Savvy Social School Founder Andréa Jones on Building An Online Community
Savvy social school (now known as the Mindful Marketing Lab) founder, Andréa Jones, is the latest featured guest on An Entrepreneur’s Vibes Podcast. The seasoned social media strategist is sharing how she built a thriving online community and how she helps business owners market with calmness, clarity, and confidence.
Andréa entered the world of digital marketing in the early 2000s, and it was born out of her simple love for online connections. As an introvert, she was able to share her voice through blogging and YouTube, which was long before social media became the powerhouse it is today. After she moved from the U.S. to Canada in 2014, Andréa began her business by offering freelance marketing services. From mentoring entrepreneurs and creators through the Savvy Social School, now known as the Mindul Marketing Lab, Andréa shares her decades-long experience and strategies in digital marketing with a values-driven approach.
In this blog, find out how online platforms shaped Andréa’s career, why she believes consistency is more important than trends, and how she empowers others to build sustainable marketing strategies that actually work.
Becoming OnlineDrea: Cultivating A Business Mindset For Growth
Andréa Jones didn’t have a master plan to launch her business or have a venture-backed startup budget. It all started with love – and a YouTube comment.
In 2014, she was managing spa locations in Atlanta when she met her now-husband through YouTube. One comment saying “I like your eyes” would eventually lead to marriage, and that’s how she moved to Canada. Andréa had a background in hospitality, an English literature degree, and a passion for writing. Andréa knew she wanted to switch careers, and so she began her freelancing journey writing product descriptions and blogging.
Her discovery of social media was when things started to change. Andréa said, “It was something people needed every single day.” Unlike her one-off blog posts and website content, social media required ongoing engagement. It was that consistency that made it a practical niche as well as a creative background.
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Andréa’s goal to monetize started simple – make $1 was the first goal, then $50, then $100. She didn’t really set out to build an agency or establish herself as an industry expert. But slowly and steadily, Andréa built a client base, and so her confidence grew, too. Social media strategizing became her lane, and soon enough, she embodied “OnlineDrea”.
As her client base grew, so did the demands of the business. One year and six months into her freelancing journey, she took some time off. Instead of unplugging, she was overcome with pressure to stay online. What was supposed to be a vacation became a turning point for her. Andréa began building a team and laid the groundwork for what would become a thriving agency that would serve 40 clients and generate nearly a million dollars in annual revenue.
It’s not just the success that makes Andréa’s story stand out; it’s about how grounded she stayed throughout the process. It wasn’t a path made from intentional decisions and steady progress. One client, one dollar at a time.
Today, the Mindul Marketing Lab or formerly the Savvy Social School, founder is a sought-after mentor for digital marketing advice. Andréa helps other business owners grow sustainably, show up authentically, and build businesses that fit their lives.
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Trends in Social Media Marketing and Building an Engaged Audience
Savvy Social School founder Andréa envisions the next five years for social media to bring a rapid evolution. However, one thing will be consistent – the power of human connection.
On the podcast, Andre shared her thoughts on what she believes will be the biggest trend in social media marketing, which will be a shift back to authenticity. As AI-generated content continues to increase in volume, online audiences will start craving something machines can’t replicate, which are real, relatable, and human experiences. Regardless of whether it’s long-form video content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or simply showing up with vulnerability and integrity, personal content will outperform automated content.
Andréa emphasizes that building an engaged audience is more than just posting content frequently or hopping on every new platform; the new trend will be about slowing down and connecting more. She notes that while platforms we know and love, like Instagram, are adding new features (reels, stories, broadcast channels, and more), many businesses are stuck in production mode and focusing on quantity content without actually building relationships – and that’s where engagement tends to dwindle.
If you want to get ahead of the trend, Andréa encourages you to rethink your current content strategy by asking yourself, “Is this helping me connect with real people?”.
In the age of artificial intelligence and automation, marketers who lead with empathy, consistency, and community will stand out. As Andréa said in the podcast, “There’s going to be a premium on humanness of it all.”
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What Is Savvy Social School Social All About and Social Media Content Tips
At the Savvy Social School, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A digital entrepreneurial advice she emphasizes during the podcast is that before businesses choose a platform to create a content calendar, they should ask the question, “Where is my community and how do they want to engage?”
Visibility isn’t about being on every single social media platform there is. Andréa advises smaller brands and solo entrepreneurs to focus on one platform at a time. It would be preferable to choose one where brands can create dynamic content and connect directly with their audience. Andréa shares that Instagram often gets her recommendations because it offers everything from reels, stories, carousels, and DMs – it makes for an ideal place to build an engaged audience without a huge marketing budget. Facebook, on the other hand, while relevant, requires more investment on the ads side to get real traction.
Andréa’s most powerful social media content tip is understanding that content creation alone does not build community. She says, “Don’t just push out content and expect people to follow.” She urges brands to become active participants in existing communities before creating their own. This means engaging in others’ comment sections, collaborating with peers, and building relationships through DMs or live sessions. These actions lay the foundation for creating meaningful connections online – something worth more than polished content. This is very much in line with how the University of San Diego describes social media marketing – a two-way street where brands engage with their audience by answering their questions and responding to requests, sometimes even criticism.
One of the things Andréa teaches at the Savvy Social School is to have a practical checkpoint. Before launching private community spaces like a Facebook group or an Instagram broadcast channel, ask, “Do you know at least 100 people who’d want to join right now?” If the answer is no, then brands should focus on growing a social community first through networking and genuine engagement.
“Give before you ask” is Andréa’s simple but powerful mantra. When applied to social media strategies, it can mean the difference between chasing trends and building a movement.
Social Media Coaching For Business: Andréa Jones’ Expert Advice for Authentic Growth
With over a decade of experience, Andréa has become an expert in providing social media coaching for business owners by bringing clarity to the chaos. Not only does she help her clients create content, but she also helps them build long-term communities and teaches them consistency and confidence.
