Supporting Entrepreneurs and Their Dreams
Learn what it’s like to be a small business owner and how a support system can help.
By Andi Lucas
Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American economy. They create jobs, innovate, and drive our economy forward. But what is it like to be an entrepreneur?
I started Hummingbird Marketing Services in 2015, after working a corporate job since graduating college. I didn’t come from a family of entrepreneurs—one of my uncles owned a barber shop for a couple of years. But the rest of my immediate and extended family were traditional 9-to-5ers, working for someone else.
Fortunately, a good friend of mine named Laura was not only raised by small business owners, but she also was a small business owner herself. In fact, Laura encouraged me to start my own business! She gave me two pieces of advice that I will never forget:
- In opening my own business, I will be trading security for freedom.
- In the first year of business, I will probably cry every day, even multiple times a day—and that’s okay.
Just knowing these two things helped me so much, because guess what? Starting your own business is incredibly gratifying … and downright terrifying. Especially at the very beginning, my mind was abuzz with all kinds of questions. How will I find clients? How do I price my services? How do I manage my books? What the hell was I thinking, starting my own business? And then I would remember the two pieces of advice that Laura gave me, have a good cry, and get back to work.
Growing Pains
It’s been almost 7 years since I launched my company, and I have faced many growing pains. Some hurt much worse than others, but everything has provided me with a learning opportunity. Here’s a great example.
I was courted by and then wowed by a company that offered a slick marketing automation tool … with a significant price point. But I was promised incredible onboarding, and this tool was poised to change the trajectory of my business. And so on a whim—like I said, the demo absolutely wowed me—I signed up for a one-year contract, which was the only option.
Welllll, it didn’t quite work out the way I had hoped.
The onboarding was subpar—in fact, our onboarding specialist quit mid-way through our training. (He then connected with me on LinkedIn and asked if I had any positions available, but that’s another story.) The company provided us with a new onboarding specialist, who was great at giving us demos of canned, pre-built campaigns for pizza shops and house painters. But he couldn’t quite show us how to use the tool for my company and clients.
I soon realized that my boutique agency just wasn’t the right fit for this tool. It required probably 40 hours of set-up in addition to the training—and then I would need to do it all over again for every client.
Learning: Don’t make snap decisions about expensive tools; go back to basics and make a pros and cons list; ask to speak to their customers to help in making a decision; don’t let a seller rush you on signing up, no matter what kind of discount they offer.
Building a Support System
Through all of it, I’ve always been grateful for the support network that I have established over the years. For starters, in December 2015, I took an invaluable class through the Northwest Business Training Center with Rebecca Villareal. Her Business Bootcamp taught me everything I needed to know about owning a business, including setting up and managing my books, licensing, insurance, laws and regulations, and so much more. I would have been lost without this class!
In January 2016, I joined a local chapter of Business Network International (BNI), a worldwide organization that helps small business owners build relationships, give and receive referrals, and sharpen their networking skills. I was a member for 2 years, and it was an incredible experience. In fact, I still receive referrals from members of my former chapter—and give referrals too!
Finally, in August 2019, I started working with an amazing business coach, Kathy Clayton, who uses the Enneagram System to help clients become more self-aware in their relationships. This coaching helped me define my purpose and have a much better understanding of myself, which strengthened my business in more ways than I can count.
An Incredible Local Resource
In May 2018, I found Business Impact NW, a non-profit organization focused on helping small businesses grow so that local communities thrive. I was able to attend, have a booth at, and be a sponsor of the organization’s annual event, Celebrating Dreams. This outstanding event showcases women business owners in the Pacific Northwest, and I was so glad that Hummingbird Marketing Services could be a part of it.
And then I learned even more about Business Impact NW and all of the amazing and free resources that they provide to entrepreneurs—including business coaching, classes, webinars, grants, consulting, and so much more. I don’t know of another organization like it anywhere else in the country that is so accessible and focused on small businesses.
Over the past several years, I have been a client of Business Impact NW—thank you to my coach, Orem, who reminded me that, as an employee of my business, I was indeed eligible for the PPP loan. I also have worked with the organization as a consultant through its Consultant Access Program, as a mentor in its Empower By GoDaddy program, and as a webinar provider. I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue working with such an important organization.
Proud Sponsor of IMPACT Pitch 2022
Another annual event from Business Impact NW is IMPACT Pitch, a 4-month-long competition for small business owners who are making a positive impact on their community. Participants receive a dedicated business coach to help strengthen their business plan and guide them through each of the five rounds of the competition. The final round is a live business pitch from the 10 finalists, who can win up to $30,000 in cash prizes.
For the third year in a row, Hummingbird Marketing Services is thrilled to be a sponsor of this outstanding competition. As a small business owner, I know that every little bit helps, so yes, we’re supporting the program because it provides funding to participants. However, it’s something bigger than just the bucks.
First, the awareness that IMPACT Pitch brings to these small businesses is fantastic! People learn about businesses that they probably wouldn’t have discovered any other way.
For instance, last year’s winner for Best Early Stage Business was Urban Log Studios. The husband-and-wife team behind this fascinating company aims to reduce waste from urban logging by providing accessible and affordable kiln drying and lumber production services to the general public. They also manufacture heirloom-quality items from trees that have been sustainably salvaged in the surrounding community. I never knew that when developers deforest locally for building homes that many of the trees just end up in a landfill. I love what Urban Log Studios is doing, and I never would have found them had it not been for IMPACT Pitch.
Second, the challenging process that participants go through helps them to:
- Define their value proposition and community impact;
- Determine their target market, cost structure, operations, and strategy; and
- Demonstrate financial feasibility; and
- Create a marketing video about their business.
What an incredible opportunity to hone their business plan, all with the support and encouragement of dedicated business coaches!
Finally, the Pitch Off is such a fun experience—albeit a little nerve-wracking, I would imagine. Participants are able to really refine their elevator pitch and grow more comfortable with speaking in public and about their business. I can’t wait for the Pitch Off and to meet all of these accomplished entrepreneurs!
How You Can Get Involved
Get out the vote! From September 14 through October 5, you can watch and vote on the marketing videos that the 10 finalists have created for their businesses. The video with the highest combined online public votes will receive a $1,000 award.
Attend the event! On October 6 from 5:30–8:30 pm, please join me and watch the Pitch Off live and in person. Not in the Seattle area? You can still attend the virtual event—same date and time. Get your tickets today!
Make a donation! If you believe in supporting small businesses, Business Impact NW is a wonderful organization that makes an important contribution to our community. Please consider donating to this very worthy cause.
So, why do we support entrepreneurs? Because being a small business owner is hard. It’s scary. You’re constantly worrying about money and whether or not you’re going to make it. But it’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. And having a supportive community of other small business owners makes all the difference.
