Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing

Rich Life Marketing, founded in 2008 in Dublin, Ohio, helps business owners to brand, build buzz, create celebrity and change the world.

‘Ah ha’ moment that led to launching the business: I had another business that I didn’t totally love, but I found out that I loved to market it. In fact, business owners from all over the country called me to ask how I was able to accomplish different things and I helped them with their marketing because I just loved it so much. That’s when I sold my first business and started a marketing company.

Ideal customer: Established businesses that have reached a plateau and are ready for the next growth level. Specifically, coaches and consultants as well as businesses in the wellness, image, design and luxury goods/services industries.

Measuring success: Three yardsticks: 1) Revenue and profit 2) Personal satisfaction and feeling that my work is making a difference 3) Working around 25-30 hours a week. I set the tone for my business when I started my business by stating my hours of operation very clearly. I am not available five days a week. If someone had an issue with that, then no hard feelings, but I was clear that I wasn’t the right person for them.

Biggest struggle: Finding ways to manage a growing family and a growing business. My youngest is just now going into full-day grade school so working around spending quality time with my kids and running a successful business provids me with interesting challenges. Summers are also tricky but what I’ve learned is that the bulk of my business can be centered around the school year. That is when I focus on running programs, doing speaking engagements and launching new services. I tend to dial-back in the summer by not offering anything new and not attending as many networking meetings or after-hours events.

Surprise!: The quality of people I have met online and the critical role they play in my business even before I meet them in person. I had never met most of people in the mastermind group before we started nearly three years ago.

What you wish you would have known: Helping others will help you more than you expect. Outsource things you’re not good at ASAP.

What keeps you up at night (business wise!)?: I have a hard time turning off the issues that my clients are dealing with and find myself trouble shooting them in my brain at 3 a.m.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: Absolutely. Having your own business can be frustrating. You simultaneously deal with all the things that are right in front of you as well as all the strategic decisions that are way out ahead of you and it’s a lot to think about and manage. But I wouldn’t even consider getting a job anymore. I’m unemployable because I enjoy this work too much and the freedom that having my own business allows me.

Biggest goal: I am scaling my business in the next 12 months. I’m growing from a coaching and consulting business into more a marketing firm. I’m going to offer web design and development due to the vast number of my clients to struggle to find excellent service providers in those areas. I’m hiring copy writers I trust to help my clients with content creation, press kits and other marketing communications needs. I’m also contracting with brand experts who specialize in graphic design. It’s very exciting! It feels like it’s all coming full circle.

Pricing: Know what your competition is charging but charge what you want. Build a case for your price points. Test, track and tweak.

A few good tips: If you struggle with marketing and self-promotion, try writing 10 answers to the following question. In other words, fill in the blank at least ten times:

The results that others receive from working with me are: _________________.

Now, take your 10 answers and add them to the end of this sentence:

By holding myself back and not promoting my services, I am not able to help others _____________.

Get it?

The absolute best part of owning my own business is: the freedom and creativity it allows. Plus, showing my daughters that anything is possible.

If I had to start all over again, I would have: started sooner.

I never imagined: finding time to make dinner would be so difficult.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Get out there and ask for business. Just ask. You have to ask.”