On An Entrepreneur’s Vibes Podcast, Andréa shared some of the most common struggles brands and businesses face when it comes to social media and how they can overcome them. Here were our top takeaways:
- Think Time, Not Quantity
One of Andréa’s top recommendations is not to stress over how many posts to make. Instead, reframe consistency around time. Try spending one or two hours a week creating media content and another one or two hours to socially engage with your audience. By following this time-based system, you can help reduce burnout while keeping your brand visible online. - Find Your Guide
Trends constantly shift online, especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Andréa’s top suggestion is to look up to someone who is already immersed in the latest updates so you don’t necessarily have to be online 24/7. It can be a trusted coach, a social media newsletter, or a community like the Savvy Social School. Find your guide or your light for curated and relevant information. - Create With Community in Mind
Always create content with your community in mind. When you create content, it should feel relatable to your community. Whether that means using memes, aesthetics, of GIFs, the key it to know what people relate to and creating content that not only reflects you but your community. - Clarify the Transformation
When people visit your profiles, make sure you make your value known. There are too many bios and captions that list what you do not why it matters. Don’t just say “I design websites”. Say, “I create websites you would be proud to show off.” Make your value-add obvious to evoke emotion from your audience. - No Posting and Ghosting
Just posting online won’t be enough to grow your audience. Social media requires participation. Make sure you’re actually being social and not just posting content. Comment on other people’s posts, join conversations, and like Andréa said, “give without expecting”. Your engagement will build more trust and visibility alongside the content you create. - Build Your Own Marketing Sandbox
Andréa’s advice for business owners and brands is to move away from rigid formulas and explore curiosity-driven strategies for marketing. Define your POV, create signature content, and support it with consistent touchpoints via email and social media. There really is no one-size-fits-all strategy, so don’t be afraid to make your own mark online.
Marketing strategies should really be unique, and we can help you find what works with our Marketing and Content Strategy Writing Services. - Make Space for JoyMarketing isn’t supposed to feel like it’s a grind. When you know your audience and make room for experimentation, the process becomes more fun. Don’t shy away from showing your personality when you create content because this is how your community will find you.
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Listen to more gems from Andréa Jones by listening to the full episode of An Entrepreneur’s Vibes Podcast. From time-saving marketing strategies and building a connected audience. This episode is perfect for small business owners, creative entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals. Andréa’s insights on community-driven content and sustainable marketing strategies are worth every minute.
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Andrea Jones [00:00:00] I’ve seen trends come and go. I’ve seen platforms rise and fall. I can bring all of that experience into how I mentor my students and my clients into shaping a social media strategy, and really, an entire marketing strategy that works for them and that kind of stands the test of time.
Patricia [00:00:31] Welcome to An Entrepreneur’s Vibes, the podcast that gives insight into the minds of visionary entrepreneurs and business leaders, brought to you by The Write Direction, a leading professional and technical writing company based in North America. Each episode, we explore the stories and experiences of those who dare to dream, took the leap, and built their own empires. So, if you’re just starting out your entrepreneurial journey or you’re already a seasoned business pro, you’ll find inspiration, knowledge, and good vibes right here. Our guest is a social media marketing mentor, strategist, and the founder of OnlineDrea. Her journey started over a decade ago with a deep passion for social media and content creation. Through her online platform and the Mindful Marketing Lab, our guest is on a mission to help business owners navigate the ever-changing online landscape, find the sweet spot between the hustle and soft life, and create sustainable marketing strategies that don’t lead to burnout. Today, she’s gonna share her story, her insights on building an engaged social media presence and how she’s empowering others to succeed with savvy, strategic and sustainable marketing. Let’s dive into the world of social media marketing and welcome the show, Andrea Jones! Hi, Andrea!
Andrea Jones [00:01:36] Hi, thank you so much for having me!
Patricia [00:01:39] How are you doing today?
Andrea Jones [00:01:42] I’m doing fantastic! You know, it was a little bit of a rushed morning. My toddler didn’t wanna go to daycare. My baby spit up all over me, but you know what? We’re here, and we’re happy, so I’m thankful for that.
Patricia [00:01:52] And we’re so thankful for that as well! You do seem to be a person who wears many hats of responsibilities and one of them being a social media marketing mentor. So, please, share with us how your journey in social media began and what sparked your interest in this field.
Andrea Jones [00:02:08] I’ve always loved social media. As a very introverted person, I found that joining online communities made me find my space online. I started my first YouTube channel in 2007. I started blogging in 2004. So, I’ve been online for a while. I met my husband in 2013. And with that meeting… We met him. I lived in the US. He lived in Canada. I moved to a different country, and that’s what kicked off my professional business. So, prior to that, I was just blogging for fun. And then in 2014, when I moved to Canada, I started the business, started freelancing. And as they say, the rest is history.
Patricia [00:02:49] And how would you say these experiences being in the online world shaped your career in social media? You’ve been around since 2014, you said.
Andrea Jones [00:02:57] Yeah. So, I was just thinking about this the other day. You know, I’ve been creating content online for two decades. Like, I feel so old. I’m only 35. So, I mean, if you do the math, it’s like I’ve blogging since I was in my teens. But I feel old, and I do think that I am wizened with my years on the internet, and I’ve seen trends come and go. I’ve seen platforms rise and fall. And so for me, I can bring all of that experience into how I mentor my students and my clients into shaping a social media strategy, and really, an entire marketing strategy that works for them and that kind of stands the test of time. For example, one of my clients was thinking about being on YouTube, and she was kind of going back and forth like, “Ah, should I? Shouldn’t I?” And I asked her, “You know, if you started a YouTube channel five years ago, imagine how different your business and your life would be, even if you had a handful of videos.” Right? Versus, “Starting today, now, five years from now, you’ll be thankful that you started that YouTube channel.” So, part of my experience really helps me mentor my students and my members, because I’ve kind of seen a lot of the trends come and go, and I have this strategic lens on the things that are lasting, things like long form video.
