We recently connected with Stephanie Onwuegbuna and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

One day, I was chatting with a friend who asked me to help them with their resume. They knew I had written resumes for our mutual friends in the past, that catapulted them to career success. I felt that this particular resume would be a challenge, based on their experience and career aspirations. I was a bit hesitant in my response, and it showed! My friend pleaded with me, just to take a stab at it. And, in the midst of conversation, they said “Come on Steph, if you were able to help [ mutual friend’s name], I know you can make it happen for me. And, just like that Make IT Happen was born, only in my head of course. I decided to capitalize the IT for emphasis on Information Technology consulting, as that is the other side of the business house.

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 am a graduate of the Wayne State University Mike Illitch College of Business. While at Wayne State, I studied Information Systems Management, which is the study of people, technology, and organizations. I chose this path because, for as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for technology and how it can improve people’s lives. Currently, I am in the project management field which has exposed me to the more administrative and business aspects of technology, which I also love. In addition to technology, I have always had a passion for Career Services. This propelled me to start my own business, Make IT Happen.

Make IT Happen Counseling & Consulting, LLC, also known as MIH, originated in the Metro-Detroit area as a service platform designed to assist with career planning and resume writing. My core focus is to provide high-level resume writing and career services that have measurable impact on your job search and match your ideal career outcome. In addition to career services, MIH also provides Information Technology consulting and freelance web design services, thus Make “IT” Happen! I define, design and execute strategies that drive business growth, reduce costs and create new revenue streams. MIH takes a “big picture” approach, working with you to learn your business vision and goals, IT environment, skill requirements and policies. Then I develop short and long-term strategies based on best practices to deliver measurable results.

I am a helper my nature. I am always ready to lend a hand or find a way to help someone achieve a goal. At MIH, I want to help everyone Make IT Happen, regardless of what that looks like for them. So if you’re a job seeker, looking to make a change or an aspiring/new entrepreneur looking to make your business more “tech savvy”, I’m your gal.

Let me, help you… Make IT Happen!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was that friends and family are not my target audience or customer base. When starting a business, it can be frustrating or disheartening when you’re selling a product or service and family/friends aren’t the first to sell you out, or book up your calendar. We can all be disappointed when friends and family don’t buy from us, comment on our business posts, or attend our events … after all, we need their support, right?! If they were friends, they’d WANT to support us / buy from us … right?!! WRONG! Our friends and family are not our customers. Nor should we feel disappointed when they spend their money elsewhere, and NOT buy from US.

If all your friends or followers on social media bought just one of your products/services since the day you started your business; you’d probably reach six figures every year in annual sales. If that was true in my case, I’d be a multi-millionaire by now. But this is not the case for me and most entrepreneurs. Especially for those who are starting a business from the ground up. Relying upon friends and family in the very beginning is fine regarding emotional support and encouragement. But you have to keep in mind that your friends and family were there before your business. They are not in your life because of your business. You meet potential customers due to your business and marketing. Some of your friends and family can be customers; but not all of them, so don’t treat them that way and don’t expect them to all become customers.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I would have to say my best source of new clients are referrals. Referrals are everything to my business. In today’s digital world, shopping for products and services revolves around reviews, so small businesses must embrace reviews. This means asking customers to leave reviews, keeping a close eye on them (monitoring your reputation), taking the time to respond to customers, and sharing your best reviews on social media. When I serve a client, and they have a positive experience working with me, this drives a positive review and potentially a referral. One of my favorite lines is: “tell a friend to tell a friend!” Having clients who have shared their experience working with me in their personal networks has done wonders for my business, and I am forever grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.makeithappencc.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/makeithappencc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakeITHappenCC
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/makeithappencc_
• Other: E-mail: contact@makeithappencc.com