An Interview With Penny Bauder
You’ll only regret the risks you didn’t take. If you constantly find yourself daydreaming about a business idea or career change, take the leap. You can always start over, and the only way you can truly fail is if you don’t try at all. There’s a lesson to be found in every challenge and obstacle.
As part of my series about young people who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Valentine.
Megan Valentine is the founder of Blissful Life Marketing. With nearly a decade of experience across a variety of digital marketing categories, Megan leads the development of forward-thinking marketing and engagement strategies optimized for both business objectives and consumer trust. She also helps brands prepare for the new era of digital marketing by educating marketing professionals and teams on the latest industry updates, trends, and best practices.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit how you grew up?
I grew up in a small Midwestern town and am the oldest of four children. Many of my most influential family members, including my parents, were lifelong teachers and coaches. While I developed a great respect for those professions and learned many valuable lessons from their experiences, I realized early on that my career would take a different path. I explored journalism and video production in high school, which sparked my interest in strategic communication and digital marketing.
Is there a particular book or organization that made a significant impact on you growing up? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I came across Kelly Cutrone’s books “Normal Gets You Nowhere” and “If You Have to Cry, Go Outside” during a pivotal point in my career exploration. Since I was one of the first in my family to pursue a profession outside of education, I had to forge my own path and seek outside influences to gain a better understanding of the type of work culture and expectations I would encounter. Her books played a major role in shaping my early attitudes and approaches to success. I haven’t revisited them in years, so some of the advice might not align with my current views, but I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
How do you define “Making A Difference”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I define “Making A Difference” as using your skills, knowledge, experiences, and resources to create the most good for the greatest number of people. Not everyone has a large following or millions of dollars, but having a positive influence on just one person could create ripple effects that change the world.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. You are currently leading an organization that aims to make a social impact. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
In recent years, consumers have become increasingly concerned about the ways brands are collecting and using their data. As I researched the issue and learned more about new and upcoming changes across the digital marketing landscape, I realized many businesses were grasping onto the old ways of doing things and failing their customers in the process. At Blissful Life Marketing, our goal is to create a better online environment for both brands and customers by developing comprehensive, scalable marketing and engagement strategies optimized for both business objectives and consumer trust.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
As a marketer, I’m able to recognize and understand the strategies being used to influence my purchases and behavior. For years, I struggled to find meaning in my work because many of these successful targeting and re-marketing tactics didn’t sit well with me — both as a consumer and as a professional. The new and upcoming changes across the industry are a step in the right direction, and solutions like zero-party data give me hope that we can return power to consumers without sacrificing bottom lines. I’m excited to serve as a guiding force behind this positive change by timing my launch of Blissful Life Marketing to align with the world’s transition into the new digital marketing era.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I’ve always been drawn to entrepreneurship, but for years I let my insecurities get the best of me. I would take initial steps to launch a business but stop short when I began feeling like there was more I needed to learn. I was finally able to kick my imposter syndrome when I recognized I had more hands-on experience with certain marketing strategies and tactics than others who had been in the industry for decades. On top of that, I was encountering entrepreneurs with significantly less experience succeeding in the category I was looking to enter. These realizations were the confidence boosters I needed to finally take the leap.
When I first built out my business plan, I envisioned a micro agency focused primarily on social media and digital advertising. As I neared my launch, I ran into unexpected hurdles related to new and upcoming restrictions on targeting, re-marketing, and measurement. I was filled with doubt that my original model would be successful in this new environment and began to question whether I was making the right decision. I monitored the situation and came across a solution called zero-party data, which was strikingly similar to tactics I had employed to build a large social media following in my first job. This gave me the spark of confidence to continue down my original path, with a new emphasis on educating others on the changes as they roll out. The marketing industry is constantly evolving, so I used this scenario as an opportunity to renew my trust in my ability to adapt and help my clients do the same.
Many young people don’t know the steps to take to start a new organization. But you did. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?