Patricia [00:04:24] That’s really fascinating! And I think when social media started to, like, boom, not a lot of people understood that it could be like a career. And like you said, you’ve seen trends come and go. [00:04:34]What do you think would social media look like in the next five years? Do you think, are you foreseeing any new trends? Do you think long form content is still gonna be the best? Do you think people are gonna start doing something else entirely? What is your foresight? [15.5s]
Andrea Jones [00:04:50] [00:04:50]Yeah, this is such an interesting question. So, every year on my podcast, the Mindful Marketing podcast, I release a predictions episode, and this will be my sixth year doing that predictions episode. And so, I record in October, I releas in November every year. So, I’m starting to prepare for this. And it’s really tough to say where social video will be five years from now. Because even looking back five years, things have changed so much. Like five years ago, TikTok was an idea. It was a dancing app for the teens, right? Like, it wasn’t a big deal. This was like pre-pandemic. So, when I think about the next five years I think that there is going to be a battle against artificial intelligence, like artificially produced content. We’re already seeing that. There’s gonna be a premium on the humanness of it all. So, the more we can show up like a human, the better. I can’t predict what platform that will be, but there will be new ones by then. And I think more and more people will just use AI. I think it’s gonna be so integrated into our life we won’t even think about it anymore. So, being a human there’s gonna be premium on that. And to piggyback off of that thought, I think human connection is gonna be even more important than it is now. And we’re starting to see this already. Engagement is down on Instagram. People keep saying, “Engagement is down! Engagement is down!” And I think the reason that is, is because we’re producing more than we’re connecting. We’re producing so much content, especially as business owners that sometimes we forget the very nature of social media and why it was created in the first place. Like, why did that Tom guy create MySpace? Why did Zuck create Facebook? It wasn’t so that we could like blast out our business. It was so that we can actually connect with people. And so, my prediction over the next five years is that premium on human content and premium on human connection. And so, anything else that you do in your marketing, if you can, like, examine it through that lens, I think you’re primed to be, like, at the top of the top when it comes to that five year market. And we look back to this moment and go, “Oh yeah, we were right!” [127.2s]
Patricia [00:06:58] I think that makes so much sense. And those predictions, I actually, like, look forward to seeing that, and I definitely, like, agree that I think AI is going to be more integrated into content creation. And even now, we see people, you know, engage with brands that are online, and people want to see more of the behind-the-scenes. People want to see more about, less about the product, or how the product was created, who the creators are, because they do want that connection. They don’t want just, like, someone who creates content just for the sake of it. They really wanna connect with the people that they watch. So, I think those are really great predictions. [00:07:33]And just talking about your career, I wanted to ask you, like, when you were starting out, what was, like, the biggest challenge that you faced when building your career, especially on social media, and how did you overcome them? [9.2s]
Andrea Jones [00:07:43] [00:07:43]Yeah. So, when I started in 2014, I think the biggest challenge was that businesses didn’t really see the value in social media. And so, a lot of the early days was, like, educating them on the value of it. But because of that, the amount I could charge was different than it is today. And so, I mean, it’s changed so much. Now, businesses, it a non-negotiable. People know. You start a business, you start your social channels. Like, go ahead and claim the social media handles while you think you’ve got your business name, right? So, it’s so different between now and then. I also think it was a lot easier back then. In 2014, if you wanted to post something on social, you could create the same square graphic, and the same caption, and use a HootSuite and post it to Facebook, Twitter, it was Twitter then, and Instagram, and away you go. And that was, like, check, done for your social media strategy. That was it. It’s so complicated now, even with Instagram. You think about… You’ve got reels, you’ve stories, you’ve notes, you’ve got broadcast channels, we also have carousel posts. Like, it’s so complex now. And so, you know, it can be more challenging, but those are some of the differences I see between back then and now. [78.4s]
Patricia [00:09:01] [00:09:01]I wanted to ask you about that. If a business were to come to you for social media strategy advice, would you say that they should focus on a particular platform depending on what product or service that they offer? [10.3s] Because like you said before, like, you could just post the same amount of content or the same type of content throughout different platforms. But we know now that, you know, a TikTok isn’t necessarily going to be the same as a reel or even a short, even though they’re the same types of videos. So, I wanted to ask you,like, is the platform brands are posting on important? Should they choose a specific platform or should they do everything?
Andrea Jones [00:09:33] [00:09:33]I think before asking what platform you should be on, really thinking about your community and how they want to engage with you as a business, because not all communities are everywhere, and not all communities engage the same way. Think about Duolingo, for example, which I think they’re doing a fantastic job in their marketing, but a lot of their marketing is like a grassroots community effort. They post, sure, they create content with their little bird, and it’s fun, and it’s mostly on TikTok, but they’re mostly in the comment sections of videos. So, their strategy isn’t necessarily content first, it’s community first. And so, I do think that you had to kind of answer that question first, because even a lot of brands are doing things like Slack channels, or Facebook groups, or Discord groups. It doesn’t have to be like your traditional social channel. That being said, it depends on the budget of the brand. A smaller company, I would recommend picking one main platform and that be your focus. Larger companies, it is expectation that we see you everywhere. We see you in multiple places and that you are active on multiple places as well, not just have placeholder content. And so, if it’s a solo brand, one platform. Instagram does seem to be one of the more popular ones. Facebook is still very popular. Do not discredit Facebook, but Facebook as a business owner, you gotta have ad spend. Instagram, you can get away with not having an ad spend and because there’s so many dynamic content types, you can have a very robust preview of what your brand is through different mediums. And so, that’s why I tend to like Instagram as well. [101.4s]
Patricia [00:11:15] And I just wanted to ask more about that, the difference between, like, just pushing out content and then creating a community. [00:11:22]How would a brand starting from scratch even build that community from the start? [5.9s] I mean, obviously, they would have to post content, but then, you know, you can’t just push out content for like seven days a week and then expect people to just relate and start following you. So, [00:11:40]how do brands start a community online? [2.9s]
Andrea Jones [00:11:44] [00:11:44]My first suggestion is join a community. Be a good community member. I think it’s really hard to be a leader of a community if you don’t know what it feels like to be a member of one. And so, I think a lot of businesses, like new businesses especially get this backwards. They go and they, you know, start a Facebook group and then all of their posts are like, join my Facebook group, and get in the Facebook group, and it’s crickets, and there’s like nobody in there. Because, well, one, you’re just new, and starting anything is challenging. But two, we have an ulterior motive, and people can sense tha. Right? Like, we don’t want to join something where it’s like, “Oh, they’re just going to sell to us. It feels like a Tupperware party.” Like, “Oh we’re just gonna push stuff on us. I’m here for the free cheese.” You know? Like, we don’t want that experience for our community members. So, be a good community member. Start studying the value of community. And then you can create your own. And typically, I do recommend, if you’re doing a private community, you should kind of get a sense that you know at least a hundred people who can join. I’m talking like Discord, Facebook groups, Circle, Heartbeat, Mighty Networks, whatever it is. If you can’t say, “I feel pretty good. Like, I feel like a hundred can join,” just skip it, like, you’re not ready yet, and focus on your social community. For social communities, it is all about networking and collaboration. And so, this is where being a good community member can be helpful. So, on Instagram, as an example, since we brought that up a few times, it can look like being in the comment section of non-competing entity. It can look like being in direct messages with referral partners. It can look like Instagram live with maybe a competitor. You know, there’s a lot of ways that you can do that, but it really is all about networking and giving before you get something back from it. [114.5s]
