Wendi is a marketing and sales leader with deep experience and knowledge of the SMB marketplace. She is the Co-Founder of Square Biz Marketing, which specializes in helping brands connect to small businesses locally through referral and partner programs. Wendi also works with small business owners and entrepreneurs, teaching and coaching them how to be successful strategically while staying true to their passions.
Wendi spent her early career in broadcast media and then entered the tech space as a leader at Constant Contact. She has intricate knowledge of how to build a brand presence for small business owners through multiple channels.
A popular speaker, Wendi has presented to thousands of small business owners throughout her career at events such as New York Expo for Business, Small Business Expo, Inbound Marketing Conference, NY Times Small Business Summit, CBS-AM Small Business Breakfast, the New York Enterprise Report Sales and Marketing Conference, numerous Chamber of Commerce, SCORE, and SBDC events.
Most recently, she presented at the B2SMB Institute Business Leadership Summit. Wendi draws from her professional experience to be a valuable resource to small businesses, solopreneurs, nonprofits, and associates. She has been quoted by Fortune Magazine, Crain’s Business, Newark Star-Ledger, and the New York Enterprise Report.
For more details, visit her website here.
Today we sit down with Wendi, to know a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur!
Q. Tell us a little more about your journey as an entrepreneur – how did you get started? What inspired you?
Wendi: I’ve spent a couple of decades working for various corporations. I became an expert within the small business space.
I wanted to create my own business where I could work with brands and help them connect with small businesses. I co-founded my business with my business partner David Sall in January 2020 (right before the pandemic started). We have been working with several brands and creating these awesome programs throughout North America.
Q. What are your long-term goals in business? Paint a vision for the future
Wendi: We want the business to grow and work with more brands, be able to touch more small businesses and educate them on great products and services that will help them grow.
I would also like to get out there and do more speaking. I talk about many topics, I also love empowering small businesses to be the most successful they can be.
I’d also like to write a book one day. I’ve been playing around with some topics and just haven’t put pen to paper yet. But that’s definitely part of the plan and hopefully in Australia as well.
Q. What motivates you?
Wendi: I am motivated by doing my best. I know this sounds cliche, but I do want to do the best job I can. I love helping people be successful and seeing that success, that’s a big motivator for me. I am all about empowering women and young adults to be as successful as they can be. I also love seeing small businesses succeed. It’s exciting to see somebody take their ideas and make them happen.
Q. What business-related book has inspired you the most, or, what is your favourite book?
Wendi: One of my favourite books to read is a motivational book written by Mel Robbins called The 5 Second Rule. When I was at my lowest, Mel taught me about the five-second rule, self-motivation, and how to overcome certain feelings, including anxiety.
As entrepreneurs, we can get a little bit demotivated at times because of stress. Some days are scary and the pandemic has made everything feel uncertain. We now work mostly from home and we don’t socialize as much, so it can be difficult to get out of a funk. This book was a game changer for me and I apply what I learned from it all the time.
Q. What strategies do you use to optimize your performance or mindset?
Wendi: Well, one of the strategies that work best for me is the Five Second Rule. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or a little negative, I try to breathe, count backwards from five, and focus on one thing at a time. Whenever I start to think about everything I have to do at once, it paralyzes me. Being able to focus on one thing at a time has made a tremendous difference in my performance. It’s not easy, but I’m very mindful of doing it because I need it.
Q. If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
Wendi: “The Woman that Worried Too Much and How She Overcame It.” I would talk about the fact that worry is not worth it, it’s just a waste of time. I would explore the times in my life when I’ve worried too much about the outcomes and how, generally, my worries never came true.
Q. What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made?
Wendi: One of the most worthwhile investments I made is hiring a business coach. A good coach to work with walk you through some of those day-to-day challenges, help you strategize around goals, and make sure that you’re accountable to your goals. I would say my business coach is one of the most worthwhile investments I have ever made.
Q. Where do you see the future in your niche/industry 3-5 years from now?
Wendi: I think some of the more traditional tactics are going to rebound and have more relevance. I believe we’ll see some old-school tactics coming back, maybe with a new spin on it. As marketers, I think we need to get back to basics again, I see that happening in the future.
Q. What is your ‘one-sentence’ piece of advice you’d like to give to someone who wants to become an entrepreneur, coach, or business owner?
Wendi: Don’t let fear get in the way of taking the first step and going for it. Also, have a clear idea of who you want to work with and what drives you to become an entrepreneur. Be open to challenges and stick with them, focus on the strength and the value wonderfulness that you will bring to future clients. To keep up to date with Wendy and her journey, connect with her on Facebook and LinkedIn.