Before I introduce today’s guest, I want to share a little bit of background of why this interview is so important to me. Last September, I was invited to go away for a weekend with 5 total strangers for a business mastermind retreat, which I talk about in depth in Episode 177.
Before that retreat, I was on the fast-track to burnout. I was crazy overworking and pretty isolated, and this group of girls that invited me to be part of their mastermind all lived in Texas at the time.
So I traveled to Austin to this mastermind retreat, and of course we all bonded immediately like girls do, and after they realized how on the edge I was, I remember one of them saying to me, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you have any friends at home?”
And I was like, “Yes, of course I have friends!!! But… they really don’t understand what I do… They’re polite when I talk about it and they’re happy for me, but they really don’t get it…”
And my mastermind group challenged me to make some local business friends.
So I put that on my to-do list as a good Enneagram 3 does, and then I came back to Columbus and got back to work.
Fast forward 6 months, and I’m at my friend’s house, and her two sons who just graduated high school are there with two of their friends (who are also brothers) that are always hanging out there, and one of them goes, “Hey! I just found out you’re a web designer? And you have a podcast?”
And I’m like “Yeah! I teach entrepreneurs how to DIY their websites and how to market themselves online, and I have this podcast all about how to grow your side hustle.”
And he’s like, “You have to meet my mom. Our family owns a web design company, we do digital marketing for small businesses, and they started this podcast called “Flip Flop Your Life” and it’s all about helping people build a life they don’t need a vacation from – and they want to start doing online courses like you do!”
So they connected me with their mom, and we set up a lunch date and totally hit it off, and I had to bring her on the podcast to share her business journey!
My guest today is Angie Cherubini. Angie and her husband Pat own a web design and digital marketing firm in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio called Cherubini Designs along with their two sons, Chase and Blake, and Chase’s girlfriend Hannah.
Today we’re talking about:
- How Angie started her web design business in her early twenties, before having a website was a necessity for business owners.
- Exactly how Angie got her first clients.
- Why working with bad clients is crucial to your business success.
- How Angie grew her business before online marketing was even a thing.
- How Angie’s solo freelance web design business became the family business.
- How to identify your own strengths so that you can monetize your expertise.
- Why you don’t have to constantly find new clients to be successful, and how to best serve your existing clients over the long-term.
- The one thing Angie would change about her business if she could go back in time.
- Why Angie and her husband Pat decided to start a podcast.
- Angie’s best advice for you if you are wanting to live the flip-flop lifestyle.
- The one belief Angie had to change about herself to get where she is today.
My favorite quotes from Angie:
- On staying relevant to your clients: “You have to always be looking at the next step.”
- “We try to treat everyone of our clients like family.”
- “We don’t complain about our job like everyone else does, we actually love it!”
- “You can’t be afraid to be the expert.”
- “Find out how to monetize something you love.”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Angie's Bio:
Angie was your rock collecting, play in the dirt little girl, high school & Ohio Glory cheerleader (AKA Glory Girl), and Ohio State grad. She’s always been an independent woman. Stay at home mom turned business owner and entrepreneur. Oh, and CrossFit nut!
She is the designer of the family. Websites, logos, landing pages and everything that needs an artistic touch. She’s been the creative genius behind 100’s of local business’s websites and marketing pieces. She still gets her hands dirty in the creatives but now is focusing on leading the creative team into the future.
Connect with Angie:
Website: https://flipflopyourlife.com/
Instagram: @flipflopyourlife
Facebook: Flip Flop Tribe Facebook Group, Flip Flop Your Life Facebook Page, Cherubini Company Facebook Page
