I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jackie Gemein of Jack and Gem Media, and she shared some helpful information about business marketing.  Have a read and let us know which trends you resonate with, and what you find helpful.

Hey Jackie, thank you for speaking with me today.   Please tell me about your family.

I live in Lake Zurich with my husband, daughter, and mini Goldendoodle. My husband and I have been together since we were 16, both from the Chicago suburbs and moved to Lake Zurich in 2016.  We love being outside, going on bike rides, and spending time as a family!

Let's talk about your business, and what made you decide to go out on your own?

My husband and I always had a pretty “traditional” path. We both worked a corporate 9-5 job. After working in ad agencies with long commutes and even longer work schedules, I got a full-time job in marketing and advertising working from home in 2018. I loved the freedom and flexibility it provided. It was even more beneficial when the pandemic hit, and I was able to continue work as normal, from home. After many life changes that the birth of my daughter and the pandemic provided, our work lives looked completely different in just a few short years! The company I worked for went through rounds of massive layoffs due to the pandemic eventually filing for bankruptcy. I freelanced for a while and landed a few large contracts with major influencers right out of the gate. Working with a newborn during a global pandemic proved harder than I anticipated! Eventually, I decided to start my own brand in 2022. I wanted more control over the types of projects I worked on, the clients I served, and most importantly, my schedule!

I started out offering digital marketing services to small businesses both locally and across the country. The business has quickly expanded in only a year and a half. Jack & Gem Media is now a full-service boutique marketing agency providing services including website creation, SEO, social media management and strategy, online advertising, email marketing, and more!

What do you like best about being an entrepreneur, and what are the most challenging aspects of it?  

I love being able to make my own schedule. I remember my first dentist appointment after starting my brand and thinking about how crazy it was that as a mom and woman in her 30’s, I used to have to ask someone's permission to leave work to go to the dentist! I love that I can log off early to go to an event with my daughter or take a day off to spend it with my family. 

I also love that I can make major decisions. I choose to work with clients that I know I would support their mission, values, team members, products, and or services, 100%. 

The most challenging aspects are the workload and the feeling that I need to always be available. While I can and do make my own schedule, and I now have a small team, at the end of the day, I am the CEO. Any emergencies or urgent matters all come to me. While I can pick and choose when and even where I work, I am working now more than ever. I frequently work nights and weekends to stay caught up, but I recognize that comes with the territory of building a successful new business. I hope to master the art of work-life balance, soon!

What is something that you weren’t expecting as a business owner, good or bad?  

I knew I would need to work long hours to grow my business. I also know social media and marketing never sleeps! But I did not know how hard it would be for me to fully “shut off” or take breaks away from work. It’s hard to step away and truly take a break when social media and marketing can feel like a 24/7 job. However, as a business owner, I was not expecting the empowerment that came with building a business. When I worked for other companies, I always felt like client wins weren’t truly mine. I had help, or oversight from a manager, etc. When you run your own business, you set the plan and you are in charge. I celebrate my wins so much more now because I know these are my plans and strategies I am executing. 

Which marketing strategies do you like, and what is one thing businesses can do to improve their conversion rate? 

I began my career in digital marketing so I will always have a bias towards that form of marketing and advertising! I love how accessible and widespread online advertising and marketing can be. I love how in-depth and analytical I can be. Now more than ever, almost every demographic can be reached online. 

Authenticity in marketing and advertising will always help improve your conversions in the long run! People buy from those they know, like, and trust. Be authentic, show up, and connect with your audience, and you will understand what it means to “sell without selling!”

Which marketing trends do you dislike and want to see go away? 

