We recently connected with Marsha Badger and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Marsha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear how you think where to draw the line in terms of asking friends and family to support your business – what’s okay and what’s over the line?

When I first launched my affirmation decks, my friends and family rallied up to support me. Initially it felt great because in the moment I thought I had an endless support system. I quickly realized that my friends and family are just the beginning of my success, and they’re not my target audience.

When I released my second affirmation deck, the sales from friends and family reduced by half. It was a blow to my ego because I felt entitled to their support. The truth is they don’t owe me anything. My friends and family don’t usually share my decks on their social or make the purchases, but my loyal customers do and that’s where I invest my energy. I no longer take it personal and I choose gratitude for the support they’ve given in any capacity.

I have people who I’ve never met reach out to me daily to tell me how my decks have impacted their lives, and that warms my heart. Mission accomplished!

Marsha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a quirky Brooklyn gal, who loves to create and inspire. I’m a fashion editor by day, and a socially awkward introvert by day, night and everything in between. I created my brand to make space for other women of color who consider themselves to be an awkward introvert. As an introvert, I attend swanky events, interview celebrities, and do all of these awesome things that drive my anxiety up a wall. I created the Mindful Moon Deck as a way to encourage and motivate myself to keep striving.

In 2020, I went through a jarring “what am I doing with my life” period. I needed to be more inspired work-wise, and as a creative, I began to resent the corporate environment. I needed to motivate myself to figure out my bigger picture.

I decided to create the Mindful Moon Deck as a way to be gentle with myself through my self-discovery journey. Each card represents a phrase I said to myself to keep myself motivated, but the cards also caused me to look at life through a very realistic lens. On the days I felt like giving up, “You have no idea who’s watching. Keep Going.” For the days when I forget my power, “Everything I want to become, I already am.” And for the days where I let fear take over, “Imagine where you’d be if you accepted the challenges you try to avoid.”

I launched the deck and it was a hit. People would inform me via social media and email how helpful the deck has been to them. I was hopeful my deck would motivate others the way it motivated me, but I had no idea just big of an impact it was making.

I added the Love Notes Deck in early 2021, and the Moon Child Deck, a children’s deck for kids 4-14), launched in April 2023. I also translated the Mindful Moon Deck into Spanish, after an inspiring trip to Puerto Rico.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Authenticity is the key to building a solid audience.

When I started Introvert N the City, I had no clue what I was doing, but I knew the importance of branding and messaging, so I prioritized those ideas in my posts. I wanted my social media presence page to exude three things: a safe space for women of color, empowerment to embrace the quirkiness or awkwardness of their personalities, and an overall understanding of the power of their thoughts and how speaking negatively impacts their wellbeing.

For anyone starting a new social media page, I’d suggest figuring out your brand’s aesthetic as far as colors, fonts and logos. Brand identity is important. Strategy is also important. Once you have your branding down, create a content calendar to help keep track of your posts, and hold you accountable for consistency on social media. There are apps you can use to help plan and post content. Be engaging. Speak to your followers and reply to their comments.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

While I am very passionate about my brand and products, I’ve taken a financial loss to keep the business afloat. I don’t generate tons of sales and it can be very discouraging. I’ve wanted to give up, and I’ve even tried to minimize my decks to a side hobby that didn’t take off the way I wanted.

In the midsts of giving up, I decided to create my children’s deck. Since its launch in April, I’ve sold nine decks. And while that isn’t the best, I’ve pivoted mentally to acknowledge my resilience. I won’t give up because things aren’t selling the way I think they should. I am focusing on building the brand in different ways. Integrating the decks into Black-owned stores is a goal of mine. I’ve also decided to give the decks out as promotional tools. My work as a fashion and beauty editor puts me in the room with tons of celebrities. To date, I’ve gifted Gabrielle Union’s daughters with my deck, as well as Issa Rae, Normani, Tabitha Brown, and Meagan Good.

Contact Info:

• Website: Http://www.introvertNtheCity.com
• Instagram: @IntrovertNthecity
• Linkedin: HTTPS://www.LinkedIn.com/marshab

Image Credits
Marsha B for affirmation decks Ambitious Shooters for images of myself.