I founded Substance151 with the vision to create a company with a conscience – where success is measured not only on its profitability, but also on its environmental and social impact.
When the economy took its toll and I no longer was employed, I wanted to create a job for myself that I could be passionate about and have a lot of fun with.
Whether working on assignment in my small, Virginia hometown, or in remote areas of East Africa or war-torn Iraq, I believed one thing – stories are the most powerful way to reach people and inspire change.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to devote my full time to my longtime dream of building a business to satisfy the growing need of small businesses for online marketing.
I am passionate about online sales & advertising, and define my success in aligning brands with online contextually engaging experiences that enhance lives.
My top challenge has so far been staying committed to being a business owner while a majority of people around me tell me to go back and get a job and say why are you working this hard.
That's what inspired Popcorn & Ice Cream, a desire to make marketing strategy and program execution available to inspirational small businesses-at a price they can afford.
I founded Mahon Digital Marketing back in 2010, in order to pursue my life-long dream of being a business owner, and also in order to have the flexibility in my life that it offered.
I was very disillusioned about the corporate world and did not desire to hand my resume onto similar companies, so after helping a friend launch her first art exhibit, I thought about freelancing.
I'd have to say my biggest success has been sustaining my business for the past 8 years through the ups and downs of the economy, while developing a reputation for being efficient, cost-effective, and a real difference-maker.
Before starting Kickstart Kitchen, I felt so trapped in my 9-5 job. I didn't see any opportunities for advancement and the thought of looking for a new job made me cringe.
It is difficult for men to take me seriously, but I have luckily overcome this obstacle by getting my foot in the door and knowing the right people to give me an extra edge.
To me, the "small" in "small business" meant moving faster than any bigger or better-funded competitor. And most importantly, I wasn't afraid of failure. Matter of fact, I welcomed it.
My goal is to smash a few key beliefs: that web design can’t be learned, that you need to pay thousands to a pro to get a site or blog designed, and that coding is boring and only for geeky men.