We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sharon Jenkins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sharon below.
Sharon, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I wanted my business to be unique and boutique in nature providing specialized services based on client need. Initially my perspective was, if I build it, they will come. But when my shingle started to get dusty, I realized I needed to narrow my scope to a certain kind of customer. I also studied industry leaders who were doing what I wanted to do successfully. I took good notes and created an ideal team of contractors that complimented my business vision and mission.
Wrapping my head around becoming a full-time entrepreneur and its requirements became my priority. I evaluated my gifts, skills, and talents that were marketable to determine if they were transferrable to the marketplace. I tried to be honest with myself about my strengths and weaknesses. Some of which were not apparent immediately. I’ve always tried to take a lesson-learned approach to life, striving to do better as I go along. When I made the decision to become an entrepreneur, this was a critical key when it was necessary to pivot for the sake of staying in business.
I can say I kissed a lot of frogs during the developmental stage of my business, and it took me longer than I hoped to get to the level of success I desired. But eventually I built something I can be proud of with a good foundation for growth and expansion.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I’m Sharon C. Jenkins, founder of The Master Communicator’s Writing Services and the Literary Midwife. First-time authors rely on my project management superpowers and more than 15 years of publishing experience to turn their life stories into purpose-fueled books that inspire and motivate the masses. I have the distinct opportunity to serve writers, authors, and small businesses with writing and publishing support. Some of my clients have called me a publisher, publicist, or coach. I have tried to gain firsthand experience in any and everything called “writing” in order to better serve my clients. I have helped hundreds of authors write, edit, publish, or market their books. Eighty-five percent of my business is author related. I’ve always had a love for reading and at an early age, authors were my superheroes. Imagine creating a world where you get to work with superheroes, well that’s my world. There is nothing that can compare to seeing an author hold their very first book baby in their hands. I have a tremendous amount of pride for the work that I do because I get to change lives on a daily basis. Our clientele base includes national bestselling authors, world-renowned scientists, veterans, and even filmmakers. There is never a boring day at the office and I love it! We celebrate the beauty possessed within each individual, small business, nonprofit, or corporation to tell their story. It is our mission to help them birth that beauty into the earth with clarity, precision, and excellence. We are guided by true servanthood, creativity, compassion, and our keen ability to partner with other entities for greatness.
We exist so that you can fulfill your God-given purpose in the earth and function to your highest level of productivity. We are dedicated, purpose driven and solely mission focused on your success. We procreate, empower, educate, and inspire our clients to perform at their highest good and to fulfill their highest potential. We are project management centered because your dream is just as important to us as it is to you.
Simply speaking, we believe in YOU!
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
I remember very distinctly the first time someone wrote me a check without trying to negotiate a discount. I was wrestling with my decision to go into business because I had so little capital to run it. I was tempted to look for a nine-to-five. I was also struggling with my self-esteem because I made the decision to become an entrepreneur after I was laid off from a nonprofit. I have a habit of pouring my heart and soul into everything I do, and I felt empty. When I arrived at the restaurant, I was hoping the potential client was buying lunch because my funds were limited. Unfortunately, bargain hunters are the norm when it comes to writing because everyone does it. The trick is to do it well and get the results that you desire. To my surprise, immediately after we discussed my proposal, the client pulled out her checkbook and wrote me a check for $1,000. I almost fell off of my chair. She then went on and paid for my meal, which was scrumptious by the way. Since then I have had several five-digit clients and I am looking forward to my first six-digit client!
Have you ever had to pivot?
Actually that time is now. With the publishing industry changing at a speed faster than light, our company has had to be deliberate in keeping with the new pace. We still offer boutique services, but we want to offer them to a broader international digital customer base. It is my goal to leave my company to one of my grandchildren. I don’t anticipate I’ll be doing that anytime soon, but it’s a high priority on my bucket list.
One of our primary goals is to stay relevant in the marketplace. We intentionally study the various generations and their buying habits in order to best meet their needs. This approach has resulted in some growing pains, but we combat that by hiring contractors who are sensitive to those diverse needs and can help us craft a message that makes sense. We are solutionists and solving your writing problems is a priority to us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mcwritingservices.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharoncjenkins/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcwritingservices
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharoncjenkins/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharon_jenkins
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn0JYOQTHBYz03azX2VUthw
- Other: https://www.authorpreneurcoach.com/
Image Credits
Headshot photo by Bruce Bell