Who would have thought that the stress and heartbreak of losing my mom to pancreatic cancer and becoming a caregiver would change me so much that I walked away from my secure government job.  I had worked in government for so many years.  I walked into entrepreneurship where I am having the time of my life doing the things I love to do.  Was it fate? Was it destiny? Was it God opening a door for me? I believe it was all of those things and I’m grateful that I made the decision to set up that first session at my local Pilates studio that started it all.

I grew up on a farm near Clutier, Iowa (a farming community of about 200 people).   My work ethic is just one of the things I learned from my dad, and the other farmers in our neighborhood.   When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate farm life, and like many teenagers, I wanted to enter the corporate world.   I wanted to make money, and like many young people, I thought success was measured by your annual salary.  I went to work for the Veterans Administration and was able to work my way up the government ladder to a management position and a career that I loved in training and education.

As I approached the last couple of years before retirement, things got harder in my personal life.   My mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.   My parents moved in with us, I went through the stress of being a caregiver, and learned the power of blogging.    About 6 months after my mother lost her cancer battle, I walked into a Pilates studio for my complimentary session.    I was that annoying client that always noticed if classes weren’t canceled in MindBody on a holiday.   I took private sessions and group classes.    I needed the “me-time”.   I think my teacher saved up her tech questions for my sessions, and one day, she asked me to do the social media for the studio.   Even then, I had no idea what it would grow into.    As we became friends, and had planning sessions, she kept saying to me, “I think you should start your own business.   Think of how many studio owners are out there just like me who need somebody like you.”  I’m the one who grew up on a farm, but it was my Pilates teacher who planted the seed that became Farm Girl Marketing Solutions.

It turns out that the skills and knowledge that I gained planning training sessions and face-to-face conferences in my government years work like magic for Pilates Studio Owners promote new classes and and bring in new clients.   As technologies evolved, and virtual training became possible, we used social media and blogging for engaging our audience which made me really good at writing Facebook posts and selecting articles that help Pilates studios gain clients and build community.

When I was a tween, my parents took me to Cheyenne, Wyoming for the Frontier Days Rodeo.   While we had to go home early from that trip because “I missed my pony”, that started my love of going to rodeos.    I love going to rodeos and as I saw social media becoming important to building a fan base I knew that I could use my social media skills to help rodeo athletes who don’t have the time or skills to build their brand on social media.  Whether I’m helping a Pilates business or a professional rodeo athlete, it’s still the lessons I learned on the farm that guides me.    Plant the seed, help the seed grow, harvest that seed, and then evaluate and see if you can do it better next time.  You don’t have to have the newest and biggest equipment, what you need is a reliable consistent effort.

I love being my client’s “right hand person”.   Creating social media posts, creating newsletters, creating graphics for events, educating potential clients by blogging, managing events and watching people build their email and client list (or new fans & sponsors) is extremely rewarding.

While I really didn’t see Farm Girl Marketing Solutions coming until it fell into place, marketing is my passion.   Farm Girl is a 2nd career that lets me use the things I learned on the farm, challenges my creativity and my inner “techno-geek”.   I love helping my Pilates clients get new clients, fill more classes, and blog about Pilates on their websites.   I love helping my rodeo athlete clients grow their fan base.   If you’d like to set up a free consultation for your business fill out the form below.

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