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Name: Eden Fried
Business: EdenFried.com
Location: Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Industry: Marketing & PR
Reason for starting? I was 8 weeks away from starting my first semester of law school when I realized I was about to make the biggest (and most expensive) mistake of my life. At 23 years old, it was quite clear that I had already begun pursuing the things I thought I should be pursuing, rather than taking a risk and doing what I really wanted to do.
Though I knew law school would have been a mistake and about 10 steps backward from where I wanted to be in life, I wasn’t exactly sure where to head next. So I launched my blog and started investing all of my time and energy into developing my website into a lucrative and professionally satisfying business model. I haven’t looked back since!
My time working on the web has introduced me to so many new people and ideas I never would have been exposed to otherwise. It’s been a thrilling ride so far, but the impulse decision to abandon law school is one that I will never regret.
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How do you define success? Self-fulfilled and accomplished. Success is not something to be attained once – it’s always in flux and it’s always meant to be chased. Success means work/life balance, happiness, satisfaction, passion, drive, and all those other positive adjectives that describe an individual doing something meaningful to them with their days.
Biggest success: Starting my business was my first success. Not quitting on my business was my second (and most recent) success. I’m not a big shot yet. I didn’t strike it rich and I’m not headliner news, but I’m doing something I find meaningful and I haven’t given up on that. It’s hard, but it’s worth the effort and even on the tough days, I’m proud that I’ve pushed forward and continued on this path.
What is your top challenge and how you have addressed it? Delegating has been a huge challenge. When I started this journey, I did everything myself and, for the most part, I still do. So, naturally, I wear multiple hats. I’m the webmaster, the blogger, the accountant, the marketer, the salesperson, the customer service rep, the social media guru.
This is cause for lots of excitement, but it also can be taxing. Bringing in some extra help on the side is something that I’ve needed to do on occasion, but it’s quickly growing into something I need on a more regular basis.
Easier said than done! It sounds simple just to throw a few tasks at whomever you hire, but a lot goes into hiring, training, and managing. It also requires a lot of trust. I’ve always done everything myself so it’s hard to delegate and pass those projects and responsibilities onto someone else!
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Who is your most important role model? My brother. My brother, Jordan Fried, is an exceptional business person but also an exceptional role model for me personally. It was at his wedding that I decided not to go to law school and take the leap into entrepreneurship. It’s his role modeling and mentorship that’s gotten me to where I am so far.
[box_light]Website www.edenfried.com
Twitter @edenfrieden
Facebook www.facebook.com/bloggerinsights
Instagram www.instagram.com/edenfried[/box_light]
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Edited by The Story Exchange