Patricia [00:13:39] That’s amazing advice! And I actually never thought of it like that. Like, if you want to build a community, you have to be a member first before you are able to be leader. So, thank you so much for sharing that, and I think a lot of people are gonna, you know, think about that and be like, “Oh, I never thought about that before.” But I wanted to ask you about entrepreneurship and business, and I wanted to ask, like, [00:13:57]how did OnlineDrea come about? And what were the early days of being an entrepreneur looked like? [5.2s]
Andrea Jones [00:14:03] [00:14:03]I mentioned that I started my business in 2014. It’s because I fell in love. I met my husband. We fell in love. I was, like, in the YouTube comment section, like, “I like your eyes.” We got married. I moved to Canada. And prior to that, I worked in hospitality. I was a manager of a couple of different spa locations in Atlanta, Georgia. And so, I didn’t really have a lot of online experience outside of running my own blog. And so, and I have a degree in English literature. So, I started off by blogging for other people, but the challenge was blogging wasn’t as repeatable as social media. And I was doing all sorts of writing. I was writing, like, product descriptions and websites and things like that, but I landed on social, because it’s something that people needed every single day. And so, like, my packages just look different than, like, writing product descriptions or writing website copy. And so I landed on social media fairly quickly, probably within the first couple of weeks. My only goal in those first couple of weeks was to make a dollar. I went into it, and I was like, “Okay, how can I make $1 this week?” And then next week I was, like, “Okay, cool, how can I make $50?” And then the next week was like “Okay, cool, how can I make $100.” And then it just went up from there. So, it started out very small, built it up from here. And honestly, I kind of stumbled onto social, but once I got it, I knew that that was the thing that I wanted to continue doing. And so, after a few months, landed on social, started freelancing. And then a year and a half later, I hadn’t taken a vacation yet, and I realized I need some time off. And so, I planned the vacation. My husband and I, we took our vacation, but I was so stressed the whole time because it was only me, and social media doesn’t sleep. The same reason that I love social media was why I found I couldn’t relax on my vacation. And so, then I started hiring a team. I built up my agency. And at its peak, we had 40 clients making almost a million dollars a year in revenue. And so, that was kind of my journey, started off by just trying to make a dollar. [122.8s]
Patricia [00:16:06] It’s funny that you mentioned that you found it hard to relax on vacation. I remember you, I think you mentioned on your website that you experienced burnout and you took a sabbatical. So, I wanted to ask you, like, [00:16:19]how do you balance now the demands of running a business and maintaining a healthy work-life balance? [5.6s]
Andrea Jones [00:16:26] [00:16:26]Oh gosh, it’s hard. It is very hard. I like to use the words work-life integration instead of balance, because sometimes, it is not balanced at all, and it just depends on my season of life. Like right now, in my life, I have a toddler, I just had a baby. And so, the balance part is, it’s imbalanced towards family. Like, family right now is like, I’m spending way more time there than work. And I’m okay with that. And for a lot of time, it was work over a lot of other things. So, I integrate it as best as I can. I also have a lot of boundaries around specifically social media, because you can get dragged by the algorithm. You can get sucked in to watching TikToks. And then, it’s like three hours later, and you’re like, “Where did my time go?” So, I have a lotta boundaries around that. I don’t have notifications on my phone for anything but like texts and calls. So, even I ordered Uber Eats the other day, and I don’t have notifications. I had to log into the app to see where my order was, because it’s too much for me. I get so panicked over that. I also try not to rely on social media as my sole form of entertainment, which is hard, because I love social media. Like, I love it. And too much of a good thing is bad for me. And so, I read a lot. I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. It’s my Netflix. I don’t really watch a lot of Netflix, but for me, it’s Kindle. And I will read, like, lots of books on my phone instead of choosing to scroll. And it took a long time for me to switch that habit. Basically had to rearrange the apps on my phone so that Kindle is, like, easy to go to than Instagram. It takes a few clicks. So, I do things like that to make sure that I’m not putting every part of me into my business, because I am not the kind of person who gets deep satisfaction from working all the time. There are some people who do, okay? There are people who work all the time, and that’s great for them. Most people, we need other things in our lives, so I just fill it up with other things. [120.2s]
Patricia [00:18:27] That’s great, because I feel like a lot of people, I mean, not a lot of people will understand unless you are a content creator or unless you do work in social media that for some it’s just a medium for you to be entertained, for you to maybe share what’s going on with your life. But then for people like you, like, it’s your job. So, it’s important to have those healthy boundaries to, like, clock off. Like, you’re probably not working, but then you’re still on your phone. So, it kind of feels like you’re still in that social media bubble, so it becomes unhealthy. So, I think it’s really important to have those, like, boundaries, so that you can have, not the balance, but the integration that you were talking about. And knowing what you know now, I wanted to ask, like, [00:19:06]what are some key entrepreneurial lessons that you’ve learned that you wish you had known when you started? [5.4s]
Andrea Jones [00:19:12] [00:19:12]Oh gosh, I feel like this could make up a whole book, but I think the biggest thing for me now is to not compare myself to other people. One of my biggest, I don’t know if regrets is the right word, but I wish I’d stuck with YouTube more. So, like I started with YouTube. I love creating YouTube videos, but the more you get into YouTube videos, and especially if you start studying what the experts say, and that’s air quotes for those of you listening experts, they tell you so many things, like, optimizing everything. Every little part of the video is optimized. There’s stuff popping up on the screen, you have animated graphics, you have cut scenes, you have title cards, you’ve all of these things, and that was holding me back from creating videos, and it’s why I love podcasting so much too, because it’s not that wild as YouTube videos are. And I recognize now that my people don’t mind if my videos don’t have those things, they just want the information. They don’t need the flashy, the cut scenes, the popping up texts, the animated emojis, they don’t all of that. They just wanna learn something like, how do I price my social media services, right? And so for me, if I can record that video, and I show up as myself, and I record the video, and I post the video with minimal edits, they’re still getting the information, and they’re connecting with me. And so, I feel like if I had made that realization sooner, I’d be a lot farther in my YouTube journey, because I didn’t post videos for a long time, because I felt like they weren’t good enough. [93.6s]
Patricia [00:20:47] And are you posting now regularly or at least semi-regularly?
Andrea Jones [00:20:51] Yes. So, I post at least once a week. Ideally, it would be two or three times a week, but I just had a baby this year, so I’m giving myself grace. But I post once a week, and most of the time it’s my podcast.
