Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanelle Yarber.
Chanelle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
BrightGirl Media started out of necessity. I was working for a major telecom company producing video and digital media when my project came to an abrupt end. I realized at that point that I didn’t want to leave my destiny to chance. I had employable, in-demand skills and was resourceful. So I decided to brand myself. Initially, I wasn’t trying to build an agency. I just wanted to freelance and work on contract projects. I started with $800 and used it to purchase a website and logo and was off to the races.
Since then, I have expanded my services. I began with social media marketing and video production. Now, BrightGirl Media offers web development, social media, paid to advertise, search engine optimization, and video to small business clients. I grew my team by outsourcing and partnering with other entrepreneurs who needed help acquiring contracts just as I did in the beginning. So it has been a win-win for us all.
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?
The road has not been smooth. In the beginning, a lack of funding caused me to have to go back to work full-time and take jobs I didn’t really want to in order to sustain myself and invest in my business. I also had to learn about contracts, fulfillment, building systems, finding the right talent for the job, managing money, and serving my customers well. This was all by trial and error. Everyone nowadays seems to think entrepreneurship is all about “securing the bag”. They show off receipts and brag on how much money they’ve made on the ‘gram. But if the truth were told, a lot of blood, sweat and tears go before profit. And just because you’re making money, if you don’t know how to properly reinvest it and also cut costs, you will end up with another draining job and not building a sustainable business. It took me a few years, a few bumps, and a lot of bruises to learn these things.
We’d love to hear more about BrightGirl Media.
We are a digital marketing agency that works primarily with women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses online. Our specialties are social media marketing, website development, paid digital advertising, search engine optimization, and video production.
I am most proud of my team. I started off alone doing all the work and burning myself out. But now I have a team of graphic designers, video producers, and programmers that help lighten the load. They are some of the most creative, hard-working people I know. What sets us apart is that we are a team of black women serving other black women. We understand the challenges that come with being women entrepreneurs and also the cultural nuances of being black. So we can speak the language and creatively solve problems that other agencies may gloss over. We have built an online community around these entrepreneurs and offer collaboration and resources.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. I believe in God. And none of what I have been able to accomplish would be possible without my faith. It was a leap of faith that led me to start my business. It was another leap that pushed me to grow my team. And yet another leap to leave my full-time job and believe all would be well. And it has been. Prayer and following God has elevated and sustained my business through many different seasons.
Contact Info:
- Address: 13740 Midway Road, Suite 528V
Dallas, TX 75244 - Website: www.brightgirl.media
- Phone: 214-884-2444
- Email: chanelle@brightgirl.media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightgirlmedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightgirlmedia
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/brightgirlmedia
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