Do It My Way Podcast Deedra Determan

I was reminded of why it is so important to give more than you receive yesterday when I got a call from an attorney out of L.A. that I talked to back in 2020. He saw something I posted on LinkedIn when we were in the thick of Covid and things weren't looking so good for business owners. I felt helpless myself, but decided that I had knowledge that others could learn from in a time where people really needed it. I started posting marketing tips and ways to market without spending money to help those that put a hold on their marketing because they were trying to keep paying their team. This meant I was giving advice on ways for my own clients to quit and try to do it on their own.
 
This attorney reached out to me and asked for a zoom call because he had some marketing questions. I did this with many, many people during that time and it was honestly therapeutic for me to not think about my own business and worry about paying my own team. I ended up talking to him for an hour and a half giving him advice on ways to navigate this new world.

 

I never thought of this guy again and did not expect anything in return. Well, yesterday, he reached out. He said he was so appreciative of the time I spent with him during 2020 that he wanted to use me as his marketing partner now that he has a budget. I honestly didn't remember who he was because I had countless meetings like that during that time but it felt really good to have something come back, even if it was four years later! Sometimes it's more important to focus on long term success rather than short term gains.

 

In this episode, I share why it is more important to give then receive in business, in relationships, and even to strangers. How do you give more than you receive in your life?

 

Check out Learn to Give More Than You Receive on the DO IT MY WAY Podcast.

Courtney Bullard is a dynamic speaker, accomplished author, and dedicated mentor with a passion for making a difference. As a mother and wife, she balances her personal and professional life with grace and determination. Courtney is also the visionary behind The Pearl House, a life-changing nonprofit organization that empowers teenage girls in Ghana, providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed. In this episode, she shares how her personal brand and unwavering positivity have helped her fulfill her calling, inspiring others to find and follow their own paths to making a positive impact in the world.

We all face adversity from time to time and it can be a real downer! It has taken me some time, but I have learned to turn my adversity into motivation!
 
One of the hardest things I have lost was the Tulsa Spirit Award competition for my business start up idea: a niche website for moms in the Tulsa area. I can't remember if it was a $10,000 or $15,000 prize, but it was a LOT of money that we really needed to WIN to get the website going.
 
I'll never forget when one of the male judges named Sean said to us, "Why would anyone go to a mom website? And why would anyone buy advertising on a mom website?" This was back in 2009 when digital was just coming on the horizon. We were ahead of our time, or at least in his mind. I was so FIRED UP by his comment, that I used it as motivation to blow that website up! 
 
Fast forward to many sleepless, late nights launching that website but guess what would pop into my mind everytime I wanted to give up?  A picture of "Sean" saying it would never work! I couldn't wait to prove him wrong! A year later the website grew to 100,000 moms visiting it every month and we sold that website to Griffin Communications, who owns the News on 6 and News 9 in Oklahoma.
 
Guess what happened to the winner of the Tulsa Spirit Awards that year? He never even launched the business.
 
I often wondered if we would have had that much success if we weren't motivated by Sean's comments. What if we had won? Would we have been complacent and not as motivated? It was the first time I was able to see how powerful it was to turn adversity into motivation! Find out how to turn your adversity into motivation on the next episode of the DO IT MY WAY Podcast!

My 19-year-old son, Jace, is an intern at D2 Branding this summer and he had his friend come with him one day. They are fresh out of high school and learning how a digital marketing agency works. At the end of the day, his friend said to me, "You mean you don't do any of the work?" It made me laugh because he thought I was a genius creating websites, running TikTok accounts, doing photography, graphic design, digital ads and video production. I had to share with him that I don't do any of that, but I have an amazing team that are experts in each area that do the work. I am not sure if he thought I was stupid or a genius at that point, but it made me think about business owners out there that are trying to do it all. You will never scale and grow if you are the one doing the work!
I did all of the work in the beginning and I quickly realized that I could only have a handful of clients because I was exhausted working 12 hour days. I knew I couldn't sustain that for long, so I started hiring a great team that could execute way better than I ever could! 
Find out why leaders should avoid doing work and how D2 Branding has been able to scale on the latest episode of the DO IT MY WAY Podcast!

I recently hired a sales rep and we spent a day cold calling local businesses, which is walking in without having an appointment or knowing who to talk to. It reminded me that you can never stop cold calling! Remember people have to get to know you, like you and trust you to buy. You have to start somewhere! We talked to 15 different business owners and had at least five that acted interested and wanted more information. Sales is a numbers game! The more you call on, the more you close.

Tulsa-based digital creator, Teresa Forehand, started her career as a physician’s assistant and loved her job until she had a baby and realized her priorities were changing. She began sharing her workouts online and documenting her journey while growing a large following on Instagram. She eventually left her PA job, and now is a mom of three little ones and a full-time digital creator known for creating “20-minute meals.” She shares how she navigates being a full-time working mom, overcoming adversity when her husband suffered a severe brain injury, and how she built an online community of over 150k loyal, raving fans. Her story is inspiring and shows us how you can do it all and be successful too!