Patricia [00:21:02] That’s really exciting. We’ll make sure to link your YouTube description below so we can, like, collaborate, and you guys can follow Andrea on her journey. And we’ll talk about your journey, [00:21:11]can you talk about the importance of building a personal brand, especially as an entrepreneur in the digital age? [5.8s]
Andrea Jones [00:21:18] [00:21:18]Personal brands are so key right now, especially because we don’t know what the future will bring. In the world of artificial intelligence, especially, I mentioned there’s a premium on the humanness of it all, and the personal brand is just that. I think about the people who I follow on social media. I follow Sara Blakely, who is the creator of Spanx. I don’t follow Spanx, right? I follow Sara. And so, when we think about who we follow online, oftentimes it’s the person behind the brand, and that’s shifting even more now. I’m not saying we don’t follow brands, because we do, we do like brands, but we love the human stories of it all. We love that. And so, I think personal brands are key to that. Personal brands also allow for so much more flexibility. If you’re going to pivot, if you’re changing, if you are growing as a person, people connect with that. They relate to that. And I think, you know, even looking at mega platforms like Meta, for instance, Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, like the heads of Facebook and Instagram, I see their posts way more than I see, you know, Instagram for creators, like that account on Instagram. And I would much rather see Adam Mosserri give me an update versus some, like, anonymous Instagram account, even though his updates still kind of make me panic a little bit, because he does a lot of them, but I still would much rather see that from the personal brand. And so, I think personal brands are very powerful, and there’s a lot of space for them. I’m not dissing your traditional brand account, but I think there’s a lot space for personal brands. [103.3s]
Patricia [00:23:01] I think it’s also kind of different creating a brand if it’s for a company or a business, but it’s also kind of unique to have your personal brand, like, who you show up as when you’re sharing who you are online. And I wanted to ask, how do people figure out what their brand is like? Where do they look? Is it just what you’re into at the moment? Is it the content that you put out? Like, [00:23:27]how does someone who wants to show up online authentically even start to create a personal brand? [5.9s]
Andrea Jones [00:23:34] [00:23:34]I love this question, because it’s a question that we were just talking about in our membership, and it’s something that I call building your POV statement. And when I think about your POV, this is your perspective. It’s a unique blend of who you are as a person, your values, and your experiences, and that’s what makes you as a business owner. So, for example, I want you to think about your value system. So, for me, I’m a family through and through. I love my family. I’ve got two kids, lovely husband, grandmas, grandpas, all of it, nieces, nephews, love it. So, that’s a huge value to me. Families. But also, a big value to me work-wise is integrity. And so, when I think about my perspective on marketing, there’s so many marketers who will do things like fake webinars, or arbitrary deadlines, and countdowns, and things like that. I don’t particularly care for those. So, that is a value system of mine. But I also have my own perspectives, right? Like I mentioned, I met my husband on YouTube. My best friends, all of them, I’ve met on the internet. So, for me, being social and being in community is a life thing as well as a business thing. That’s my perspective. Those are my values. And then I integrate my personality into it. I tend to be a talker. I’m not really, like, super polished. I’m not, I don’t know, overly stuffy. And so, when I show up, I tend to do things like podcast interviews, and live streams, and mediums that lend to the way that I communicate. That unique mix is what makes your perspective. And when you start to break down your values, your personality traits, even the values of your community and your customers, layer in your personality, layer in those things that are unique to you. This is where you get your POV statement, and this is the thing that can be the guiding light in your marketing. [121.2s]
Patricia [00:25:36] That’s really fascinating. And you seem to really know so much about, like, marketing, social media tricks. And earlier, you were talking about how you’ve seen trends come and go. And so, I wanted to ask like, since social media is such a landscape that is constantly changing, [00:25:51]how do you keep up with the latest trends, and ensure your strategies remain relevant, and that you remain true to your personal brand? [6.7s]
Andrea Jones [00:25:58] [00:25:58]So for me, personally, I am online a lot. Like, I know I mentioned I have boundaries, but my job is to know these things. So, I tend to be online for my job a lot. For my, the people that I mentor, my students, I recommend finding someone who is online a lot. And I’m not the only person. There’s a lot of people who study trends. There’s lot of of people who, you know, they have a newsletter that shares, you know social media news, or updates, or the changes, and things like that. So, find a guiding light who can help you navigate, because there are a lot of changes happening. A lot. Especially those of us on Instagram. Instagram is going through some sort of midlife crisis likr buying the motorcycle, like getting the tattoos, like they’re going through something. So, we’re along for the ride, but it can be a lot to keep up with. So, find someone who is studying it, and also, that person can help you apply it to your brand, to your business. [55.5s]
Patricia [00:26:55] Yeah, I understand that completely. I would say I’m someone who is constantly online as well, especially on TikTok. I’ve actually had to do this similar to what you did. Like, turn off my notifications completely, and just start reading more, because it really isn’t healthy. The trends, especially now with Gen Z and Gen Alpha being online, it’s so different from what millennials or what the boomers understand. It’s a completely different language, and you just have to be there when it pops up, like the trend, to understand it. Otherwise, you know, it’ll take so long for it to trickle down from, like, TikTok to Instagram, and then to Facebook, and you know, like, it’s this whole ordeal. So, you really have to be there to understand. And just talking about that, I mean, [00:27:36]what would you say are the most effective social media tactics that you recommend, especially when you’re someone who wants to build an engaged and loyal audience? [8.1s]
Andrea Jones [00:27:45] [00:27:45]So, a few things here. I like to break social media down into two words. You’ve got the social piece, and you’ve got the media piece. And I think the media piece is easier to understand. It’s creating media. It’s creating content. And instead of giving yourself a number of posts, like a goal, I want us to think about consistency in terms of time. So, not consistency in terms of posts but in terms of time, how much time do you actually have to spend on this? And for a lot of my students, it’s an hour or two a week. So, we’re spending one to two hours a week creating media. That’s very attainable for a lotta brands and businesses. Okay, you can do more, you do less, but give yourself that time parameter, and that can be helpful for consistency. And when we’re creating that content, we’re really focusing on not ourselves but on our community. And the ultimate goal for me is for my community to look at my posts, or look at my content, and go, “Oh, I feel seen. Like, how does she know? That’s me. That’s totally me.” And so, if we can do that with our posts, then we can really create connection within the post itself. That’s the media piece. Then we have the social piece, and I do see them as equal. So, if you’re spending one to two hours a week creating media, I think you should also spend one to two hours week being social. And so, that means being in your community, networking, commenting, giving, with no expectation of anything in return. And I think that is the key to really kind of building a cohesive strategy. And the thing that ties it all together is looking at the metrics. So, I do want you to get a little nerdy, go into your insights, look at what content is performing well, look at, what isn’t, and that will help you with the media piece. Then also the community piece will help you as well to create more media. So, as you’re being social, you’ll see things like trends, you will see things like conversations that are happening. You’ll be able to navigate things like, you know, massive election happening in the U.S., and everybody’s attention’s all over there, right? Like, how do we show up and market our business during that time? Well, it takes listening and, like, being social. And so, I think if we understand the social first, media second strategy, it’d be very helpful to build a cohesive social media campaign. [134.2s]
