#EntrepreneurMonth: The three main mistakes female entrepreneurs make and more
Ochis explains:
Serial entrepreneurs are the people who discover their talent and use it to advance humanity in a specific field. However, a mere dream is not enough. Being a successful entrepreneur requires a lot of work and being able to sacrifice all that you are for that which you wish to become.That describes Ochis to a 'T’. Long fascinated by the greats of the world whose stories remain a legacy to this day, it was while painting at the age of 12 that Ochis realised the power of telling stories in personal branding and selling yourself through what you do.
Having continued to dabble in art and studied the business basics of politics and e-commerce, Ochis entered the world of branding. She’s now dubbed the 'personal branding it girl', with KO by Karina Ochis having blossomed as a celebrity expert consultancy that helps tell your story in the digital world. This may seem a simple step to digital natives, but to many long established in business, it’s a case of simply not having the time and resources at hand or even knowing where to start.
Here, Ochis lets us in on the power of storytelling and ‘selling yourself’ for any brand, as well as tips for female entrepreneurs looking to make a break in the media industry in particular.
Elaborate on the impact of storytelling in marketing in 2017, and how to build these important skills if you’re struggling to get your story out there.
Marketing has changed. You can’t market as you did five years ago and wonder why it’s not working – yet this is what most people seem to be doing. In the past, techniques such as cold calling used to work, nowadays marketing needs to be subtle. There are two aspects that should be kept in mind at all times:
- Having the ability to tell your story or as most people call it, storytelling, is crucial. But not every story will sell. You need to have a well written story that is congruent with the products and services you are selling. And if you craft your story the right way, people will approach you – that is what we call the art of branding.
- You must also provide people with real value before you ask for their money. People are tired of being lied to, and the internet era calls for constant transparency. Thus you can only ask after you have given something of value.
Share some tips for female entrepreneurs looking to make a break in the media industry in particular.
Female empowerment is a very hot topic at the moment; I have been a guest speaker at many conferences centered around the activities of professional women. Standing in front of hundreds of women, I have realised that they make three main mistakes that should be avoided at all costs:
- They don’t engage enough in self-awareness. By that I mean knowing who you are, knowing what you are capable of, understanding your social position, and acting accordingly. Often, professional women are more focused on the doing of things than in thinking about how said things should be done.
- They neither dress nor act according to their brand or position. Most don’t even have a brand, and have no idea what is required of them in terms of their behaviour. They know they have tasks to fulfill and goals to accomplish, but they seem to forget that there’s a certain etiquette to follow for numerous jobs.
- Their websites and social media skills are not up to scratch. In our digital world everything you do needs to be on the internet, whether is on your website or is posted on your social media channels. People don’t know what they do until you tell them. You can’t achieve something great in life with a mediocre online presence.
So true. Please share a few of the digital skills and abilities required to succeed as an entrepreneur today.
I’ve always had a passion for teaching people, even as a teenager. By the time I was 17, I was already an accredited trainer with the Romanian Ministry of Education and at a European level. Now, I’m a brand and life coach for the digital era, accredited by Robbins–Madanes Training. Throughout my education in the field, I have read all the greats, yet, I realised that whilst the core ideas will probably forever remain the same, their implementation in the digital era is completely different. Thus, I want to bridge this gap between theory and real life, 2017 implementation.
Fulfilling any objective requires a certain time and a certain space. And utilising these two concepts in full capacity, calculating the fine line between the two will make someone’s life inherently more pleasant.
Co-creating your life with the help of technology. As technology develops, people are starting to lose their control over technology as technology starts controlling them. Thus we must remember that as humans, we have critical abilities to take our control back. Technology is here to help us, not to rule over us. It’s up to the individual to decide how much they wish to rely on technology in their professional and personal endeavours.
Using social media for the promotion of thoughts and ideas in a visual manner that is interesting to the millennials and to Generation Z, who don’t have the same attention span as the previous generations. Thus, any message that targets them needs to be clear, short and to the point, in a wonderfully designed framework.
Ochis’ own websites and social media platforms serve as an excellent example of this. Have a look and see for yourself: www.karinaochis.com | www.kobykarinaochis.com | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube
About Leigh Andrews
Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.
