Keeping It Real: Navigating Authenticity and Self Expression in Online Branding

Your Dream Business

Today’s episode of the podcast is an interview with Shannon Kleinjans, where we chat all about how to be authentic and show up as yourself through your social media marketing.

For over 30 years Shannon has been helping business owners create their specific brand voice, and achieve their marketing goals. She helps businesses to take the fear out of social media marketing, get visible and create meaningful connections with the clients and customers that they want to serve. KEY TAKEAWAYS COVERED IN THE PODCAST

1. Shannon's experience of leaving her 9-5 job to open her business
2. How to overcome the fears of showing up as yourself in your business
3. How to deal with negative comments and curate your feed

Please do give Shannon a follow, and let us know what you took away from this episode, we would love to see what you thought of it! LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE Connect with Shannon on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn Connect with Teresa on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter

Transcript

Teresa: Hello and a super warm welcome to this week's episode of the podcast. I'm laughing because I know today's episode is going to be awesome because I have the most beautiful, wonderful guest ever. She is one of my most favorite humans in the whole wide world. And the, the little story is that I met her at social media marketing world. In fact, she is probably the person in my world, in my membership who I have known the longest, even though she's not in the country and she's over in Arizona, but I met her at Social Media Marketing World years ago. And from there, from that connection, we stayed in each other's world and then she joined my membership and all of that sort of good stuff. And she's been in there ever since. So I'm so grateful for. Welcome to the podcast. The very beautiful Shannon. Shannon. How are you doing? Shannon: Hi, Teresa. Thanks so much for having me. I'm. This is a bucket list thing for me for years, actually. And I've never been on a podcast before. So just diving right in. Teresa: Well, that is lovely. And you should have asked, like, I'd have had you years back, Shannon. Shannon: No, I had just. Yeah. I should. That's the thing. Should ask for what you want. Right. But thank you so much for having me. You're also one of my favorite people. I love that. Teresa: I have had, I've known Shannon for years and years and years, and I'm interested to talk about lots of different things with her. Not only what she does as her day job, but also her transition into running her own business and coming up with her brand, which is super unique and awesome. But before we do all that, Shannon, please tell us what you do and how you got to do what you do. Shannon: So hi, I'm Shannon. I have a boutique social media and marketing business where I focus mostly on local, smaller to medium sized service based businesses. And I help them get online because social media is scary when you don't know what you're doing. So I like to try and help take the fear out of social media marketing for them. So I've been in marketing for really for about a million years. I, started in the prehistoric days. Now back like when, my space was all the rage and talking to people. I, I worked in the dental field and would I happen to have the gift of gab with my patients and happen to just Transfer that over and with share all their like answer their dental questions and stuff like that. So, it kind of started there. Yeah, I don't know. I've been just been doing it for a while. I ended up working with an entertainment center locally that I convinced them. Somehow to let me do their social media marketing and be their person. They had an agency, which was great. They were doing their Facebook. And I said, well, let me do the Instagram and show you what I can do. And it took just a couple of months. And then I was running all of the social media for the entertainment center. Teresa: Wow. That's amazing. Big. No. So good. So a few years back, cause Shannon, as she said, she worked for the entertainment center and she did like, you did a bit of this on the side, didn't you? But obviously you had a full time job, so it wasn't easy. Shannon: That's true. That's true. So the funny story, the entertainment center is what sent me into social media marketing world when I met you. So that took a couple of years of convincing, but they were great and very supportive. But yeah. So I was doing this. I mean, I love it. It's obviously you don't keep doing it for decades and not love it. But as I got to know people that, Oh, let me, let me pick your brain. Can I take you out for coffee or happy hour and let me pick your brain. And I love doing that. That was fine. But I was like, Hmm. I don't really have the time for this, but you know, maybe I could help more people if I did it on, you know, as a business. So, so then I, I started it kind of on the side and then after COVID we had, well, during COVID that was, I ended up actually being super busy with the entertainment center, trying to keep, keep their presence alive and going. Cause nobody was going there. It was shut down, but we had, I had some stuff going on and I just, my dad got ill and not with COVID, but that doesn't matter. But my dad got ill and passed away and. I just had a really hard time just going back into work and being in an office. And I just, you know, how you just kind of like, Oh, I need something needs to change. So I left the entertainment center and thought I'd just roll with this. And it's been almost two years. It's been just two years, actually. Teresa: That is crazy. Two years. That doesn't feel like. It doesn't, it doesn't. It feels like you've been doing it for ages, but. Shannon: Yeah, it's, yeah, it's kind of weird. Time is crazy. But yeah, it, I mean, because I've been doing it so long, I guess it feels like I've been doing it for a while, you know. On my own, but I love it. It's, it was a scary, that was kind of my goal for a while too, while I was at the entertainment center to eventually, I think, and I, yes, I know on our coaching calls and all of that, I had that on, on my list of, these are my goals and I'm going to, I'm going to leave my nine to five and it just didn't happen how I was planning it. I thought I'll have all of my ducks in a row. Everything will be ready and organized and instead. I just went, yeah, I'm just gonna do it. So, that was the best decision though, I think, that I've made. Teresa: And, and do you know what? I think sometimes those are the decisions you have to make, because if you, if anyone spends too long thinking about this, and trying to make it the perfect setup, trying to make it at the perfect time, trying to wait until you've built so much, the chances are you'll never do it. So actually I think to just kind of go now or never and just jump into it and do it. How did it feel like the first few weeks of you giving that up and thinking now I've got to find clients? Shannon: So, yeah, that was, that was kind of a trip. I, I was, I had one client at the time and they were great and I, you know, had them for a little bit where I was working with them on, you know, is my side gig. So I had one going in and I was like "I can do this.", I very lucky in the fact that I have a very supportive husband who's like, go and do it. And I was like, I'll just try it for a month. He's like, you need to try it for longer than that because I, you know, I wasn't going to give myself very much. I'm just going to give myself a quick out, you know. Teresa: A month is not long enough by any stretch of the imagination. Shannon: But yeah, he was like, try it at least three, six, at least just try it. And yeah, it just started. I mean, it wasn't, it wasn't like overnight, Oh, now I'm booked. I mean, it's, it was definitely some trial and error. There was, you know, I learned about what kind of clients that I work best with, that I can help. You know, which is kind of where I've fallen more into the service based and also nonprofit is a thing that I find that I'm kind of getting into as well. That's working. So yeah. So I mean, it was just like a lot of trial and error of like finding what niche I want to be. And I wouldn't say I'm super niche down, but you know, and it's always evolving. Teresa: What was, what was the most terrifying bit of starting your own business? Shannon: You know, there's so, there's so many and, and, you know, I like terrifying, but yeah, I do love terrifying. So, oh, there were a few things that were really scary. You know, of course there's the, you know, I need to, I need to bring in an income. That's, that's one thing, but I think honestly, the scariest thing was, and I. I mean, I knew I could do this, but I don't think I really like knew I could do this if that makes any sense. It's that imposter syndrome. Oh, my gosh. What if I think I can do this and I'm actually fooling myself. And if, well, if I am, I'm still rolling with it. So it's that, that imposter syndrome is. That imposter syndrome is they can tell you make it that's awful. Yeah, no, I mean, obviously it's, I'm not, we're not just flying in this blind. You know, we. We put in the time and we spend the money on the education and staying updated and, and all of that. So, I mean, it's definitely well earned, but remembering that, and just, you know, that, that worst critic is that voice in, in, at least for me, it's that voice in my head, that's like "Oh, what are you doing?". But yeah, kind of showing her up, I'm, I'm, well, I kind of, I kind of like showing her that. You're still here. Teresa: Good. Good. Yeah. You're wrong. I can do this. So one of the things I think you've done. Yes, yes. That's like a, that's like a common theme in our world. It's like we often talk about, you know, if someone thinks we can't or someone said something, we're all like, yeah, we can. And if that, if that's the thing that drives us, then let's go with it. Like, I'm cool with that. If whatever motivates you, let's just do it. So one of the things I love. And I want to know whether this was intentional, whether this was accidental and you stumbled across it. But one of the best things about your business is your branding and your brand tone. And this isn't why you're here to talk today, but I do want to touch upon it because tell us your, what's the word I'm trying to think about the inspiration for your brand name. Shannon: So when I was setting this up of the people on my team at the entertainment center is also a graphic designer. So I had asked his help to help me come up with a logo and I thought, Oh, I need business cards. You can't have a business without business cards. So I had one small ideas. I know. I know. We learn. So, yes. So, so I'd asked for his help to help me create a logo. I knew what the name was going to be. I, but I had no idea what kind of logo I wanted to do, but having been on a team with this gentleman for, Oh, it, I mean, for several years, you know, you get to know your coworkers. And I didn't even throw some of these things at him. I was like, Oh, I like garden gnomes and I like the color Tiffany blue. And he came back with this logo and this whole set of logos that had a skull in them. And because he knows me so well, I love horror movies. I love Halloween. It's been a thing. My family, both growing up with my dad, Halloween was our jam. We loved watching just awful, awful, scary movies. Or like, like the worst acting. Yeah, like the worst they were, the better. Teresa: I'd say, do you know what, I think I could get on board with the worst scary movies. Because they're not actually scary, are they? Whereas like, I am, and Shannon knows this, this is the one and only thing, we are so similar in so many ways, but this is the one and only thing that divides us, like, separate, because I do not like scary stuff. I am the biggest baby ever. So