Patricia [00:30:00] I wanted to ask you about that. Because I wanted to ask how do you approach content creation to keep it fun and effective for your clients, but now that you say that, [00:30:08]I wanted to also ask how you make it all so fun and effective when you’re doing the social side. [5.3s]
Andrea Jones [00:30:14] [00:30:14]I think the fun piece is hard. It’s so subjective, right? It’s, like, some people watch this comedian, and they say, “Oh, that comedian’s hilarious.” Then someone else can watch it and be like, “Eh, I thought they were okay.” So, how do you create fun content? I think it’s kind of knowing your audience, like knowing your community and what they think is fun. I’m a cheese ball, like give me a meme, give me, like, low brow humor, I’m there. So, I love it. The dad jokes version of humor, give it to me. And so, I hope my community would like that and be attracted to the same thing. And so, I tend to lean towards like memes, meme content, because of that. But it just depends. Like, I just stumbled across Booktok and Bookstagram, which I’ve been avoiding for a while, but I’m like deep in there now. And it’s all about the aesthetic. You got to have the beautiful bookcase, color-coded if you can, yes please. If you like, if you have that, you’re in. And so, part of that is just like being a member of the community, getting to understand, like, what’s attractive to them, and then find a way to layer that into your own brand. So, if you’re an author, creating an aesthetic book could be very helpful. If you are like me, and you’re a marketer, and you like memes and current events, you know, using maybe a Kamala Harris GIF would be the way that you go about showcasing something. But whatever the case may be, I think either way, it’s like really deeply understanding your people, so that you can reflect that understanding back to them. [97.4s]
Patricia [00:31:53] During your time as a social media marketer, [00:31:56]what have you seen as the common mistakes that businesses make on social media, and how can they avoid them? [5.3s]
Andrea Jones [00:32:02] [00:32:02]Oh gosh, yeah, I just did, like, over a dozen audits on Instagram for a challenge that I did in my program. And there were two big, kind of, I don’t want to say things they’re doing wrong, but two big areas of improvement for my members. The first one is not focusing too much on the transformation. Especially when someone first lands on your Instagram bio, they need to see how you can help them and how you help them like now, preferably. And so, a lot of times we go, we do things, like, I’m a copywriter, I do website copy, or I’m web designer, I work with WordPress. And it’s like, “Okay, great.” But if you can say, I’ll give you a website that you’re finally proud of, it’s, like, “Whoa, yes, that’s what I want! That’s what want right now!” And so, I think, leaning away from just listing the features and really tugging at the heartstrings of what people really want and putting that right up front and center. And so, I call this, like, your transformation. So, how are they changed after working with you? So, that’s the first thing. And then the second thing is this community piece. During my audits, I noticed that a lot of people were hitting the content. Like, they had a good mix of content, they had their transformation. I’m looking, and I’m like, this should be working. It should be engaging, but it’s a little bit of crickets in your comment section. And so, digging a little deeper, I realize they’re posting and ghosting. They’ll post, and then maybe they’ll scroll, but they’re not liking, they’re not commenting, they’re not participating in the app. And participation is required on social media. It’s not optional. And so, we’re cutting back on content, and we’re increasing our participation in order to increase our own community engagement. And so, those are the two things. Make sure people understand your transformation, how can you help them, and then make sure you’re actively participating on the app, and those two things should help you win. [124.1s]
Patricia [00:34:07] [00:34:07]And how can business owners find the balance between the hustle culture and a more sustainable, enjoyable approach to marketing? [7.8s]
[00:34:15] [00:34:15]This is the big question. I will be honest in saying, I think the challenge right now is one that goes against something that I’ve been teaching for years, which I love a good formula. I love educating, and I love using acronyms. I love using like a “Do this, then this, and you’ll win.” And I just did it just a moment ago. But I think, the challenge with marketing as a whole right now, is that formulaic marketing is challenging to pull off. And it may feel a little bit like, like your clothes don’t fit anymore. Like, you’re like, “I know this should feel like it’s working but something doesn’t feel quite right.” And so, something that I’ve been really leaning into lately is curiosity and explorative play in marketing. And I do see this as part of that future, part of this humanness of it all, which is partially looking at past formulas, but also building your own formula, one that works for you. And I think there’s a few pieces that go into that, understanding our POV statement, developing your signature content, so, for me, that’s my podcast, and then, your supporting content, like social media, email, whatever the case may be. And so, as much as I love a formula, I think figuring out what your sandbox is and then playing within that sandbox is a key for business owners as they’re trying to develop their own marketing strategies. [90.3s]
Patricia [00:35:46] And for everyone out there who, you know, want to learn more about marketing strategies, now I wanted to talk about the Mindful Marketing Lab. Could you tell us more about that and what inspired you to create it?
Andrea Jones [00:35:56] This comes from my Canva course. I created a Canva course in 2016, and then I started editing and updating it, and I kept updating it so much I wasn’t releasing any other courses. And I realized that the Canva course was actually a branding course, because a lot of what I was teaching was the basics of branding. And yes, we were using Canva to design, but ultimately, it was branding. So, I launched the Mindful Marketing Lab in 2018 as a way to help businesses figure out how to brand themselves on social. And now, it’s so much bigger. In fact, we’re going through our own evolution as well, going far beyond social media and helping with marketing in general. Cause I mentioned the, over a dozen Instagram audits I did for members, a lot of what I ended up auditing was funnels, lead magnets, websites, all of the things that really make an impactful marketing strategy, not just social media. So, it’s an amazing community. We’ve got the course element. We’ve gotten a lot of interactive live classes. But ultimately, my goal is to help business owners and personal brands find the balance between sustainable marketing and also our own wellbeing as humans.
Patricia [00:37:08] And could you tell us what do you mean when you say sustainable marketing?
Andrea Jones [00:37:12] It’s the kind of marketing that we could do time and time again. It’s a kind of the marketing that I did when I had two babies, and I still was able to release every podcast episode, like I never missed a week. There are other things I missed. There are other things that kind of were a lower priority, but for me, the main thing was my podcast. And it was an easy-ish thing for me to continue to do, because I had committed to that. And so, I wanna help other people find the same thing. Like, how do we create a marketing system that doesn’t require all of our energy every day? And it is something that will last if life happens, like, you know, kids get sick, we got an aging parent that we’ve got to take care of, we have our chronic illness flare up, like, how do we still maintain our marketing? And that is the question that I try to answer.
