Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Washburn.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I never really planned to work in social media, especially when it was still so new. After landing a few jobs out of college, I quickly fell into the role of Social Media Manager since I was always the one who volunteered and it was still very new from a brand standpoint. After working a 9-5 job with a two hour commute, I decided to give up working in an office all day when I realized my creativity and motivation had hit the floor.
I started freelancing and started my own digital agency while also blogging on the side. I now offer social media management, photography + drone imagery and influencer management services. I work from home and hit the beach at least once a week and never want to sit in an office all day ever again!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest struggles when starting my own freelancing business is one I still face today. A lot of people still aren’t able to see the value of social media and what it can do for their business/brand so they aren’t willing to pay for it. This makes my job a lot harder when I’m trying to find new clients, but I’ve learned you just can’t change some people’s minds. I’ve also had a few clients that were definitely not the right fit and had to fire later on, but this taught me to appreciate the awesome clients and that it’s okay to say no to people sometimes!
Some advice I would give is that you’re going to hear no a lot, but what’s awesome about this day and age is that you can hustle and do nearly anything you want! Love taking photos? Email some cool brands and see if they’d be interested in having you get some photos. There are so many ways to get your foot in the door if you start making moves.
What should we know about your business? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I currently offer social media management, photography, and influencer services – which all sound very broad haha
All of my clients hire me for social media usually at first, where I manage their accounts, post daily, interact with their audience, respond to comments, etc. About half of my clients also hire me to create their content as well. This can mean product shots, lifestyle photos, drone imagery or even short videos sometimes.
I also love working with influencers, acting as a virtual assistant of sorts, to help them manage their social media, emails, collab requests, etc.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I offer a variety of services and have my experience is also very broad, so I can help one client with their social media while helping another write blog posts and Facebook ads.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
Tim Ferris’ podcasts are my absolute favorite! He always has awesome guests and they came in handy especially during my two-hour commute, haha!
YouTube has honestly been a huge resource for me as well, especially with my video and drone work because if I ever need to learn how to do something, I can almost always find a tutorial on YouTube for it.
Some of my favorite apps for my work also include Planoly, Slack, VSCO, and Trello!
Contact Info:
- Website: socialswellmarketing.com
- Email: maddy@socialswellmarketing.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mmaaddzz
- Other: alohamadz.com
Image Credit:
Maddy Washburn
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