I am pretty open about something called Master Resell Rights or MRR on social media. This marketing trend spiked shortly after the pandemic and is still circulating. The idea is you buy a course or a digital product from someone who promotes themselves as a “marketing expert.” They give you “master resell rights” to resell their course or digital product on your own. They claim you can make five, six, or even multi-six figures by what I feel is a huge scam. I am passionate about this because I found myself educated, responsible, driven, and unemployed, with a newborn, during a global pandemic. Something I didn’t think would ever happen. I found myself thinking of new avenues to make money and further my career while being a mom. These MRR’s really prey on moms when they are at their most vulnerable and I have seen some women go into significant debt or empty their savings when joining an MRR program. I hope that is one “trend” that goes away fast! The people buying these courses to resell and those buying the course from the reseller, both get short-changed. Do your research and make sure you always work with a true professional. Someone who has actually worked in a professional marketing and advertising capacity and is formally educated and trained in marketing strategy.

What is a little-known fact or talent about yourself?

I am an expert parallel parker! I have my giant 1995 Buick I drove while in college and city-living to thank for this talent. 

I also ran a babysitting business in college. At its height, we served 400 families in the Chicago area, and I had 60 babysitters that I hired as independent contractors working under me.

I can absolutely relate to your pride in parallel parking.   I joke with my family that I could win an award for parallel parking!

What is one of the scariest things you have ever done?

A few months ago, we decided my husband would quit his job to be a stay-at-home dad so I could focus on the business full-time. We saw how unpredictable even a traditional 9-5 job could be with layoffs affecting us, our friends, and our family. We didn’t even feel having a full-time corporate career was “safe” anymore. So we decided to put all of our time and energy into what we truly wanted. Which was more time as a family before my little one starts full-time school, and a better work-life balance. I am still working on that work-life balance but having my husband home helps us all significantly. We are so proud of ourselves for taking the leap and we are loving this time we are having together, even if it is temporary!

What was the last concert you attended, and who would you like to see next?

It has been a while! But the last concert was probably Justin Timberlake and Jay Z at Soldier Field. I remember my first concert with my sister when we were young. So I would LOVE to have my next concert be something fun with my daughter!

What is a superficial pet peeve of yours?

I am a sucker for a beautifully branded Instagram grid. I recently taught a client how to properly crop and adjust the cover of her reels on Instagram. Not only did it make her social media look so much better, her views increased dramatically. Silly and superficial, it is just how a reel looks, not the content or the value it provides. But it drives me nuts because it is something so fast and easy to fix that can really go a long way!

Oh gosh, please don't look at my IG account then, haha!  It's a mix of client work, behind the scenes, and selfies with my adorable assistant. 

What is your mantra or words you love by? 

As for my mantra, I would say "do it scared" is something I have adopted since starting my own brand. I have fully embraced taking the leap and haven't waited for the perfect time or until I feel more confident. So even when I am scared to offer a new service or meet with a new client, (or join a new business association, haha!) or whatever it may be, I jump in and do it anyway!

What advice can you offer to the Class of 2024?

Focus on your passion and the rest will fall into place. I have met so many amazing young entrepreneurs that I have partnered with in my agency, that are going out on their own. From social media managers to photographers and videographers, etc. If you chase the money and the title in an industry you hate, that is your quickest path to burnout.

I like that advice!

What would you tell a small business owner to focus on who is overwhelmed by marketing or dislikes social media?

Many people come to me saying they hate social media. Even I can sometimes relate! But I fully believe that businesses need online marketing to be successful in the long run. I tell my clients to think of social media as their savings account. If you’ve exhausted all options and your business needs a serious boost fast, you will wish you started an online presence much sooner. You don’t wait to start investing in your savings until you need it. Social media and digital marketing are the same. 

Over half of all Americans are estimated to check social media before making a purchase. In some surveys, that number is closer to 75%. Start your digital marketing efforts before you need them and set yourself up for success long-term! 

If you are overwhelmed, talk to an expert. We have ways to make marketing easy and can suggest which channels to start with to start small and work your way up. We can also tell you which marketing efforts would be the most valuable depending on your business and your goals, so you don’t invest heavily in expensive ads. 

Reach out to Jackie to see how she can help elevate your business.

Jackie@jackandgemmedia.com

Jackandgemmedia.com

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