Patricia [00:38:03] And what makes this Mindful Marketing Lab different from other social media training programs out there?
Andrea Jones [00:38:09] I’m very hands on. I like to tell my members that there’s no such thing as a bad question. There’s no such thing as a wrong question, and you have unlimited support. Now, I’m not gonna bully you into, like, asking questions, but I’m available if you need it. And a lot of times, I’m recording a loom video, I’m sending a voice note. And so, sometimes when you join a program, you join it, and there’s like a whole bunch of other people, other coaches and things. It’s mostly me, it’s mostly me, and you have my attention. And so, I think that’s what sets it apart a little bit.
Patricia [00:38:43] [00:38:43]Could you tell us, like, some of the key principles that you emphasize in your mentorship when it comes to succeeding in social media marketing? [6.4s]
Andrea Jones [00:38:50] [00:38:50]Oh yeah, boundaries all the way. I’m a huge fan of boundaries. I want you to identify your relationship with social media. And in fact, right when you join, you go through our kind of onboarding. I have a meditation that helps our members really decide what the relationship is with social media, because if you don’t decide, then you’ll end up at the rabbit holes, like doom scrolling, and you’re like, “Why am I even on Instagram right now?” So, deciding your relationship with social media, figuring out what your signature content will be, figuring out what your supportive content will be, and then giving yourself time limits to all of this. Time limits means you’re giving yourself a chance to learn. I think sometimes we assume that we can just start posting every day on social media, and it is a skill, and it takes a lot of time. I help you develop that skill over time and not try to truncate time, and do it too quickly, and also be able to do it around life, and actually, I don’t know, running your business, because we got to do that too. [67.1s]
Patricia [00:39:58] And I wanted to ask you, how do you help business owners find their groove in social media? Because you were talking about it earlier, like, if you’re a brand or you have a business, you have to have a social media presence. And not all business owners are social media savvy. They do think sometimes that all you have to do is post and ghost, like you said, and that’s not something that they should be doing. [00:40:21]So, how do you help them enjoy the process of being on social media. [3.8s]
Andrea Jones [00:40:26] [00:40:26]Yeah, and see this, okay, so, full transparency, this is a missing piece of my program that we’re just now starting. Because I think it’s easy to feel accomplished. You watch a course, you’re like, “Oh, I’m gonna go on TikTok, so you watch my TikTok course.” And then you’re, like, “Great!” And you feel like you can check off the box, but a big piece to this is experimentatio, and experimenting is a very vulnerable process. Like, as adults, we want to just show up and, like, be fully ready, polished, perfect. But a lot of the times, those first couple of posts, they’re gonna be cringy and being cringe is part of the process. And so, we’ve built out this space in our program, we call it the sandbox, where we’re experimenting together. So, we feel a little less cringe, because, okay, we’re all being cringe right now. And we can learn from each other, like I tried this post, it didn’t work, or I tried this style, and it kind of worked, I’m gonna try it again. And then you see what else, what someone else is trying, and you’re like, “Maybe I’ll try that too.” And so, this experimentation piece, I think, is the key to actually moving forward with social media, because I don’t think there’s a way to just read the course, and then open up, I don’t know, a Facebook and, like, immediately know how to do everything. Like you’ve gotta be able to test, and experiment, and play, and be curious, and just part of the process. [85.9s]
Patricia [00:41:53] And can you share some success stories of individuals or businesses that have transformed their social media presence after joining the Mindful Marketing Lab?
Andrea Jones [00:42:01] Yes, one of my mentees, Jodi. She actually just sent me this last week. So, she is a marketing coach for vacation rentals, like, people who have like Airbnbs, and [00:42:12]BnB PRO, [0.3s] and things like that. So, she’s been really struggling with content creation specifically, feeling like, especially with the election cycle, like a lot of people are so focused on that, that they’re not really focused on her or more importantly, like she’s in a launch, like growing her program. And so, she used a meme from the debates, Kamala Harris, and did like a carousel post, and then shared it to her stories. And she then sent me a Voxer message and said, her client booked her biggest package because she’d been following her for a while, saw that post and was like, “Oh yeah, I meant to book with her.” And then went and booked with her immediately. And so, it’s stories like that where I’m like, “Ah yes, this is why I do what I do.” Because it’s not one specific post that changed that person’s mind. They had been following her for a while. It was her just deciding to show up that day that made the difference, and that is what I wanna help people do.
Patricia [00:43:15] Well, there might be some audience listeners out there who wanna join the Mindful Marketing Lab. Could you tell us what kind of support members receive to help them grow their businesses?
Andrea Jones [00:43:26] Yes! So, we have live sessions every single month, anywhere from live trainings to co-working spaces, brainstorming sessions, and more. We have over 30 courses and training materials available as well. I’m a huge fan of templates as well as I’ve been building out custom GPTs lately to help with ideation. So, like the POV statement is a great example of one where I basically train AI on my process, and it can help you, it’s like a fast track through answering all the questions and building out your statement. And we have a really lovely community of business owners. So, people who, you know, they generally have busy lives, but they really are ambitious, and they wanna grow their business. And so, that’s a little peek into what the school is like.
Patricia [00:44:18] [00:44:18]And on your website, you do write out your five core values, proactive excellence, fierce integrity, passionate commitment, positive communication, and spirit of collaboration. These are all central to your work. How do these values influence your daily business operations? [16.2s]
Andrea Jones [00:44:36] [00:44:36]Yeah. So, let’s take fierce integrity, for example. I think it’s so easy as a marketer to overmarket. I know all the tricks. I love studying human psychology and humans were kind of easy to trick. This is why so many people get grifted all the time. And so, I feel like it’s my duty as a marketer to be overly transparent in that integrity and make sure as much as I possibly can, not trying to trick someone into the program. So, for example, I could say, “Join the program, and you too can get $4,500 contracts in your sleep.” Because that’s what happened to Jodi, but I’m not gonna phrase it that way. I’m gonna say, “This is one example of one person’s experience.” And so, fierce integrity, huge piece of what I do. Passionate commitment, I love social media. I study it. I am on it too much still to this day, but it’s one of the things that’s great about what I do, is that you’re learning from someone who is genuinely interested in it. And then, I’ll take spirit of collaboration as example. I mentioned this with our, this is my newest one. I’ve had four for a long time, and then I added spirit of collaboration last year, because the work that I do requires input from the business owners and the brands that I work with. And so, I’m not the kind of person where you get to show up, and then just sit back, and chillax. We gonna work. And so, part of that work is us coming together. And so, how it shows up in my program is you’ve got to raise your hand for me to call on you and get you support. I will poke you sometimes, be like, “Hey, you okay? You good?” But if you don’t tell me that you’re good, then I just assume everything is great. So, that spirit of collaboration piece is so important to showing up and me helping you. And so, that’s how it shows up in my business. [116.3s]
Patricia [00:46:33] And how do you maintain your integrity while navigating the often fast-paced and sometimes superficial world of social media?
