Have you ever dreamed of owning your own business, being your own boss, making your own hours? Honestly, I never had that goal. As early as one year ago, I would have laughed if you told me I’d be an entrepreneur today. But here I am, and I’ll tell you a secret – I love it!
I’ve joined an amazing community of women business owners that I didn’t even know existed. Hop on Facebook or Instagram and you’ll find female entrepreneurs in every category!
I find myself feeling very encouraged and inspired by these women who set incredible goals and meet them daily. Now I’m starting a series in the Pursuit of Peace Blog focusing on female entrepreneurs. Join me as we take a closer look into what it takes to find success on the road less traveled.
Meet Lexi Weigl, an Instagram strategist and manager for entrepreneurs who own and run an online service-based business. She creates strategies for Instagram accounts and takes over existing management of accounts. She also offers Facebook management as one of her services.
@fromthedeskoflexi – Social Media Rockstar
-How did you get started?
In high school, I worked at a local brick-and-mortar shop in my hometown. I was the only other employee besides my boss, and so my list of responsibilities included anything from managing her emails to managing the business Instagram to taking out the trash. As I did more research on email management and Instagram marketing, I discovered there was a whole industry of people doing that same thing, and they were called virtual assistants.
I found Gina Horkey’s 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success course through Pinterest, and last December, I took the leap, bought the course, and started my business. At first, I offered email management, calendar management, and social media management. I soon narrowed my services down to purely social media strategy & management with a focus on Instagram and Facebook. It’s what I enjoy most and what I’m best at.
-Why did you decide to create your own business?
When most people envision their dream career, they picture working in a big city, going every day to a cool office, and climbing the corporate ladder. That’s nearly the exact opposite of my dream career! Volunteering and traveling are huge priorities in my life, which both require that my job is flexible and location-independent.
When I discovered the world of virtual assistance, I realized that yes, it was possible to have a job that fits all of my wants and needs. I am also the type of person who functions best when I’m able to work independently and have the freedom to create, rather than being given an exact list of what to do and why to do it.
Finding Freedom
-What’s your favorite part of your job?
I’m always learning. I set my own working hours. If I want to take a day off to go somewhere, I can. If I want to travel to another country for a couple weeks, I’m good to go as long as I have wi-fi and my laptop. I can also work with cool people who are doing interesting things. I decide what work I want to do and if I want to outsource something, I have the freedom to do that. I appreciate that I can support myself from my job. There are virtually no limits: if I want to take on more clients and start an agency, I could. I could also create a course for others who want to do what I’m doing. There’s plenty of room for growth.
-Did you always envision yourself working for yourself?
Not always. When I was little, I wanted to be a teacher. I also thought I would be content having any kind of desk job because I enjoy doing clerical work. As I got older, I realized I didn’t have the patience to go to college for the years required to be a teacher and that I didn’t want to be stuck inside an office every day from 9-5 at a desk. After high school I attended technical college for a year studying Computer Networking, and quickly realized it wasn’t something I was passionate about. As soon as I realized that a viable business could be built on skills I had, I started picturing working for myself.
A Good Fit
-Tell us about a recent “Aha!” moment in your business.
Word-of-mouth advertising and referrals is a major way my business has grown, and not every person who inquires about my services fits my ideal client profile. I realized that I can turn down someone and refer them to someone else if I don’t want to work for them, and there’s nothing wrong with that- in fact, it’s the best scenario for every person involved!
-Share a unique fact about yourself.
I recently began learning simplified Mandarin in order to help Mandarin-speaking people living near me learn about the Bible. Each year I spend hundreds of hours volunteering this way and it’s one of my favorite things to do with my time. My job allows me the flexibility to do this and I love it!
One of my favorite parts of working from home is the flexibility. I think it’s wonderful that Lexi uses her flexibility to share God’s word.
You can find Lexi on Instagram of course – @fromthedeskoflexi
She also is online at www.fromthedeskoflexi.com. If you’re a business owner, you should check our her services and see how she can help your business grow!
Stay tuned to the Pursuit of Peace Blog for more in this series featuring female entrepreneurs and their solo road to success.
Is there something you’d like to ask some of these bold businesswomen? Let me know!
Are you an awesome #bosslady who would like be featured in this series? Fill out the Contact Me form and we’ll set it up!
