Natalie - Anyone Can Start A Business
Have you been waiting for the perfect motivation to start your business? Do you find yourself wishing that someone would just grab you and say,“You can do it. You can do it! Anyone can do this!” When Natalie began her entrepreneurial journey to create Hancock Social Media she had an extreme case of imposter syndrome and she adopted the belief that you have to be wealthy to start a business. Once she had placed herself in an intentional community of fellow business owners, she started to recognize that everyone was in the “same place”. Nobody was checking off all of the made-up boxes that came with the idea of owning a business.
Showing up authentically in these networking events, Natalie was able to connect with fellow business owners on a deeper level, gaining insights, sharing tips, and empathizing with people in the community. “[Being able to learn] about each other, and who's walking amongst us, and who's going through [stuff] that we just don't talk about. In the day and age of digital, we only see what you want to share. And usually it's the best side of it.”
Being able to leave environments where she felt like her creativity was restricted, Natalie prides herself on being able to run her business with the intention of helping small and micro business owners thrive on social media, with meaningful and organic content. “Their journey through becoming what they've always dreamed of is like, you should have to pay for tickets for that. It's the coolest experience.” Natalie loves being able to work with her clients and approach them in “a really casual, human way.”
She has also found empowerment in being able to design a schedule that works for her. Though she shares that this part of running a business doesn’t come easy to her, “Corralling my focus is like throwing tennis balls, in a field of golden retrievers.” Through timeblocking and “whiteboarding”, Natalie has seen how the ability to set her work schedule can allow her to reach not only her financial goals, but her lifestyle goals as well.
“It's really empowering to realize you don't have to rely on other people to take care of yourself. Being able to control what income I make based on the work ethic or the bandwidth I [have]. I can budget my lifestyle because I want to work less. If I want to go on two years of nothing but vacations, nonstop, then I get to plan my life in a way that I can work to achieve the financial freedom to do that. And no one can tell me otherwise. I don't have to ask for a raise. I don't have to outperform other employees. That control really opened up a world of possibilities for me.”
Watching her niece Birdie grow has influenced another perspective shift. This experience has allowed Natalie to let go of things that used to overwhelm her and brought clarity to the things that really matter. “Birdie is the definition of a miracle.
She was a micropremie. She was born just shy of 24 weeks. With her twin Ada, who didn't make it. She was in the hospital for 210 days. [Receiving] eye surgeries, tons of injections, and overcoming a bacterial infection that they hadn’t seen in 20 years, in the NICU.” Being able to watch Birdie grow and having the autonomy to set a schedule for herself where she can spend time with family and travel, brings Natalie so much joy. Her joy and gratitude is extended to all of the amazing clients that she gets to work with and champion their businesses.
Everyone we meet is currently battling something or has overcome their own adversities, in one way or another. It’s important to remember that we’re all fighting for an opportunity to live our most authentic lives and find connection. If you’re considering starting your own business, tune into what lights you up and brings you joy. What brings meaning to your life? What’s something you love learning about, that you would like to share with others? Salt Lake City is a beautiful city brimming with rad business owners like Natalie who would be stoked to cheer you on in your journey. “As cheesy as it sounds, trust the process, and believe in yourself.”
Connect with Natalie:
Website: https://hancocksocialmedia.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hancocksocialmedia