Jamie MilneDelish Dishes: Goal Setting and Building a Business
23 days left in 2019!
As we’re gearing up for the holidays and approaching the end of the year, this is a perfect time to reflect on 2019 and start planning for 2020! For me, I take this time to evaluate the good, the bad, and the ugly through reflecting on past partnerships, engagement, overall growth for my business and social media channels. Through reflecting on the past year, it allows me to set and define goals to help build and optimize my business.
Something that has really helped me in building my brand is goal setting. I do not only wait until the end of the year to do this, as I set goals for each quarter. These goals are personal and business related, and allow me to focus on achieving desirable outcomes. These goals can be related to anything. For me, I set goals for certain partners and brands whom I hope to work with on @Everything_Delish. I also set goals that reflect the engagement, traffic and impressions that I hope to gain and receive across my social outlets. These business goals provide motivation and should be specific, measurable, achievable and timely. Having goals allows you to do many things such as, trigger positive behavior through motivation, align your focus, help sustain momentum and promote self-mastery. Remember, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure and you can’t improve what you don’t manage” – Jeff Boss.
For this week’s Delish Dishes article, I interviewed 2 Canadian Females who have created very successful businesses and are making a very positive impact on social media. The first interview is with Sarah Nicole of The Birds Papaya. Sarah is an inspirational badass mother of 3 and has used social media as her journal to help inspire her 700k+ Instagram followers! The second interview is with co-founder of 437 Swimwear, Hyla Nayeri. Hyla launched 437 with her best friend, Adrien Bettito and their goal is to allow females to feel their most confident selves in a bikini and never feel the need to “diet” before a vacation. Hopefully these inspirational stories will help you set goals for your business in 2020! Keep reading for their interviews below!
Sarah Nicole, Creator of The Birds Papaya
IG: @TheBirdsPapaya
Website: https://www.thebirdspapaya.com/home
1. Provide insight into your journey- how did you break into the industry? What position did you have?
About 10 years ago I began The Birds Papaya as a DIY blog during my 10 year season as a stay at home mom. I named the brand after my two daughters (as my son was not yet born) and their nicknames are Jemma Birdie and Maya Papaya. When Instagram came to be, I used it like everyone else. Random selfies with that weird blue filter, and pics of my kids. When I came into a season of life that I was losing weight, I ended up growing a larger following. Sadly, for me, that following, that attention, and that weight loss did not bring me inner peace or happiness with my body. Then I went through a divorce after 11 years of marriage, moved in with Mom & Dad, at age 30 with 3 kids in tow. I had nothing to my name, and I was happier than ever. I knew I was changing, and my content would too. I could speak out on the falsities of what we are sold that would make us happy and start talking and showing the real stuff. But, in a positive and fun way. It connected, and I connected. And everything changed.
2. What was a career move you made that lead to your biggest success?
I had a phone call with Joanna, the founder of Knixwear, and she prompted me to come on board with them in a part time, temporary position that would allow me to quit my full time job that I was holding in publishing at the time. That move allowed me more time, room, and freedom to write and create in a more full time basis. It paid off! At the time I had 80,000 followers. By the end of the first month I had 100,000. I now sit at over 670,000 just a year later.
3. Was there a point in your career in which you felt stuck? How did you get out of it?
When I changed my messaging from weightloss and family focused, to self love and body confidence and so much more…it got quiet. I was stagnant in growth for about a year, but I didn’t care. I was becoming my true self and I knew the right people would align themselves with me.
4. What is one piece of advice you were given? How did it help you in business?
To be authentic. In everything you do. If you feel icky, don’t do it. Don’t be gross. Know your truth.
5. What is one piece of advice you have for young entrepreneurs?
Listen. We’ve gotten so good at being quiet, and shoving those little voices into big boxes. When we listen to ourselves, our thoughts, and have a desire to capture them, so much can change, and the little voices become big voices, and the big boxes become small ones, easily to break out of.
Hyla Nayeri, Co-Founder of 437 Swimwear
Website: www.437swimwear.com
1.Provide insight into your journey- how did you break into the industry? What position did you have?
One of the biggest challenges we have faced is breaking into the swimwear industry. Like many industries there is so much noise and existing companies offering a similar product. It’s all about finding your unique voice within that crowded space and being able to connect to your customers and develop a relationship. The moment we realized we wanted to get into the swimwear industry came while we were vacationing in Italy. We both love fashion and were especially attracted to swimwear because of all the time we were spending at the beach. Victoria Secret also exited the swimwear market at this time, which provided us an opportunity to enter, and there was a significant rise in females shopping at online swimwear brands.
2. What was a career move you made that lead to your biggest success?
Lining up an hour to meet Tammy Hebrow at a meet and greet was the best career move I’ve made. I gave her a suit, and didn’t at all think that she would wear it. The next day she wore the suit and tagged us in the photo on IG. It was such a monumental day since because of the post so many people that doubted us finally took us seriously.
3. Was there a point in your career in which you felt stuck? How did you get out of it?
We felt stuck when we outgrew out current office, since we were also holding all of our inventory here and fulfilling out of it. It was a nightmare to work out of. Eventually e decided to work with a fulfillment center, and it made such an incredible impact to the business.
4. What is one piece of advice you were given? How did it help you in business?
The best piece of advice I received was that was network is my net-worth. I agree completely. The incredible people in my network have helped 437 tremendously at times of challenges or when we needed advice.
5. What is one piece of advice you have for young entrepreneurs?
Start now. The sooner you start, the faster you can learn and iterate your business.
Bonus Question: What is your morning routine?
I wake up and do my quick skincare routine. I always make myself a protein shake, take my multivitamin, and have power greens with water. Then I walk my dog to the office.