We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lorna Greyling. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lorna below.
Lorna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?
My first client wasn’t a friend, family member, or someone from my network. It came from pure cold calling—and honestly, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
When I started, I didn’t have a big database, a reputation in the community, or a stream of referrals. I had a phone, a list of businesses, and a determination to make this work.
Every morning, I would sit down and stare at the phone, knowing what was coming. People often think entrepreneurship is glamorous, but they don’t see the emotional rollercoaster of hearing “no” over and over again. Some people hung up before I could finish my introduction. Some were rude. Some told me they weren’t interested. Others agreed to meetings and then never showed up.
I remember making about 75 calls before one person finally agreed to meet with me. One. Out of 75.
I thought the hard part was over. It wasn’t.
I then went on to do meeting after meeting. I poured my heart into presentations, drove all over town, followed up relentlessly, and still heard “not now,” “maybe later,” and “we’ll think about it.” It took about 15 face-to-face meetings before I finally got my first sale.
I’ll never forget that moment.
The dollar amount wasn’t life-changing, but what it represented was. For the first time, someone who didn’t know me, didn’t owe me a favor, and had no personal connection to me believed enough in what I was offering to invest their own money.
That first client gave me something far more valuable than revenue—they gave me proof.
Proof that the business could work.
Proof that strangers would buy.
Proof that persistence beats rejection.
Looking back, that first sale taught me one of the most important lessons in business: success isn’t usually about avoiding rejection; it’s about being willing to walk through it long enough to find the people who need what you offer.
Today, when people see success, they often assume it happened quickly. What they don’t see are the dozens of unanswered calls, the people who hung up, the missed appointments, and the countless moments when quitting would have been easier.
That first client wasn’t just my first sale. It was the moment I realized that perseverance is a business strategy.
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 background and context?
My name is Lorna Greyling, and if there is one thing people should know about me, it’s that I am passionate about helping people and businesses share their stories in a way that creates real impact.
I was born and raised in South Africa, where I built a career in television as a news anchor, actress, and media personality. Life took many unexpected turns along the way. My family and I experienced significant challenges, including violent crime, financial struggles, immigration, and personal tragedies that tested our faith and resilience. Those experiences shaped who I am today and gave me a deep appreciation for the power of hope, perseverance, and human connection.
After moving to the United States, I reinvented myself and entered the world of publishing, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Today, I am the publisher of Viera Living East and Viera Living West magazines in Florida, where I help local businesses become trusted household names in the communities they serve. I also host M-Power TV, an international television show dedicated to sharing stories of overcoming adversity, inspiring others, and leaving a legacy of hope.
Through my publishing and marketing work, I help businesses solve one of the biggest challenges they face: standing out in a crowded marketplace. Many business owners are exceptional at what they do but struggle to get their message in front of the right audience consistently. I help position them as the local experts in their field through a combination of print, digital marketing, storytelling, community engagement, and strategic brand positioning.
What sets me apart is that I don’t simply sell advertising. I build relationships, create opportunities, and help people tell their stories. Whether I am working with a local entrepreneur, interviewing a guest on M-Power TV, or helping a business grow its visibility, my focus is always on creating meaningful connections that lead to long-term success.
I am most proud of the impact my work has had on others. Seeing businesses grow, watching guests share life-changing stories on television, and hearing how someone’s life was encouraged because of a story we published or broadcast is incredibly rewarding. Success, to me, is not measured only by revenue or awards—it is measured by lives touched and people empowered.
If there is one thing I want people to know about me and my brand, it is that everything I do is built around service, authenticity, and purpose. I believe every person has a story worth sharing, every business has value to offer, and every challenge can become a testimony. My mission is simple: to educate, uplift, inspire, and empower people while leaving a lasting legacy of hope.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the greatest lessons I have learned in life is that sometimes success begins with loss.
Before moving to the United States, I had built a successful life in South Africa. I had a career in television, businesses, a home, vehicles, income, and a future I had worked incredibly hard to create. Then, little by little, everything began to unravel.
Crime, corruption, economic decline, rolling power outages, water shortages, and an unemployment rate approaching 50% created an environment where it became increasingly difficult to build a future. My family and I experienced multiple armed robberies. I was held at gunpoint on several occasions while driving to work. There were days when I genuinely wondered if I would make it home alive.
The most terrifying moment came when armed attackers entered our home while my children were asleep. As a mother, there is no fear greater than realizing that the people you love most could be taken from you in an instant. It changes you forever.
Eventually, we made the difficult decision to leave everything behind and start over in America.
When I say everything, I mean everything.
I lost my businesses, my income, my possessions, my network, my reputation, and the life I had spent years building. There were moments when I felt like I had lost my identity and almost my mind along with it. I spent years grieving what had been taken from me.
But I eventually realized something that changed my life: you cannot move forward while staring in the rearview mirror.
Holding onto what I had lost was preventing me from embracing what was possible.
I had to forgive. I had to let go. I had to stop asking why and start asking what next.
Most importantly, I had to become willing to learn new skills.
At almost 50 years old, I found myself doing things that terrified me. I learned sales. I learned publishing. I learned marketing. I learned how to build a business from scratch in a country where nobody knew my name. I made cold calls. I faced rejection. I started over at an age when many people are thinking about slowing down.
Today, I am the publisher of multiple community magazines, the host of M-Power TV, and I have had the privilege of interviewing millionaires, CEOs, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and people whose stories inspire audiences around the world.
Last year, I generated over a million dollars in sales.
Not because the journey was easy. Not because I was fearless. But because I was willing to pivot.
I believe one of the biggest reasons people stay stuck is because they become emotionally attached to what they lost. They spend years mourning the past instead of building the future. Loss is real. Grief is real. Pain is real. But so is opportunity.
Sometimes God cannot give us what is next until we release what is gone.
The life I have today looks completely different from the life I imagined years ago. Yet in many ways, it is bigger than anything I could have planned myself.
My story is proof that starting over is not the end of your story. Sometimes it is the beginning of the greatest chapter you have yet to write.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
integrity
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lornagreyling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornagreyling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lornagreylingpublic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-greyling-62863375/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@M-powertv
