Tell us about yourself and your business!

My name is Danielle and I am the owner of Basic Girl Fit and Basic Girl Social Media!

What inspired you to start your own business?

I started a blog when we adopted our daughters and loved connecting with others online. I kind of ended up going down the rabbit hole of podcasts, webinars and online business trainings. I’ve played around for years with different things and feel like I’ve finally settled in and found my groove!

Is this your full time job?

No, not yet! I am a full-time English teacher and cheer leading coach!

How do you structure your days?

I work all day, coach in the afternoons, then head home, eat with the family and work for a few hours before bed. I do lots of work on the weekends as well!

Where and how do you work best?

I work best at home, in the middle of everything. I put my headphones in, listen to some music, drink all the coffee and try to get stuff done!

Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?

They can use the code GIRLCRUSH for 15% off of their first order at basicgirlfit.com and get $100 off my Launch Package at basicgirlsocialmedia.com (perfect for coaches or shop owners getting ready to launch a program or product)

Where is your business based?

Right outside of Nashville, TN

What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?

I worked with someone to set up my online store, and then set up the website for my social media biz myself. I did some market research for both, threw some teasers out into a few FB groups to see if there would be any interest in what I was thinking, then dove right in.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and attracting new customers?

Since both of my businesses are so new, I am still growing everything. For my online shop, I’ve used Pinterest, IG and Google Ad Words. For my social media biz, I have really only used Instagram and networking in Facebook groups! Both of my businesses are less than 3 months old though, so I am still figuring this part out!!

What have been your biggest challenges so far?

Learning about running product based business - after doing service based businesses for so long was a challenge. Also, building EVERYTHING from scratch and changing gears was also a bit of a challenge! I am sure there will be more ahead, but I am still pretty new to these two ventures, so we shall see!

How did you overcome these challenges?

Research and hustle. I just kept learning, trying things, adjusting and working! I don’t think there is any type of magical way to move past challenges. You just need to problem solve, adjust and keep going!

How do you keep motivated through tough times?

My fitness apparel shop has a charitable focus: scholarships for young girls wanting to start a business. I am thinking a portion of my social media earnings will go towards the same. Having that as my “why” is critical to keeping me focused and hustling.

How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?

I am still working on ways to do this well - but I think that for my social media biz, I am all about building relationships instead of just growing a following. I am also focusing on helping people with their launches - which is a slightly different niche than most social media managers.

What is the best advice you have received recently?

Be patient, keep providing value and slowly you will see things take off.

What do you wish you had known when you started your business?

I am still just starting…so ask me again in year :)

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

Gary Vaynerchuk puts out such amazing content - so he has been a huge influence on how I’ve done business. I also admire Jasmine Star and Jenna Kutcher and the way they’ve build community around their businesses.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?

Build relationships. Stop chasing dollars. Play the long game and be patient. Give more than you take and surround yourself with awesome people.

What business tools/resources could you not work without?

PLANN, PayPal (I know - I’m boring, but seriously), Tailwind and Shopify.

Where would you like your business to be 5 years from now?

I would love be running these businesses full-time 5 years from now, and able to travel with my husband! I would love for them to generate enough income to provide 5 scholarships a year for young women wanting to start their own business.