Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Henderson.
Erica, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Social Media Consulting was never a field I ever thought about or even knew was an occupation. I managed (and still do) the social media feeds for my church and after some time discovered that I really enjoyed it, Also at that time I was learning some other skills (at the prompting of my Pastor) that would later prove to be a large part of my business, He asked a simple question…”Do you think we could…?” That evolved into me taking photos during church services, learning to shoot video and running sound; essentially making me the media department. How I made the decision to start a business happened in a conversation with a good friend.
I was looking for something to do on the side, just to earn extra money. My friend suggested that I think about taking what I was doing with the church to businesses. I told her I didn’t think managing social media for other people was a thing and I was nowhere NEAR good enough yet with photography and videography to charge anybody! After a while, I did some research and was stunned to find out that Social Media Management/Consulting was a pretty big deal. I thought if I could bring that, along with the added services of photography and video to small businesses I would be able to help a lot of people. After further research, I discovered I could get certified as a Social Media Manager and after much prayer, I decided to do that.
At the time I was getting certified, my friend and pastor, Paul Garrett, was also working on setting himself up with a business as a motivational speaker. As he was transitioning he brought me in to take photos and shoot video at his engagements. Of course, I wanted to make sure I could create a great product for him since he was trusting me with this huge opportunity. So, I started taking classes and tutorials on photo and video editing; and learning as much as I could about all things media and content. In doing that I was like, “hey…I kind of dig this!” So that’s when the seed was really planted.
Also during this time, the company that I worked for was making plans to transition to a new location, which I was not excited about. It would be a further drive and the planned open-seating option was just not something I was the least bit interested in. So, as I was going through the certification and learning all of these new skills, I started seeing a financial benefit that was hard to ignore. I started soliciting business to build my clientele and to get some experience under my belt. About a year or so after I was certified my job ended which opened the door for me to go all-in with my business. So, I cashed out and invested in me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not! For months, I would wake up and my first thought would be, “What did I do? I need to get a job! This is the DUMBEST thing I’ve ever done.!” The biggest struggle for me was believing I could actually pull off managing a business. Also, keeping my confidence up was a huge challenge. Businesses would make promises to sign a contract but, once it was sent I would never hear from them again. In the beginning, this was extremely discouraging. And of course, there are the months that no money was coming in, or I should say, not enough money. That in itself is always a challenge.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sweet Sue Media Group – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Sweet Sue Media Group is a social media consulting company that manages social media platforms for small businesses and brands across all industries. That’s done by creating and posting content, managing that content for success by creating/monitoring monthly reports and engaging with a client’s followers to help their communities stay informed. In short, we are the voice, eyes and ears (socially) of each business we partner with. Our goal is to help small business owners expand their reach and income potential via their social media presence. We also offer photography and video recording services as well (for video ads, speaking engagements, event promotions, product launches, etc.). Platforms we manage our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
I am most proud of the success that my clients are experiencing. Being a new business owner myself, it is extremely humbling to have someone trust you with their name or their business; so when I get that call or email and a client says “I have more business than I can handle” or “I’ve been getting great feedback on those videos you created.” It makes all the challenges that I face worth it and I am extremely grateful.
I think what sets me apart from other companies like mine are the services that I offer. Most independent social media managers only offer social media management however, I bring an added benefit because I also offer photography, video, digital ads and other similar services. I believe businesses appreciate this aspect because there is already a certain level of trust here and that goes a long way.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
It’s in the much larger plan however, my goal is to be a one-stop-shop for new small businesses. I want to expand to be a full media company: advertising, video production, photography, website creation – whatever media services a small business needs, I want to be a resource for that.
Pricing:
- Single Platform Social Media Management starts at $200/month
- Video Promotional Ads start at $125
- Event Recording starts at $200
- Event Photography starts at $200
Contact Info:
- Phone: 469-526-3020
- Email: sweetsuemedia@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetsuemedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetsuemedia
Image Credit:
Erica Henderson – Sweet Sue Media
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