Andrea Jones [00:46:44] It’s tough. I am a very transparent person, and I did get my start on YouTube. However, I’m also a very private person. And so, part of the integrity for me is looking through my own boundaries around sharing. So, for example, I used to overshare a little bit about my, like, financial situation, but that’s not fair to my family and to those in my life. So, I don’t do that anymore. I will allude to some things, but I don’t necessarily overshare. That’s personal. And then other things like, there’s a difference between authenticity and transparency. And so, for me, I show up as my authentic self, but I’m not gonna share every little thing about my life. And that’s me standing in my integrity. I know for a fact that it has lost me business. An example would be, I have people reach out to me sometimes. They get on a call, and they’re like, “I’m looking for some social media strategy. Here are my goals. Here’s where I’m going.” And I’m like, “I think we need to step back, and you need something else before social strategy.” And I know I’m talking myself out of business at that point, and I could absolutely sell them one of my packages. But ultimately, if I see something, I’m like, “You need an offer creation expert. You need some branding support. Maybe we need to work on your website, your funnels.” Like, a lot of steps need to happen before social media. And so, sometimes that means I’m not getting paid, but that’s me again, standing in my integrity. So, those are some ways how it shows up for me.
Patricia [00:48:19] And I wanted to ask you about some personal inspirations and future goals. Have there been people who served as your biggest inspirations or mentors throughout your career and how have they influenced your work?
Andrea Jones [00:48:31] Yeah, so my first mentor, Afton Negrea, she is a digital marketing strategist and she’s now a Kajabi expert, told me or mentored me on becoming embeddable, becoming embedable like so embedded into someone’s business and their processes that they can’t imagine running it without you. And that’s something that has stuck with me. And it’s why, you know, in the Mindful Marketing Lab, for instance, we don’t stop at social media. Like, if I see something and I’m like, “Well, we need to work on your lead magnet. We’re gonna work on you lead magnet.” Even though that has nothing to do with social media, because it all is integrated. But someone else who I really admire is Myleik Teele. She’s the founder of Curlbox. She recently just sold her company, and she is also a mom and has two kids. And I’m a mom, I have two kids, and the way that she shows up on social media is so graceful, and thoughtful, and elegant, and she’s definitely someone who I look to as, like, a standard of excellence in terms of being authentic without oversharing and being transparent without, like, coming from, like, a deeply genuine place. And so, she’s one who I’m like, “Aspiration and hashtag goals.” Like, I wish I could like just be her when I grow up.
Patricia [00:49:56] And could you share some of the future goals and projects that you’re excited for both OnlineDrea, the Mindful Marketing Lab, and your podcast.
Andrea Jones [00:50:04] Yeah. So the podcast this year went through a rebrand, and my business as a whole, we’re going through a re-brand right now. I spent the last 10 years talking about social media and realized that I often talk a lot about marketing as well, specifically mindful marketing. So, my podcast this here rebranded from the Savvy Social Podcast to the Mindful Marketing Podcast, and the Savvy Social School is going through the same iteration. I won’t reveal the name just yet, but if you’re in the school, you already have heard it. I’m doing a series called The Launch Diaries, where I take my members behind the scenes of the entire rebranding process. And so, I am expanding. It’s actually what I’m already doing. I’m renaming what I am already doing, which is so far beyond just social media and really building marketing ecosystems that established business owners can repeat again and again without burning out.
Patricia [00:51:04] And what advice would you give to someone just starting out on social media or in the digital marketing industry?
Andrea Jones [00:51:11] Oh gosh, if you feel overwhelmed, it’s not you. I promise you, there are so many different things that you have to learn when you’re just starting out here. And start slowly. I think it’s very easy to look at another business and go, “They have it all together.” But even myself, someone who is a social media professional, when I started off, I didn’t have a website. I didn’t have a branded email. I didn even have an Instagram. And so, you don’t need all of those things to get started. You can take baby steps. I started off on Fiverr and Upwork, selling my services. You can take baby steps, and you can layer in those things over time. Like, when you look at something like my brand for the first time, just know it took 10 years to get here, and I’m still vastly imperfect. So, take your time. You will get there.
Patricia [00:52:03] And looking back at your journey, what are you most proud of, and what do you hope to achieve in the coming years?
Andrea Jones [00:52:09] I’m really proud of my podcast. Last year, we won best in business for the Canadian podcast awards. Which is just…
Patricia [00:52:18] Congratulations!
Andrea Jones [00:52:18] Thank you! I’m still reeling over this. My podcast is my pride and joy. We have over 324 episodes as of this week. And I’m really proud of, like, the work that I put into that. So yeah, I would say my podcast.
Patricia [00:52:34] And just before I let you go, is there anything else you’d like to share to our listeners, maybe advice, anything at all?
Andrea Jones [00:52:42] I still want to stand on the fact that community is everything. I think it’s very easy to feel alone in business, especially if you have an online business that’s, like, maybe digital. Like, my husband’s parents still do not understand what I do. They’re like, “That’s nice.” So, and neither of them are on social media at all. So, they just, they don’t get it, and that can feel isolating. And so, find your people. Like, if anything you take away from this is it’s like, find your pocket, your community, your people, and that will help you as you develop your marketing, as you developed your business.
Patricia [00:53:20] Thank you so much! And do you want to share anything that you’re working on in the future? Do you want maybe plug anything else before we go?
Andrea Jones [00:53:27] Yeah. So, listen to the podcast, Mindful Marketing Podcast. And also, if you resonated with the things that I said today, I have a free challenge. It’s called the Social Media Reset Challenge. If you’re feeling a little meh or wah wah about social media, this challenge is for you to help you reestablish your relationship with social media. And I don’t know, maybe have fun again on social. So, you can check that out at www.onlinedrea.com/reset. It’s also on the homepage of my website at www.onlinedrea.com.
Patricia [00:54:00] We’ll make sure to link all of that in our description so people can find you easier. Thank you so much, Andrea, for the time, for gracing our podcast and sharing your wisdom with our listeners. And of course, thank you to everyone who listened to us today. This has been your host, Patricia. And remember, for all your professional business and technical writing needs, there’s only one way to go and that’s with The Write Direction. See you guys soon! Goodbye!