We recently connected with Wendy Navarro and have shared our conversation below.
Wendy, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Success is not achieved without its challenges.
I love the analogy comparing success to an iceberg. At the top, people see the accolades, the awards, the honors, and maybe an exciting lifestyle. But there’s so much more to success than what meets the eye.
When we peel back the layers, we see that success is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and resilience. It’s long days and nights. It’s not always easy or glamorous, but it’s always worth it. What makes someone successful – is their ability to keep going even when things are tough.
Entrepreneurship is a perfect example of this. Starting a business is risky and challenging but can be incredibly rewarding. I love the entrepreneurial spirit and the courage of those who risked everything to turn their dreams into reality. Entrepreneurs see the world differently, and I admire that tenacity and determination.
Starting a business takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Entrepreneurs hustle. They’re always thinking about ways to improve their products and services and always looking for ways to improve personally. The word status quo doesn’t exist in the entrepreneur’s vocabulary.
The entrepreneurial spirit is a risk-taker not afraid to fail – well, let me rephrase that entrepreneurs don’t let the fear of failure keep them from going after their goals. Innately, entrepreneurs are always striving for more, and when they reach a goal – they’re excited to continue on, carving a way to their next big idea and goal. They’re also aware of and take advantage of opportunities when presented – It’s just who they are.
I’ve always believed that success comes to those who are willing to take risks. And I think that’s especially true for entrepreneurs. They’re the ones who have the courage to put everything on the line – their time, their money, their energy – in pursuit of their dreams. Yes, there’s a risk of failure when you venture out, but in my experience, that’s a risk worth taking.
People often view success as an endpoint to be achieved and maintained. However, entrepreneurs see success as a succession of events; it is never final or conclusive. For the entrepreneur, there is always room for improvement and growth. This mindset allows entrepreneurs to take risks and continue striving for new heights, even in the face of setbacks. They realize that “success is not achieved without its challenges.” This is certainly true in my own experience as an entrepreneur.
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 like to say that I was born with an entrepreneurial spirit. At a very young age, I would go door-to-door selling my drawings for a whopping $.25 ea. In Jr. High School, I finally graduated to babysitting and cleaning homes and was so excited to make $400 one summer.
I’ve worked in management in the beauty and retail industries, and at 22, I managed a 2.2-million-dollar retail department for a large department store in Costa Mesa, CA. I grew that department by bringing in independent designers and hosting trunk shows with well-known local designers. It was an idea that no one else was doing, and it brought in new customers and lots of growth.
However, my favorite position before opening the doors to my own business was in Organizational Development. My role was to analyze operations and streamline workflows. I loved being able to help people grow and reach their potential. It was extremely gratifying to see the positive impact that my work had. I found a lot of success in this role, and it definitely prepared me for entrepreneurship. I learned a lot about what it takes to be successful, and this knowledge has been invaluable ever since.
In 2005, after the birth of our third child, I decided to leave the corporate world behind and try entrepreneurship full-time. I had always been interested in owning my own business, and starting an eCommerce store seemed like the perfect way to combine my interests with my desire to be more present in my children’s lives.
Fortunately, my gamble paid off, and the business was a success.
In 2014, our family made the decision to take advantage of another opportunity, and we moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee. A beautiful city just minutes from Nashville. My idea was to open a new boutique storefront while continuing to operate online. Soon, however, I found myself helping other small businesses with their website designs and social media marketing. The demand and need grew, and in September 2015, I founded Navarro Creative Group.
Today, our family-operated business employs our oldest daughter Saige, Director of Social Media, and my husband, Rick, Director of website design and SEO.
Saige started helping to manage our social media account when she was a teenager. Her skills and passion for this quickly grew, and she began to take on more responsibility within the company. When we decided to start working with Meta, we knew that Saige was the perfect person to lead this initiative, and she has done an amazing job of securing our position with Meta as a verified marking partner.
In 2019, I was able to convince my husband to resign from his corporate job and come aboard. He had a stellar 25-year career as a Marketing Director in the material handling and construction sector, and I needed his skills to grow the business. On November 1, 2019, he joined Navarro Creative Group as our Director of Website Design and SEO.
Today, we employ a team of website designers and marketing specialists who help us provide a great experience for our clients.
Since opening, Navarro Creative Group has experienced positive growth year over year, and in 2022, we will experience an increase of more than 130% from 2021. This success is due to our team’s hard work and dedication, as well as the support of our clients, family, and community.
As a family business, we take pride in our work and are always looking for ways to improve and grow. Our goal is to provide our customers with the best possible experience and help them succeed in their own businesses.
As a mom, my goal is to build a successful business that will leave a legacy for my family. I want my children to see me as a strong, independent woman who has achieved her dreams.
I want them to know that being a mother and a successful entrepreneur is possible. I hope to inspire them to chase their own dreams and never give up.
Building a successful business is something I am passionate about, and I am excited to see what the future holds for our family.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
In the business world, it’s often said that the early bird gets the worm. But in entrepreneurship, it’s more about seizing opportunities in the moment.
Being an entrepreneur requires a certain level of spontaneity and risk-taking. And while some might see this as a recipe for disaster, I believe it’s what makes entrepreneurs successful.
Sure, we might not always have a plan or know where we’re going. But that’s part of the adventure. And more often than not, it’s those who are willing to take risks and seize opportunities in the moment who end up being successful.
However, our impulsiveness can also lead to regret. I’m not saying that spontaneity is a bad thing. In fact, it’s often what sets us apart from the competition. But when it comes to planning for our businesses’ future, we need to be thoughtful and strategic.
Here are three things I keep top of mind.
1) Define your goals and objectives clearly. What do you want to achieve in the short term and long term? Without a clear plan, it’s easy to get sidetracked and lose sight of your goals.
2) Hire good people, and establish a structure and process. By doing this, you will be able to get out from behind the daily grind to focus on the big picture. My favorite book about this is The E-myth Revisited.
3) Surround yourself with positive people who make you laugh.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Absolutely! I love what I do, and I am very passionate about it. This drives me to work hard and set big goals. But to achieve those goals my business needs to run like a well-oiled machine without me. The goal is not simply to work hard and hope for the best. I want it to be successful so that I, my family, and our team can enjoy the fruits of our labor and continue to grow and expand. That means that my business has to work for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://navarrocreativegroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navarrocreativegroup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/navarrocreativegroup/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navarro-creative-group/
- Other: Personal Profiles: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendynavarro1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyANavarro