Ready to get a little punchy? My friend and guest this week keeps it punchy and fun on all her socials and in life.
Meet my guest Sophia Sulzner, aka: The Western Shop Specialist.
In the past year, she pivoted her small-town social media marketing/website design business, and rather than sharing her services oriented for everyone, she niched down. Now, she and her team specialize in increasing brand recognition & revenue for western boutiques and creative businesses. They offer social media strategy training, Shopify web sales services, and coaching for small businesses in this arena.
By niching down, Sophia was able to find her people. She could speak with these women at their level, using their slang, talking about their interests, and connecting them with one another. As a result, she’s been able to grow her Facebook Group The Punchy Posse to over 1400 members since December 2020 and help women from all over the globe connect and collaborate around their love for western and rural businesses. As the Posse grew, Sophia expanded her offerings and adjusted for the needs of her followers. We dive deep this week into the topic of pivoting and changing as a business evolves, and she offers up some great perspectives on keeping an open mind and a can-do attitude through it all.
In addition to her professional life, Sophia is a young mom of three whose husband is currently deployed with the National Guard. We thank her husband and her family for their service and protecting the freedoms that we enjoy here in the U.S. In their free time, they enjoy rodeoing and living the small-town life in rural Iowa.
This entire episode is full of little nuggets of wisdom that I know you’ll find helpful, and I was scribbling notes throughout the interview. I know you’ll hear the passion in Sophia’s voice as she shares all that she knows and loves, and I hope it inspires you to take on a big goal today.
Enjoy this candid convo with my friend Sophia!
Key Takeaways
- “If I’m enjoying it, it always turns out 110% better.” Don’t forget to find joy in what you do!
- Lean into things you love about yourself and your upbringing. As a young girl, Sophia always felt like she was a little too country for her town friends and a little too city for her rodeo crew. But she kept finding herself called back to that lifestyle and brought together a community for herself and people like her.
- Facebook Groups can grow quickly, and the way to keep the vibe aligned vision as the CEO is to set and keep clear boundaries. It’s tough, but it is important in growing a community that is accepting and inclusive.
- Facebook Groups can grow quickly, as I said in the point above. Though scaling a Group to thousands of members can seem like what you’ve always dreamed of, it also brings a new set of challenges and people management strategies for a business owner. Be prepared to adjust and adapt as-needed as your Groups’ needs change.
- Facebook Groups can grow quickly (is there an echo in here?), but that doesn’t always equate to more dollars for your business. Growing a business may require you to work for free or minimal dollars that don’t provide immediate ROI.
- It’s ok to grow and pivot as you go. Try new things, ask for feedback from your audience, and make adjustments. you don’t have to have it all figured out from the start.
- Investing in coaches and working with professionals can help you grow and scale your business. Sophia credits some great business mentors for helping her realize her calling to serve the Western community and encourages others to do the same.
- EVEN MORE goodness lies inside the episode for you, listener! Click the Spotify link above to catch it all!
Feelin’ Punchy?
Learn a little more about Sophia’s Punchy Posse business community here or shop their goods. If Sophia’s message and purpose resonates with you, you can see her offers and get in touch with her at her website. Lastly, if you want to connect with Sophia and her Punchy gal pals at the Punchy Retreat, get in touch with Sophia personally to reserve your spot for the 2022 gathering of Punchy Professionals!
Follow for More
Follow Sophia on Instagram and Facebook.
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