Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tanya Simpson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tanya, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
The Situationship started as a blog that I’d spend some time on, but no real commitment to. I was stuck on where to take it, but something told me to buy the domain in 2011 for the site and just sit on the idea until I knew for sure which way to go. I was in a relationship at the time and the ideas the person was giving me weren’t aligning with my vision for the brand, so I sat on it even more. You know how you’ll have a vision, but not know exactly how you want to execute it? That’s the space I was in. I attempted to build the website, I attached my blog to it, I even started a side gig as “Dr. Knockboots” for a friend’s brand to get more experience discussing relationships. At some point, I decided it was ‘go time’ and I started my Instagram page in 2019 and began building. It took me 8 whole years to decide on my direction and purpose with the brand. Once the Instagram page started to take off, everything else fell in line. People began investing in what I was saying and the ideas I had and in the past 3 years I was able to gain 30k+ followers. I realized that rushing yourself isn’t always the best method with your big ideas. It’s possible that my following and presence could have been larger by now, but I wanted to be comfortable with what I was putting into the world, so I took my 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 always found myself in these various, intense relationship conversations. No matter where I was and who was around, the subject matter always pivoted to relationships. This helped me understand that what I was saying was relevant and people were willing to hear me out AND implement the things I said. With that knowledge, I created a group of dating card games that help people ask the right questions to get past people’s surface level and find out who they really are. I also feature a “pee in the dating pool” segment that showcases the different things single people deal with, letting them know they are not alone! What I am most proud of is The Dating Game, an interactive game show that allows one guest to question 3 contestants and choose one without being able to see them. Their choice is based off of personality alone, so that no one is caught up with the physical.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
My most effective strategy for growing clientele is to be authentic. People can tell when you are not being yourself, or just trying to sell something to them. It’s imperative to represent who you are through your brand so that people can feel a genuine connection to you.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn that I have to do everything for my business on my own. I found myself burning out easily because I was too prideful to ask for assistance. Everyone has a lane and something they are exceptional at, so it’s ok to hire those people to get things done. You will tire yourself out if you try to take on everything by yourself. Find your tribe a.k.a. the people who believe in your dream and what you’re looking to accomplish and see how they are able to contribute and then find a way to contribute to theirs. You do not have to learn every skill and tackle every obstacle alone. Utilize your resources!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thesituationship.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/the_situationship
- Facebook: facebook.com/the_situationship
Image Credits
Raw Imagery (@rawnyc on IG) J Martin (@jmartinvisuals on IG) – for both dating game show pictures