching people and showing them how to do things is very much a part of my general business process.
From consulting on social strategy, I realized this was a need that would never be going away. My clients set up a revolving door of complaints that included how much they disliked being on social media, how exhausting it was for them, and how they wished they could just hand it off to someone else. I sometimes came in as their handy dandy social media manager, or helped them grow their revenue to a place where they could hire someone in-house and hand it over.
I continue to spent most of my time in the small business, entrepreneur spheres. I don’t typically consult with large organizations and stick to working with individuals or leaders of small teams because they have the most drive, and respect, in my experience, for my time and energy as both a human and cool queer person.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
when I first began my business, I was extremely reactive to any criticism and feedback. Entrepreneurship has taught me a lot about taking things personally, and being willing to communicate past that immediate reaction to a better place of understanding. I would get nauseous seeing emails come in from tough clients, and would guilt myself for not asking for rates I was worth – I have a receipt from 2020 of a consult I totally forgot to even charge for, and that made me feel like shit.
At one point in my career I was in therapy, business coaching and actively working with clients. that 6 months was the most intense and extreme amount of personal growth I’ve been through in awhile. I not only learned better how to listen to my client’s pain points, but how to speak up and think critically when I was given feedback. I had to work really hard, and still do, to not take things personally about my work when a client or myself are not a match- it’s okay to say no to opportunities.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
I can give you two stories – one successful and one that did absolutely nothing for me.
A few years ago I ran a flash sale for pick my brain sessions – they were good for up to 12 months and about 25% discounted off my regular price. I don’t do black Friday or sales often, so this was a huge offer. I knew that, but wasn’t sure what the response would be like from my network. I set my goal at five (I am one person after all, and not interested in burning myself out) and ended up getting up to 17 inquiries.
17 people, mostly within my network but a majority of new paying clients, booked a pick my brain session with me while I was still employed full time and working part time for my business. That totally ruled.
A few months later I tried the same thing around my birthday with zero success, no bites, nothing. that turned out ot be great because I actually had zero energy to promote a new offer, and as soon as I decided to let that offer flop, I got pulled into some longer-term gigs that I would have missed out on if my availability had been packed. I learned to say no so I could choose the best opportunities for myself, and my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itsjustliz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjuustliz/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjuustliz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsjuustliz
Image Credits
Violet Cristina Photography