How a Nice Creative Girl Like Me Ended Up as a Social Media Strategist
I do many teleseminars and interviews, and I find myself hashing over my beginnings and telling my bio quite often. I’m fascinated with other people’s stories, and I’m taking a long shot here and hoping you’re interested in mine… but something is prompting me to share this background info with you. Ready?
Humble Beginnings
When I first started out in this biz in 2003, my focus was on creativity in business- and for a good reason as you’ll find out in this post.
It was a natural fit for me: I’m highly creative and I love to apply that to entrepreneurial ideas. I coached really cool clients who were applying their creativity to realize amazing products, programs, and services.
Don’t We Know Each Other From Somewhere?
With a background in education (taught everything from 1st Grade to Adult School in both Spanish and English), an upbringing in a family business (talk flea markets with me ANYTIME and I’ll love you forever), and a touch of clairvoyance (I always thought I was really smart, turns out they weren’t really my ideas to begin with!), I know I bring a unique set of talents to the table.
As I applied my conceptual abilities to marketing and promoting my business, I got great responses from the media, national organizations, cultural groups, and even some political figures. Next thing I knew everyone wanted to know how I did it, and Viva Visibility was born.
The Real Reason
Making marketing easy and effective is an ongoing pursuit, so when I began dabbling in Web 2.0 in 2004, and dipping my toes into social media in 2006, I didn’t realize I was onto the Next Big Thing. In my mind, I just needed to get more done in less time so I could fold cloth diapers or take my child to a playdate.
My little one was the true reason, not any fascination with various platforms and tools. I hope that doesn’t take the glamour or mystery out of it. There’s no power like Mom power!
What Lola Wants, Lola Gets
Lots of social media experts have tech backgrounds, but that’s not me at all. Don’t tell anyone, but I managed to get a BA, 2 teaching credentials, and a Masters without ever taking statistics and no, I never slept with a professor. When I want something, I don’t let things get in the way or create delays. (By the way, if you take LOTS of English classes, master a foreign language, excel in your professional field, present at big conferences, etc, you can really write your own ticket in grad school. Shhh, I keep outing all these secrets!)
Mexica Tiahui
As a descendent of the great Aztec people, I have what I call my Aztec Warrior Queen survivor spirit. Drop me into a situation and I’ll survive. Put me somewhere without a map, and I’ll find my way home. Give me a marketing challenge and I’ll figure something out. Show me an empty refrigerator and I’ll wow you with a dinner you’ll never forget.
With that sense of guidance, I figure things out and don’t give up.
I may not be an official techie, but I sure can speak Geek now with the best of them.
Why Creativity Is Important Now
My mastermind clients are asking me to help them be more creative. I took much of this for granted because I figured everyone could come to the same or similar conclusions and concepts I end up at. Not so, I’ve learned. It’s when I connect to other highly creative thinkers and manic conceptualists that I feel the buzz and realize we really are a unique breed.
Whenever I see someone playing it safe with their branding, holding back with their message, or missing an opportunity for fear it may not be “congruent” with the way they’re expected to be, I see creativity squashed.
When I see people reinvent themselves or try out a new tagline (even the most imperfect of taglines), spruce up their look and feel, or delve into new waters, then I applaud. That is taking action and a huge part of what creativity is about.
True creatives are bridge builders, not wall builders. We constantly find ways to connect things, ideas, and concepts. We borrow from here and there and take inspiration from where it comes.
Surround yourself with people who are not content with the same-old, same-old. Call a friend and say “Hey I have this crazy idea, can you just hear me out for 5 minutes and promise not to tell me how it’s impossible?”
Watch kids play. Watch puppies frolic. Spend time outdoors and observe how no straight lines ever appear in Mother Nature’s artistry. Do something outrageous. Do something soulful.
I hope that my reflections somehow encourage you to follow your creative muse. Whether it’s in your business or your life, now more than ever we need highly creative thinkers.
Thanks for letting me share this with you! You’re invited to share this post with a friend and ask what they’re doing to stay creative. Let’s create a conversation and start the creative sparks flying!
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