Initially, my sister helped me develop a rough business plan using the template she used to start her business. Then, I purchased an online course from a woman who built a successful business using a model similar to the one I was looking to create. I place great value on my time, so I felt it was worth the money to learn from someone who had already been through the trial and error phase. If courses and coaches aren’t your thing, there are countless free resources available online to guide you through the launch of any type of business or project. Ultimately, you have to find the approach that works best for your budget, bandwidth, and goals.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Since taking the leap and launching my business, the most interesting thing I’ve experienced is an unanticipated spike in confidence. Even when I’m encountering unexpected challenges or things aren’t going as planned, I have an underlying sense of peace in knowing this is what I’m meant to do and everything will fall into place exactly as it should in perfect timing. As someone who struggled with imposter syndrome for years, I never imagined that I would achieve this unwavering trust in myself and my business.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or take away you learned from that?
One of the biggest mistakes any business owner can make is spreading themselves too thin and losing focus on the activities that are moving the needle. I’ve seen countless examples of this, and even warned others to avoid it, but ironically still found myself falling victim. After realizing I wasn’t immune to this trap, I developed a habit of asking myself what any given activity is accomplishing for my business before investing my time, effort, or money.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
My family has always been my biggest support system, and I’m also particularly grateful for the guidance and support of one of my first internship supervisors. He has remained a mentor throughout my career, and earlier this year he invited me to present a guest lecture for his college course. Engaging with the students and witnessing the impact I made with just a small investment of my time activated my passion for educating others. This experience ultimately spurred my decision to incorporate education and training in Blissful Life Marketing’s offerings.
Without saying specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
The greatest individual impact to date would have to be the benefits I’ve experienced in my personal life as a result of my work in this area. Before launching my business, I got to a point where I felt so helpless about the widespread issues I witnessed as a social media professional that I avoided certain platforms altogether. Since beginning my journey to be a part of the solution, I feel more comfortable and confident engaging on the platforms because I know I’ll be able to use my experiences to inform a better online environment for everyone.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
When it comes to marketing and data technology, the issues tend to evolve faster than politicians can keep up. This leaves it up to consumers and brands to address the root of the problems. Consumers can take steps to educate themselves on how their data is being collected and used, and then only engage with businesses that use ethical, consumer-focused practices. Brands, on the other hand, can be proactive in replacing their existing tactics with forward-thinking strategies before they’re forced to do so by upcoming industry changes and restrictions.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of the interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each).
1. Done is better than perfect. We’ve all spent countless hours tweaking tiny details that ultimately didn’t make or break the final product. No matter how good your work is, there will always be room for improvement. Give yourself a deadline, stick to it, and focus on getting better with each new project.
2. Trust your intuition. Most times when we find ourselves in situations where we’re not being respected or valued, we can look back and identify red flags we ignored or overlooked. Work on recognizing the difference between butterflies generated by excitement and a gut feeling telling you something isn’t right.
3. Focus on the present. Whether you tend to dwell on past mistakes or get anxious about the future, developing the ability to recenter yourself in the present moment can help you create a steadier emotional state. The only way to overcome challenges is to move through them, so focus on the task at hand and take the next best step.
4. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries. In today’s always-on corporate culture, it’s critical to set boundaries if you want to avoid burnout. If your supervisors or clients can’t respect them, consider making a move. Stop putting the preferences of others ahead of your mental health and wellbeing.
5. You’ll only regret the risks you didn’t take. If you constantly find yourself daydreaming about a business idea or career change, take the leap. You can always start over, and the only way you can truly fail is if you don’t try at all. There’s a lesson to be found in every challenge and obstacle.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I’m a big believer that the more positivity you spread through your words, actions, and interactions, the more positivity is redirected back into all areas of your life. Focus on the little things you can do each day to make a difference for even just one person. This approach relieves the pressure of feeling like you’re not doing enough and makes helping others more fun.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Lewis Howes from The School of Greatness Podcast. He’s had the opportunity to interview so many fascinating people, and I’d love to learn which insights from those conversations have had the biggest impact on his life and success.
How can our readers follow you online?
I’m always sharing my latest tips, updates, and educational resources on Blissful Life Marketing’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts (@blissfullifemarketing on all). Our social profiles are still relatively new, so we would love for your audience to join our community! 🙂
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Young Change Makers: Why and How Megan Valentine Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.