Adopting an Entrepreneurial Spirit
Navigating My Career Through a Founder's Lens - How You Can, Too
In my opening Substack post, I describe how I coined the term SarNDipity as a name and operating framework for my business, SarNDipity Solutions. Yet that story leaves a broader question unanswered: How and why did I start a business in the first place? That’s the topic I’m excited to discuss today - along with some new offerings I have in the works.
An Iterative Career Evolution
I’d love to inspire you with a narrative about how SarNDipity Solutions evolved from a lifelong vision, the way Bill Gates and Paul Allen progressed from tinkering with school computers to co-founding Microsoft, or Oprah moved up the ranks of regional broadcast outlets to launch her own multimedia empire. In reality, my journey has evolved from a continuous process of exploration and evaluation. Growing up, I dabbled in everything from soccer to choir to writing for my school newspapers, an activity which I suppose preceded a career managing blogs and social media before I even knew such platforms existed - because at the time, they didn’t. Essentially, I followed the tracks laid out for many of us: Go to college. Get a job. Figure the rest out along the way.
Fast-forward to early 2020, when I was several years into a role overseeing accreditation for Iona College (now Iona University!). I had planned to see the multi-year accreditation cycle through completion, then apply that experience toward the next chapter of my career. Of course, I didn’t know at the time that an unforeseen global pandemic would disrupt our world entirely, and, like millions, I would face a job elimination and uncertain path forward.
Turning Disruption into Opportunity
As I processed my unexpected layoff, I considered pursuing an interim project or freelance gig to expand my expertise and position myself for my next role. Still, that route seemed fraught with its own challenges: What would I offer people? How would I present myself? Most of all, Was I just avoiding the arduous job search? Maybe, though I would eventually find my entrepreneurial curiosity too strong to ignore.
I filled my newfound time expanding my skills through online courses, including a four-week Content Marketing bootcamp my city sponsored in the summer of 2021. The program covered best practices in social media, email and search engine optimization (SEO), integrating teachings from industry leaders like HubSpot and Semrush. As I wrote in a Medium post about the experience, the course equipped me with a framework through which to understand and discuss the marketing work I had undertaken my entire career. Moreover, it provided a critical introduction that would shape my next professional steps.
That fall, the same organization that had coordinated the city-wide training began facilitating weekly coworking sessions, free and open to the community. Eager for a change of scenery and interpersonal connection, attending these sessions quickly became a weekly highlight. I enjoyed building relationships with my fellow attendees, many of whom shared inspiring stories of overseeing their own businesses. One of these businesses, Publio, had taught the summer bootcamp, and our continued interactions soon led to an invitation to join the company!
Delivering Value through a Learning Mindset
Working at Publio has provided a hands-on education in being part an emerging startup. I’ve had the opportunity to take ownership over responsibilities ranging from account management to invoicing to creative project coordination. As part of a lean, distributed freelance team, we’ve faced challenges in optimizing client delivery and growth while navigating constraints of limited time and resources.
To maximize team efficiency and output, I’ve built systems and processes integrating tools like HubSpot, Asana, Airtable, and Google Workspace, then trained the team to use them for maximum impact. Collaborating together within these frameworks, we’ve achieved the following milestones:
Delivery of high-value content and campaigns for clients including XLR8 America and McAllister Towing
Launch of SMarketPlace™ podcast and production of over 50 live episodes
Establishment of agency and platform partnerships with companies like HubSpot, Jeeva.ai, Zerobounce and Grow Your Business
Acquisition, expansion and rebrand of the website and newsletter, ChargedUp!
Working with the team at Publio (now PublioSTUDIO) toward these achievements enhanced my confidence to take steps in formalizing my own business. In late 2023, I learned of a training program offered through a local non-profit through which I could qualify for $2,500 in startup capital. I signed up, applied for funding and was awarded the grant! I used the funds to register SarNDipity Solutions as an LLC, invest in Quickbooks and a web domain, and upgrade my home workspace setup.
Since formally launching SarNDipity Solutions, Publio and its clientele have remained my primary focus. Still, shifting from freelancer to LLC has enhanced my confidence over my own career possibilities. It’s provided a new perspective I’ve brought to Publio; likewise, everything I’ve learned from Publio I’ve applied to grow and scale SarNDipity.
Envisioning the Chapter Ahead
Publio now comprises a team of four and concurrently manages ChargedUp! alongside its own portfolio. With the company on track to have its most successful year yet, I’ve had added bandwidth to focus on SarNDipity and areas in which I want to expand the business. Reaching this point after years of hard work feels immensely rewarding and exciting.
Reflecting on how many people have been displaced by layoffs in the time since I was five years ago, I’ve become inspired to help individuals navigate these transitions, whether they’re exploring entrepreneurship as an interim career step or long term shift. Ideas for future offerings include:
1:1 and group advising and training
Free and premium content, communities and resources
Initial systems and marketing channel setup
Joint offers in collaboration with PublioSTUDIO and other partners
To start, I’m launching a follow-up ‘Founder’s Lens’ series that dives deeper into the how-tos of exploring and establishing yourself as a solopreneur, including:
Value proposition and positioning
Setup of sales channels and payment systems
Budget and resource allocation, capacity assessment and growth planning
Self-care and minimizing burnout (Perhaps my favorite topic!)
Throughout the series, I’ll share updates on new offers and where to access additional resources. Look for the next article to land soon, and follow and subscribe to stay posted on new content and offerings!