like, really poorly acted, terrible effects, scary movie, I probably would be alright with, but like, genuine scary movies, like, not for me. Shannon: Oh, and I love those too, I love a good ghost story, I love... classics. I've got a Frankenstein behind me and on my wall. I mean, I just love them. My dad's favorite was attack of the killer tomatoes. So if you want, like, super, super sweet, oh, it's awful. So it's like hilarious. One of our favorites, which I was going to share with you later is American Werewolf in London, which is kind of spurred my, one of the reasons I'm really excited. England, kind of go to the slaughtered lamb. It's terrible, but it's so funny. Anyway. Yeah. Teresa: The tomato one just sounds too much like, you know, I'm not sure that like I could even get on board with that. Shannon: Oh yeah, the original fly, like the old, old one, it's just so cheesy. They're fantastic. Some Vincent price stuff is wonderful. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, I could go on for days probably about just all the cheesy horror movies I'll send you a list. Yeah, but so yeah, so and I loved it. Teresa: Okay. Thanks. I won't watch them. Shannon: Yeah, so I love I love all the scary movies. I love Halloween. I've always got You know, there's always something spooky ash or I, you know, Ouija board ish or whatever. And it just on my desk. And so anyway, so he came up with this, take a short story and make it really, really long. Sorry. He, he came up with this logo. He came up with this logo for me and, and I was like, Oh. Yeah. Why can't I, I mean, nobody does. I don't see a lot of that. Not nobody, I don't see a lot of people with skulls in their, in their logo, but, you know, unless they're very dark. Yeah. And yeah, and which I'm not, I'm not like dark spooky. Yeah. I don't know. It's weird and twisty. It's weird and it's a fun, yeah. Dark and twisty, but hang on. I'm, but I'm not. I love it. Yeah. In a fun way. It's all good. What could go wrong? Teresa: Yeah. Yeah. You make scary fun. Exactly. Exactly. Shannon: And scary is fun. That's why we go on a Teresa: One of the things that is awesome about brands. Well, no, it's fine. Yeah, no, I get that. I get that. But one of the things that I love is in your social media, so not in your social media, you do that as well, but in your emails that you send. So Shannon and I often have this conversation about, well, I have this conversation with everybody about the consistency of sending emails and Shannon kind of fell off the email wagon. So she had to. go back to her email list and go, Oh, I'm still here. I'm still alive. And like, so the fact that your headline on this, your, your email that you sent out was, I didn't choose the ghost life. The ghost life chose me. And then it said, whoops, did I ghost you? So like, I love the fact that that is so on brand. And then this one that's just come out is spooky IG mistakes that you might be making and how to vanquish them. And then your spooky slip ups and you talk about like different types of slip ups. And it's got, do not enter one, two, Freddy's coming for you, posting and ghosting, like, I just love that. Like. And I don't think you see it as this, I don't think, I'm about to say I love the confidence in just showing up as you, I don't think you see it as confidence, I don't know, no I do know you, I don't think you're doing it because you're like, I'm uber confident in myself, but I just love how Authentic that is and how on brand that is and how very naturally appears to come to you to show up in that way. Shannon: Well, thank you. Thanks. It's, it's kind of fun getting back into writing the emails took that first one. I spent a whole Sunday with that's Sundays here, football's on TV all day long, just game after game. And it's, so it's just playing in the background and yeah, so it was, and I just, the whole entire day. And I spent way too much time on that, which we've talked about, definitely spent way too much time on that. But to get back in the groove of it, because it literally was years that these people signed up for my email list. Thank you so much. By the way, if you're out there listening and you signed up for my email list. Thanks for hanging in there for the, all those years . I am back now. Teresa: Waiting. It was worth the wait. Shannon: I could've done the poltergeist thing. I'm back. But yeah, it, I mean, and that was really scary. Not in the fun way. It was scary to, to come up with that kind of definitely overthinking every little bit and getting out of being consistent. It's, it's hard to get back in, but it's so important. And I mean, and it's getting easier to the more that I write them. And I mean, you just kind of, it's like, oh, I don't have time and, oh, it took me a whole day to write it. I don't want to write another one that took a whole day. Just, yeah. You just got to remember that. Yeah. Teresa: The more you do it. Shannon: Done is better than perfect. Teresa: The quicker it gets. Shannon: So it's, there's going to be typos. Teresa: Exactly. Shannon: Yeah. There's gonna be typos. I'm probably going to misspell something. Teresa: And that's how we know it's real. Shannon: What's that? Teresa: That's how we know it's real. If there's typos, if you misspell something, if it's not perfect, that's how we know when a bot hasn't written it and you've written it, Shannon. So that's the main thing. Shannon: Now I do love AI. I like it for getting some ideas and helping, you know, generate some thought, Oh, that's kind of a cool direction to go in. And I didn't think of that or whatever, but Oh yeah, no, not the. Yeah. Have you noticed, like, I can tell on. Teresa: Like, the just straight up write an email. Shannon: Yeah, I can tell on some social media posts when they've, like, they're, they're embracing AI. That's great. But it's like, that is a hundred percent chat GPT just wrote that entire thing. They have like a format almost. Yeah. Yeah. Teresa: Yeah. Not ideal. So. Let's talk about what...