Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Doreca Delbridge, Founder of Dory Linda LLC, located in Woodbridge, VA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I work with one-person business owners who have solid offers but are feeling financial pressure because they're not attracting enough clients. They are exhausting themselves, doing what the experts say to do in all the marketing platforms, but still not attracting clients consistently. As an Organizational Psychologist, I use psychometrics to help them quickly discover what marketing works best for them based on their personality strengths to get more clients with less stress.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a mama of two wonderful children. My son Caleb is 17 years old, a senior in high school, and the techie in the family, whose drive and work ethic would put most adults to shame. He truly inspires me. My daughter Abigail is 7 years old, a second grader, the talker, and the extrovert of the family, whose charm lights up our days. She's a strong-willed advocate for justice and a self-taught ballerina. She has a remarkable way of embracing life which is a joy to observe. My biggest motivators are these two, plus my mother, Nagy, my best friend, who listens to every cry and never ceases to lift me when I'm weary. I ventured into business soon after having my son, wanting to pick him up from school and have time to be with him. So many pivots and changes since I officially started my brand in 2012, but what a journey!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment has been my perseverance and growth through the many pivots these past ten years. I did not come from the business world. I've been an Organizational Psychologist for 14 years. Therefore, I learned all there is to know about business through the school of hard knocks! Within that time, I moved countries from the UK to the US, got married, had another child, divorced, and experimented with almost all business models, and I live to tell the tale! I have experienced much personal growth, self-awareness, and self-acceptance during that time. My biggest and proudest accomplishment is who I have become because of persevering through this journey.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the most challenging things about being a business owner is getting comfortable with the discomfort of change. What works one day may not work the next. Either the market changes, the world changes, your life changes, or you change. Either way, there is a change you have to adapt to, even when you don't know where it leads. The hardest thing for me is to keep going when I cannot see where I am going. I'm most motivated when I understand the 'why' behind what I do. When that aspect of the journey isn't clear, no external motivation fires me the same way as the internal motivation when my vision is clear.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Three top tips I'd give anyone looking to start, build, and grow a business today are:
Know thyself, know thyself, know thyself! I may be biased, but I believe every person has a unique set of strengths that gives them an unfair advantage if only they can learn to capitalize on them. The problem is, most times, we are too close to them to recognize them as anything special, let alone know how to capitalize on them in the business world. We then default to copying what other people are doing because they have the success we want or are where we want to be and end up falling short. We forget that the people we admire and look up to have found success or impacted the world because they followed their strengths.
So be yourself, be remarkable, and follow your path if you're going to realize your vision fully. First, get to know how you're wired and what gives you the edge. Secondly, practice accepting all that you're discovering about yourself. Third, take inspired action on those discoveries because the world needs that from you. Or otherwise, you'll blend into the sea of sameness, and that's the quickest way to irrelevance in the business world. To stand out and be noticed, you must learn to embrace and lead with your uniqueness.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website:
https://www.dorylinda.com/
https://themarketingfunnelcure.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MsDoryLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msdorylinda/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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