Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Nicole. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lisa , appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
I started my business by launching an Instagram Page based on Natural Hair. I would showcase myself and my two kids natural hairstyles. I received a lot of questions about the clothes I wore in my posts. So I decided to branch out to fashion content. I have a BS degree in fashion design and went to school for art, so this was an easy transition. I would take pictures of my kids hair after styling. And my son would take my pictures. It was a family affair, until my kids decided to quit! They had no interest in social media. So I continued my page alone. I had the support of my Sorors Delta Sigma Theta Inc. Delta Tau Chapter. And my best friends the Satin Dolls encouraging me to go after my goals. Honestly my first year on social media was really bad, I didn’t take it seriously. And my content was inconsistent and all over the place. So I decided to hire a coach to help me improve. I hired Justin JC Collins @jcofthefinest He was an amazing coach who helped me overcome my fear of public speaking and fear of being in front of the camera. My comfort zone was always behind the camera. He would make me talk publicly daily for an entire year. And he would hold me accountable for reaching my daily goals. By, time I was finished his coaching I was confident being on camera and shooting a campaign with talking and voiceovers. And I was reaching the goals I planned for myself. This was the best decision I made for my social media career. Fast forward, I always had a love for photography since the age of 11. I always had a camera since I was 13 years old. It was a fun hobby for me. So I decided to take my photography seriously and upgrade to a DSLR. I bought my first professional camera from Best Buy and began taking their photography classes. With the help of photographer friends, and You Tube and Best Buy. I learned by trial and error. And eventually would meet my mentor and friend Enoch @prescientphotos He taught me how to do studio lighting and showed me tips and tricks to shoot in many different scenarios. I caught on fast and still continue to learn new and exciting photography techniques. I learned how to use my camera while posting on social media. So of course my next step was to would start @lisanicoleimages my LLC. I’m still working to improve my business part time, so that eventually it will be my full time.
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 used to spend hours watching You Tube natural hair tutorials. I wanted to go natural and needed to know how to do it. I wanted to document my natural hair journey. But, I was too afraid to be on camera. I would take pictures with my phone of my hair when I transitioned. But, making a video was terrifying to me. Until I stepped out on faith and started my social media. I hired a coach, and a photographer who would mentor me. A year after I started. My Coach had me disciplined to post every day so that I could practice being comfortable on camera. My hobbies became my niche and business. I got paid to do natural hair, and campaigns on social media. And in addition I do brand photography when I have time. I edit videos and Coach content creators who need help with their confidence and content creation. What sets me apart is my consistency I always post everyday unless there is a serious issue. And I am passionate at what I do! I love doing it for free. But, being paid is reward for my creativity. I am most proud of working with world known brands. And I most recently started working with Kory Aversa doing PR events and grand openings with Aversa PR @aversapr. I look at all opportunities the same. I look at them as a chance to improve my creative abilities even more every campaign.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Almost a year ago I had a Lipoma on my hairline that was noticeable and had to have it surgically removed. I continued shooting even when I didn’t know what it was. I wasn’t going to let anything stop my goals. I had to take time off for the scar to heal. This was the first time I had a social media break and that was 6 years in. My most recent trial was my house on fire while my entire family was sleeping. We had to run out of the house with only our pjs. We are temporarily displaced moving from a hotel to a temporary condo. I don’t have all of my things for content creation. But, I am making the best of it. I’m using my new locations as new and fresh backgrounds for content. And I have to get creative with the minimal wardrobe and accessories I have. I’m not letting this stop my goals. The show must still go on!
How did you build your audience on social media?
I built my audience in social media by being consistent and sharing to several platforms. I also used to do alot of giveaways. The key was hiring a coach and mentor to help me. I tried to do everything by myself but it is very difficult. I also had to hire two assistants at one point. I run several pages and online stores and I take my own pictures. So it became very overwhelming. My best advice would be to hire people if you can. It alleviates stress and allows you to focus on your creativity and focus on your craft while still paying the bills. I would say to stay consistent with your goals and content and don’t be afraid to ask for help and be open to new strategies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lisanicoleimages.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisalovescurlslocs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisalovescurlslocs?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBfWKjFZtjlqKjEKg7JNP1w
- Other: Amazon http://www.amazon.com/shop/lisalovescurlslocs LTK https://www.liketoknow.it/Lisalovescurlslocs Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lisalovescurlslocs/?amp_client_id=CLIENT_ID(_)&mweb_unauth_id=%7B%7Bdefault.session%7D%7D
Image Credits
@prescientphotos @lisanicoleimages