Most of the time, when we start out on our own, we’re filled with all sorts of emotions. We’re elated at breaking free from the corporate world. We’re thrilled to be starting a new journey that will ultimately lead to so much personal freedom. And we’re also usually pretty damn terrified. Jane Morrison was one of those women that started out in the corporate world. While she was good at she did, she felt confined, restricted, and uninspired. While she loved her job, she felt unfulfilled. Jane yearned for something more meaningful. In 2001, Jane decided to listen to the little voice inside her that was calling for more. She launched her own business, leaving the corporate world behind and starting up Morrison Business Solutions LLC. Looking back on it now, Jane can openly admit that she was overwhelmed, confused, and working way too much. Jane was shy to promote herself, uncertain of how to market the business, and she lacked a solid business plan. Despite all the obstacles that she faced, Jane went on to prosper. She sought help from great business coaches and mentors. She built up a team that supported her business. Jane learned how to invest in herself so that she could do her best. Now, she takes all of her knowledge, her skills, and her passion and helps others do what she did: Overcome the obstacles in starting your own business in order to be as successful as you can be.

Here at Wild Web Women, it’s one of our biggest pleasures to interview amazing women like Jane Morrison. Read on to check out her great answers.

Why did you choose your current career and how did you get started?

I’ve always loved helping others grow, use their gifts and follow their passion and purpose. I believe that when a person is doing that, there is so much joy and satisfaction to life. In 2000 I was at a midlife crisis myself, and knew that I needed to make some changes, so, after a lot of soul searching, I decided  to “take that leap of faith” to enter the world of entrepreneurship and  begin a coaching and training company. It meant leaving a secure job with pension and benefits to do something I was completely unfamiliar with.

As far as utilizing social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to communicate your business to your clients, what are some of the challenges and what are some of the benefits to your business?

I really did go kicking and screaming into the world of social media, but knew that it was here to stay and that it was a free marketing tool with so much potential that I could not overlook it! As with anything new, I embraced that there would be a learning curve and found mentors along the way. I have loved having a business page  http://www.facebook.com/savvycoachjane (I’d love to connect)  and find so much satisfaction being able to share resources, connect with others and give valuable information to my followers.

I have gotten so proficient at LinkedIn that I now teach others how to create powerful profiles that get them noticed and I also teach organizations how to use LinkedIn most effectively. It’s not an effective resource if you don’t have a strategy and a plan for consistency, and using LinkedIn to grow your business can be accomplished in just a few minutes a day!

At this time, I don’t use Twitter much, it’s a bit fast paced and discombobulated for my style. My advice to others is to choose 1 or 2 social media networks that feel best to them and get proficient at those before trying to be a master of all.

Online marketing is a good tool as long as you use it wisely and consistently. There are many strategies that work, and many that don’t. A big tip to remember is to bring value to your audience and position yourself as an expert…don’t try to sell, sell, sell!

Given your history of great professional achievements, what are some of your proudest accomplishments? Reflecting upon these, what skill or personal factor do you believe helped you the most in achieving this accomplishment? (i.e. What motivates you to your success?)

Some of my proudest accomplishments have been:

1)     I followed my heart and faced my fear to do what I really wanted to do with me life!

2)     I’ve had the tenacity to be a successful business owner for over 10 years now!

3)     I’ve reached out to mentors, coaches and mastermind groups every step of the way and really invested not only in my education as a Certified Coach but in entrepreneurship.

4)     I’ve been able to coach hundreds of others to find success in their business, and become effective leaders.

Had I not invested in my learning and development, I would be back at a J.O.B. That is a mistake I see often with others, they think they can’t afford coaching and mentoring….the truth is, they will not be in business long without that support, and all their dreams will fly out the window.

Do you have a personal mantra that you would like to share with other Wild Web Women readers?

I love the quote by Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you cannot, either way you are right. “

We are all creators of our destiny, from what we choose to focus on during the day, how we spend our time  to who we spend our time with. It’s important to surround yourself with positivity and others who can inspire you.

If you were shipwrecked on an island and had to run your business from there, what three web tools would you bring with you to use?

I definitely would want email, internet and a GPS system to find my way to rescue…well maybe just after I’ve enjoyed the solitude and beauty first!

What is fun and what is difficult about working as a sole “wild web” entrepreneur?

I love my job because of the creativity I get to express, the hundreds of wonderful people I’ve met, the flexibility, my home office and continual learning. The downside is frustration of technology when it goes out or doesn’t work – I am so plugged in that it can be frustrating when systems go down.

As far as dealing with competition in your line of work: do you pay special attention to their marketing strategies and adjust yours to stay ahead OR do you mostly focus on your individual marketing plan without worrying too much about your competitors?

I really don’t look at others as my competition as much as I see them as my peers and mentors. I admire anyone who has the resilience, drive, patience and savviness to be a success and I want to learn as much as I can from others. Each of my peers brings a unique twist and service to the world, there is plenty of business for us all.

Being a successful professional embodies being an excellent marketer (so that people know your name and service!), how do you reach out to your wide range of customers to build a trusting relationship?

I strive to build relationships anyway I can! One to one,  in-person networking is my #1 method as I love to build relationships and connect others. I’m very involved in my local chamber of commerce, have owned several women’s networking groups, and love to meet others for coffee. Online, I’m active on FB and LinkedIn, send a newsletter out and try to build online relationships through forums and discussion boards. When you really care about others’ success, and love your area of expertise as I do, it’s easy to make connections with others.

Do you utilize both traditional PR and new PR? What is the ratio of your web marketing to traditional marketing (print ads, local newspapers…etc)?

I do very little print marketing as I find it’s not nearly as effective as relationships marketing.

When marketing your business, do you find yourself more often seeking risks or avoiding risks? What are some risks you have taken on the web that resulted in positive outcomes?

I’ve learned over the years to go out on the skinny branches and take marketing risks, but I listen to my gut and think of the potential return of investment. I think we have to try different things in order to find out what works for each of us and our type of business, but I do so thoughtfully and am not afraid to say “no” to a potential opportunity if it doesn’t feel right.

Business-wise, where do you see yourself in ten years?

In 10 years I’d like to be doing exactly what I’m doing today; helping others build a strong brand, be strong leaders of their business, their personal lives or in their profession. I want to continue to teach others how to dream big and be bold, to follow their dreams. I love what I’m doing and want to do it for a long time to come, maybe with just a few more vacations thrown in for fun!

Learn more about Jane Morrison and her company. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and follow her blog!

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If you are a Wild Web Woman who would like to be featured, or if you want to recommend a woman for us to feature, get in touch and let us know about her