Our Chat with Moniek James of Renegade Creative

GIVE US THE SCOOP ON YOUR BUSINESS - WHAT DO YOU DO AND HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

I'm an AI Marketing Strategist - I work with marketing teams to help them integrate AI into their marketing process (sometimes we have to create the processes first, and that's okay too). This business started after I was featured on the front page of the local newspaper where we lived at the time for my antics in another business. After the article ran, people started contacting me to ask how I'd built my brand hosting events, and I realized that everybody didn't know how to leverage social media the way I was using it. Once I recognized the gap, I decided to fill it.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

What has surprised me most about running my own business is that realization that I mostly just want to be 'the talent' and I'd prefer to have someone else handle the business. As a first-born daughter, I never thought I wouldn't want to be in charge! LOL

WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?

I believe I'm in a season where I am facing one of my biggest challenges right now. My family relocated in summer 2022, and I took a year off from my business to focus on our transition. During the pause, I restructured my business. Since returning to day-to-day operations, it somehow feels like I'm starting from step one, except I'm not. Navigating a new community with a new brand, with years of experience is an interesting and exciting space to be in. I don't believe this is the type of challenge that can be overcome; it must be navigated, and I'm allowing curiosity to guide me.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO DREAMS OF STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS?

Talk to at least five business owners about their journey, and specifically ask what they wished they'd known before they started. Write their words on sticky notes and place them somewhere you'll see them everyday so you can remind yourself that sometimes the challenges come to call you higher, they're not always there to signal you've made a mistake by starting a business.

HOW DO YOU TACKLE THOSE DAYS WHEN BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR FEELS EXTRA HARD AND YOU JUST WANT TO QUIT?

When things feel extra hard and I want to quit, I quit. The days of pushing myself to perform when my mind/body/spirit are telling me that I'm at capacity are over. I give myself at least 24 hours away from the work to decompress, recalibrate, and allow the fire in my belly to reignite.