January 3, 2024

Hi...this will take you about 6.6 minutes to read but it took me about 7 hours to write.

10 years ago this week, I bought a domain on GoDaddy. I spent hours planning three packages to serve potential clients. I hoped it would work but deep down I thought it would fail.

I leaned into a new title, “entrepreneur” while holding onto the rope of fear.

How could I be an entrepreneur?

I was a mom with 3 little kids, a degree in political science, and mad skills using coupons.

The title of entrepreneur didn’t go to people like me. It went to the others who had business degrees and MBAs after their names. The ones wearing power suits sitting in board rooms brokering deals.

The only thing I had going for me was that we were at the end of the financial line. There was nothing else coming next.

If I didn’t take on the new title of entrepreneur then it would mean foreclosure, and moving in with my parents. I don’t know which one of those two motivated me more but either way, I was hitting the publish button on my website hoping that the latter of those two wouldn’t happen.

Three clients took a risk – Frugal Living NW, Queen Bee Coupons, and The Coupon Project.

I knew frugal and deal bloggers. They were posting 20-40 times a day on their site, learning SEO, and crushing it on Facebook pages.

When Facebook changed up its algorithm to make way for ads in late 2013 it sent their traffic plummeting. The throttle back of the views was devastating to their revenue.

They needed another place to go and Pinterest was quickly becoming the new darling. A chronological feed is what everyone longed for. It was magic and if you could figure out the timing you could see growth in a matter of hours.

Oh man, those days were fun.

I knew Pinterest and I knew their business needs. I could speak their language and understand their pain points.

We were a match.

I sent them the packages and they agreed to become my first 3 beta clients. Of course, I had to tell them that I would take all the feedback…but would I want to hear it?

My first 3 months as a service provider flew by.

I was working at the kitchen table toting a binder filled with printed tracking sheets. I took notes, paid attention to trends, and reported what I was finding.

Learning both the client and the craft became my goal. What was the data telling me? How could I get them more traffic? Better results?

We came upon the 3-month check-in and I sent over their report asking for feedback on anything and everything with one eye closed.

"This is amazing! Everything you’re doing is working so well!"

I didn’t expect that.

I stood a little taller and realized maybe I did know something about Pinterest. Maybe this little risk I took could work.

An email reached my inbox asking if I could help with their Pinterest marketing.

What?? 4 clients.

Then 5, 6, 7 and it was time to make a decision.

Make this real or keep it small.

Keep rejecting the label of “entrepreneur” and sit on the sidelines while people ask you to come out on the field.

I took a deep breath and hired my first contractor. Then a second, third, and fourth.

In December 2014, I hired a coach and I started to stretch into the agency owner I think I was always meant to be.

10 years. 578 monthly management clients. 1000+ other one-time clients and over $6 million in revenue generated. 50+ team members and countless tears and joys.

It’s been one of the greatest and most scary rides of my life.

This year has by far been the hardest. The one where I’ve cut my teeth as a business owner. When the real work has begun. Where you feel like you’re in the tumble dry cycle with rocks.

I’ve never been closer to quitting.

But when I sat in that reality of closing my doors, that’s when I realized my full identity as an agency owner.

I was good at this agency stuff. We were good at this Pinterest marketing stuff. The hours of research, education, data, experiences. We had so much. How could I throw that all away because it felt tough? How could I let my team down? Their hard work. My hard work.

As 2023 came to a close I felt more comfortable in my title of agency owner than I have ever been before.

I know who I am. I know who my team is. I know who my clients are and I know what we are meant to do.

I’m a Pinterest marketing agency owner. I’m an entrepreneur. I’m a small business owner and I’m committed to helping others succeed. Whether it’s my team, my clients, or my community. I’m all in.

Here’s to 10 more years.

Kate, CEO of Simple Pin Media

P.S. And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't extend a little help in your Pinterest marketing efforts with a discounted offer to receive a full Pinterest account audit from our expert team here at Simple Pin Media. Sign up here and be sure to enter code 10YEARS to get 50% off the audit. This deal ends on January 7th! ❤️ From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here.

🎧 Listen to the Simple Pin Podcast on your favorite player → Apple - Spotify​