SDH180: When You're at the Top of Your Game, Go Higher with Michelle Dempsey

Was your entrepreneurial dream completely different than the careers you had two masters degrees in? When you decided to go for it, did your family hold an intervention to tell you that you were nuts? Well when Michelle Dempsey quit her job as a teacher to become a blogger, this was exactly what she faced. Though instead of letting them act as deterrents, she used them as fuel to her fire and was determined to prove her family wrong, and her gut right. Now a successful and published writer, with a content marketing and brand consulting business (to name a few hats of hers); she provides lifestyle and career advice to readers with her blog, and helps clients rebrand or build their business. Through her website, Michelle Dempsey Very Well Written, visitors can learn about some of the services she provides such as: brand storytelling, digital strategy, website design, as well as copywriting and content writing. Her blog and radio show also provide free tips on marketing and rebranding with posts like, '3 Things You Can do to Boost your Brand Before Summer (And Make More Money)', and 'The 5 Ways You're Screwing Up Your Marketing Plan'. Initially, her blog and writing acted as outlet for her frustrations as a new mommy with a baby who was constantly sick, and trying to balance a career along with it. To her surprise, her blog gathered steam, and she was contacted by someone from high school who worked for Creative Child; a parenting magazine. They wanted to publish her work, and it showed her that she could make a career out of writing which had always been dear to her. Due to a rough upbringing, writing had always acted as a way to express herself. She was fascinated by the art of using words to convey emotions, and her journal was attached to her hip.  So after she saw that she could write professionally and get published, she went for it and took it up full time. She set three publication goals for herself: be published by Elite Daily, Huffington Post, and Scary Mommy. Elite Daily was her first conquest, but Huffington Post and Scary Mommy proved to be a harder task. Nonetheless, she achieved all three goals within three months! From her blog, her content and marketing business organically grew. People were impressed with how she used the media to market her blog and her personal brand, and started looking to her for her expertise. A year and a half later, she is considered the marketing guru of south Florida! She also uses her personal brand to empower women, work on personal development, productivity, and tackle the world of entrepreneurship. Come join us for another episode and hear how Michelle owned her identity as a writer, and continues to expand her career! In this episode you will... Learn how to find your new identity as an entrepreneur Know how to grow your personal and business brand Figure out how to float financially in the early stages of entrepreneurship Find ways to increase your website's SEO Understand why you should invest in quality services that grow your business Know when to dial up and down your drive in order to give yourself some rest INSIGHTS "Pride can be your worst enemy, but at a certain point it can really drive you...there was no way I was going to let myself be wrong. I had to prove everybody wrong...and I'm finding, as I connect with entrepreneurs, that's the attitude. You have to have this insatiable drive to prove everybody wrong, to make yourself successful, and if you really believe it, it's going to happen." -Michelle Dempsey "I want to grow. I don't like being complacent...I like to think that if I made it this far, I can make it that much further...I had to make a name for myself and I think that comes from the lack of confidence and some of the things I dealt with growing up that now that the tables have turned, I want to go as hard and as far as I can." -Michelle Dempsey "The second you get comfortable, I feel like the rug is going to be pulled from up under you. You have to just believe in your craft enough to know that you're good and you're desirable and you are offering something that people should have. But at the same time, know that there's 3,000 people at your heels trying to run you down. Nobody's ever at the top, everybody wants more." -Michelle Dempsey RESOURCES Michelle Dempsey Very Well Written Michelle Dempsey LinkedIn Michelle Dempsey Facebook Michelle Dempsey Instagram Michelle Dempsey Twitter ProFemmes The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Trello