Cristin Goss didn’t want to miss another milestone in her son’s life, so she quit her corporate job and started gossBoss – a company designed to help other mompreneurs boost their business using video. Read our interview with the lovely Cristin below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
There were a couple of factors that motivated me to start my own business. First, the corporate structure of my 9-5 was stifling – I wanted to create and learn and imagine. I constantly wondered, “Is this my life now? Should I sacrifice my happiness for a paycheck?” And then one day I said, “NO MORE! I’M BETTER THAN THIS!” If I was going to work long hours, it needed to be for myself.
Second, the full-time working mom gig wasn’t for me. I spent the first year of my son’s life away from him most days and it just broke me down. I wanted to witness those little milestones in person. I didn’t want to look back one day and regret anything. So I decided if I wanted to be truly happy I needed to spend more time with my family while building a business that was aligned with my passion. And then gossBoss was born!
Tell us about your business.
My business is gossBoss – Marketing & Brand Strategy. My mission is to help mompreneurs boost their business using video. I have developed a program that focuses on personal development and branding to create a video marketing strategy that is specific to you and your brand. If you’re looking for the courage to get on camera or need help with the tech side of video, I’m here to help!
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
I started gossBoss as a blog to inspire other women on their momBoss, fitBoss, and workBoss journeys. But I realized that building a blog from the ground up and trying to monetize it would be hard work while working full-time. So I resigned from my corporate 9-5 job and enlisted the help of a business coach, who helped me align my passion with my business. After completing her 12-week program I am fully launched and ready to help other mompreneurs introduce video into their businesses!
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Right now I’m practicing what I preach, so I’m creating weekly high-quality video content and sharing organically through Facebook groups, Instagram, and YouTube. I use the videos as an introduction and then build connections with other mompreneurs. I recently launched my first sales funnel, which will automate this process for me and grow my email list!
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Prioritizing the day’s tasks and time management, for sure. I’m a work-at-home mom, which means I have to juggle constantly. I still deal with daily “mom guilt” because when I’m with my son I want to be working and when I’m working I want to enjoy the day with him.
How did you overcome these challenges?
Thankfully my son is a nap warrior and gives me anywhere from 2.5-4 hours in the afternoon to get work done, but if it were up to me I’d still work the normal 8 hours/day. In the coming weeks I’m taking him to a sitter 1 day/week so I can get to a coffee shop and really power through, completely uninterrupted. As for prioritizing, I try to make a daily to-do list that contains only 2-3 items so I don’t feel overwhelmed. But every day is different and I never know when my little man is going to throw a wrench in my plans!
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
The testimonials from my clients, friends, and family keep me motivated. Hearing that I have inspired them in some way makes all of the frustrations and setbacks worth it. That means more to me than any amount of money in the bank.
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I have worked in production for over 11 years and was part-owner in a full-service production company, so I have direct experience using basic and advanced video principles. With this background I can help others integrate these principles into their videos, which gives them a competitive edge.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
The best advice I’ve received recently is that I am exactly where I need to be in this journey. With so much competition online it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. I constantly want to be doing more and building more for my business, but I have to remind myself to slow down. This isn’t a race to the finish line and I should just enjoy my surroundings and all of the wonderful people I am getting to meet every single day.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
I heard an analogy recently that went like “A jet uses the most fuel during takeoff.” Whew, so true! It’s a lot of hard work and long nights upfront, but after you integrate some automation and get into a groove it’s amazing how everything comes together!
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
With a background in videography and photography I was accustomed to using professional-grade software, but now I’m using really simple, user-friendly FREE biz tools like Canva (for graphics), Camtasia (for video editing), and QuickTime Player (for audio and screen recording). So there you have it – even the pros want to use easy and efficient visual marketing tools!
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Facebook @cristingossboss
Instagram @cristin.goss
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyRwgTBbaqGxfffhhfa7MwQ
Website www.cristingoss.com
Hashtags #mompreneurlife #calledtobecreative #momboss #videoboss #gossboss
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
Hmmm, I haven’t had a ton of time to read books lately! But I do like to keep up on blog posts and updates from social media marketing pro Mari Smith, business/lifestyle expert Marie Forleo, and online biz pro Allison Marshall.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
Right now I’m looking to launch my own online course so I’m making sure to participate in a lot of classes to find out what’s working and what isn’t. I also want to make sure to have time to research and build a class that includes the most relevant info and is truly a hands-on experience for mompreneurs looking to make their own awesome videos!
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
In the next few months I will build an online course so I can help more mompreneurs with hands-on video training. I will also be launching a Facebook group shortly where women can come to learn video tips and also share video content in a safe space so others can offer support or guidance! I’m striving to achieve them by making sure I cross tasks off my current list before jumping into something new. I’m notorious for getting excited about something and just going for it, but I am slowly learning that I can’t keep stacking things on my plate.