Questions Answered in this Episode

• • What is a summit and how can it help you grow your business?
  • How can we make connections on social media?
  • Should you share your personal life and passions on your business social media?

Show Notes

Social Media Happy Hour with Jess Jacobsen

Jess Jacobsen is a social media strategist from Huntington Beach, CA who helps businesses big and small build an authentic social media strategy. Jess interviewed me for her Small Business Social Media Summit and we’ve been friends ever since.

So, what is a summit anyway?

Summits are a way to grow your business fast. It’s a 21-day online, free event. For each of those 21 days, subscribers get an interview in their email inbox that teaches them something. In Jess’s case, she wanted to get down to the basics of social media for entrepreneurs who don’t even know where to begin. For her summit, she intentionally chose people who she knew had something to share related to social media and creating an authentic voice.

For entrepreneurs, there are benefits to participating in summits as a reader, as one of the interviewees, and as the host of the summit. It’s an opportunity to learn from the experts, but also to grow your business through the contacts that are shared throughout the summit. If you’re hosting a summit, it’s an amazing opportunity to make those connections that we’re always talking about Messy Success – maybe your next business besty is someone you’ll meet through a summit.

Speak Up About What Matters on Social Media

“We are our brand. […] Social media is great, marketing is great, but what are you using it for? We have a really big responsibility and privilege with our voices to be able to speak up about things that matter. Just because you’re a photographer or a social media person or a love coach, or whatever you are, it doesn’t mean you don’t get to speak up about things that matter to you and make that a part of your business. Social media is amazing and I love it because we can use it to have our voices make a difference.”

Everyone is an Influencer

Jess totally called me out during this episode! I mentioned not having a large following and this is what she had to say: “You have 2,400 Instagram followers. That’s a lot! That’s 2,400 people you could impact. Even if you have 50 Instagram followers — stop worrying about that! You have 50 people who want to hear what you have to say. That’s a lot of people! I think we all attach to these huge numbers and we don’t feel validated or worth speaking up unless we have those numbers. We all have influence.”

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect. You Shouldn’t Be Perfect.

“I can pick and choose to put out there what I want, so I do. When you’re sharing parts of your life that feel uncomfortable, you want to share it from a solution-based perspective. You want to be honest with your audience. I think a lot of times people don’t want to put themselves out there because they feel like they have to be perfect all the time. And you don’t, at all!

“No one is expecting you to be perfect and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be perfect. If you’re only putting out a pretty, perfect, super-curated image of yourself online, then you’re lying to your audience, too. We have a responsibility to show people the breakdowns that we have and the struggles that we go through because other people go through them, too. They feel better when you can offer them a solution or help and a way through it.”

Takeaways

• Everyone is an influencer, including you, whether you have thousands of followers or 50.
• You don’t have to be perfect. You also don’t have to share every part of yourself to be authentic.
• We have a responsibility to use our voices and out platforms to talk about what matters.

Important Links & Resources

Helped Jess with her Summit: Shanda Sumpter of Heartcore Business

Jess’s Social Links: Instagram | Facebook Page | Facebook Group

Jess’s Bio: I’m a Social Media Strategist who is passionate about making a difference in the world. I help small businesses build an authentic social media strategy.

I built an authentic audience for different kinds of businesses and events, big and small. I started helping entrepreneurs grow their social media presence during my college years. After graduating from the #1 Advertising program in the country, I worked on Jim Beam brands like Knob Creek and Basil Hayden’s. After being in the corporate world 2 long years, I realized for me to make the impact that I truly knew I wanted to make, I would have to be an entrepreneur.

Since then I have had the privilege to work with small businesses from around the world and even run the full social media campaign for SoCal VegFest, where we had over 20,000 attendees over two days.

Over a year ago, I packed my bags from my hometown of Chicago and moved to California to chase my true calling. It taught me a lot about myself and eventually is what gave me the courage to start my own business. Some say my dreams are too big, but that’s what motivates me every day.

When I’m not working away, I’m spending time with my bunnies, enjoying California, reading self-help books, and raving about my favorite podcasts.

Did I mention I love people? Let’s work together!

Cheers!