Check Out Trisha Badman’s Story

 Today we’d like to introduce you to Trisha Badman.

Trisha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

During the summer of 2019, I moved to Nashville, TN, where I started my new job in healthcare.  I have worked in the healthcare industry as well as marketing for 22 years.  Because of my background in promotional marketing and being really familiar with how to reach a target audience, I started helping offices I worked for with their online marketing as well.

Like many other people during the pandemic, I ended up without a job and confused as to what to do next (at a time when nobody was really hiring).  I  basically hit the ceiling in my previous career and needed something where I had more room to grow and thrive.

A couple factors I took into consideration were one: I have a creative side and two: I am more productive when I am working alone (preferably at home).  I quickly realized I have all the skills to help small businesses since I’ve been doing it this whole time. So why not do it for myself, virtually? Just a few days in from being unemployed, and the adrenaline kicked in about starting a business!  I instantly applied for my LLC to get the ball rolling. The best part of this whole situation is how much I get to learn and all the great people I meet. I consider myself a “forever learner,” and being a new business owner, there is so much information to soak in along with opportunities for growth. Anyone can learn a new platform, but you can’t teach creativity. Social media platforms are constantly evolving, new software is constantly being created and modified for efficiency, therefore we have to ensure we are keeping up with the times. Luckily I love innovation so this was definitely the right path for me!

Not everything has been rainbows and unicorns, though. This has definitely taken grit and perseverance to make this happen. If you don’t keep your eye on the prize, you simply won’t make it. This business basically became my baby that I had to make sure was ok at all times.

This scenario reminds me a little of the recession in 2008 and at that time, I was living in Detroit, MI. I lost my job in 2009 because of that, so within a month, I had a Uhaul packed and moved to Florida to start over. When times are tough, you just need to recreate your situation and just do what you have to do to survive. We were all in the same boat with that last year and I empathize with anyone who suffered because of it. When someone says, “that’s amazing that you were able to just do that”, my response is always, “well, what’s the alternative? You kind of have no choice but to just figure it out.”  I knew I didn’t want to work in an office setting again, so I was going to do whatever it took to make this a reality.

So to summarize, I didn’t start my business just because I felt like starting a business out of the blue, I was forced to. However, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I now have a career that will survive any pandemic and I’m over the moon happy working for myself. I’m really thankful for having the opportunities I do, helping others in their success. This is why my new career just doesn’t feel like work, it’s now my passion.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Every day has been a different story, honestly. In the beginning, you just don’t know what to expect, so you feel like you are balancing 100 plates at once. So not only was I needing to make money quickly to pay my bills, I was taking several courses to polish my knowledge and skills along the way. And then there’s looking for ideal clients because, being a business owner, you are essentially in sales. Nobody is going to just magically appear and want to work with you, you have to do the work to find them. And then, once you find them, you need to make sure there is a good vibe right off the bat to make sure you will have a good working relationship.

I think one thing people struggle with (because I definitely did) was feeling like you had to do EVERYTHING. There are so many options out there for work, so it can feel very overwhelming. But the truth is, sticking to a niche and even niching down more can be so helpful because then you aren’t wandering aimlessly in the virtual world looking for just anybody who will work with you. I knew I loved the digital marketing world and didn’t want anything to do with bookkeeping or numbers (which is why I outsource that), so I’m good here being in the creative space. Realizing that time = money is the key to being successful and having that “work/life” balance we all strive for. Hence the name “Take 5 Virtual”.

I don’t think there has really been a moment where I wasn’t thinking about what I could do or needed to do in the last eight months of starting Take 5 Virtual. Sleep? That’s been a thing of the past, ha! Finding that “work/life balance,” I was preaching to people, was a struggle for me as well. But then you figure out your niche and find those ideal clients who you love working with, which makes everything all worth it! I have some wonderful clients now who really appreciate me and I’m very thankful for that!

I also think one thing that any business owner struggles with is finding that sweet spot of being busy enough but not overwhelmingly busy. This is when you decide whether you want to just remain a solopreneur or become an agency.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I assist businesses virtually with their digital marketing and administrative needs. I offer a buffet of services to clients, including Social Media Management, Pinterest Management, Podcast Management, Administrative Support, Video Editing, Graphic Design/Content Creation and Photo Editing.

Social media has been a very popular service clients have come to me for. Social media has been around for years, but most people think of social media as a place to just post a vacation picture or a picture of that newborn baby. While that’s all true, it’s also a place for businesses to build brands because millions of people are online every day. When someone tells me they aren’t on social media yet they own a business, I might look at them like they have two heads- it’s literally a FREE platform. I know it can all feel overwhelming, though and that’s where I come in. Because I have previously worked several trade shows and events, I am used to representing brands in person. Now I get to do it online with organic marketing. Real, authentic conversation, even on social media platforms, can do so much for your business! Video is essential for engaging with your followers, so I do have tutorials for clients who work with me to help them not feel intimidated by that. Instagram is definitely my favorite social media platform currently! But we all know, something new is just around the corner. Luckily I love to learn and will be right in the front row, so my clients don’t miss an opportunity.

Pinterest is a service that I think people confuse as a social media platform. Pinterest is actually a search engine and VERY effective in driving traffic to the next step in your sales funnel. I don’t know that I’ve ever talked to anyone who’s been on Pinterest and said they didn’t get lost for hours on it. It’s incredibly addicting and that’s the beauty of using it for your business! It’s up there with Instagram for my favorite platforms.

The next service I offer is podcast management. I love podcasts because it’s almost as if we went back in time to the mid 20th century and are just listening to real authentic conversation. Podcasts have a lot of moving parts to them so I help keep things organized and this way, everything flows the way it should.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?

I am honestly one of those people that think things really do happen for a reason, so I don’t believe in luck. I look at bad situations as something that, even at the time, I am not enjoying, but it’s something that helped me grow. If everything was perfect all of the time, none of us would learn the right way of doing things. It’s like riding a bike for the first time. You have to fall off that bike a couple of times before you really get the hang of it. If I didn’t hit a couple of bumps along the way, I wouldn’t appreciate where I am today. I believe my previous job got me to Nashville, I learned something while I was there, and now I’m working for myself and in my element. If something good happens, then I think that’s another milestone earned, because the universe gives back what you put in.

Contact Info:

• Email: take5virtualassistant@gmail.com
• Website: www.take5virtual.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/take5virtual
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Take5Virtual
• Other: Clubhouse:@take5virtual

Image Credits
Nicole Anderson, Owner of NicoleBranderson.com