Female Founder Series: Brittany Verlenich
Brittany Verlenich
Founder of Verity Media Marketing
What inspired you to start your own business?
“Deep down, I’ve always known that a traditional job wasn’t for me. And Verity Media actually wasn’t my first business! Let this be an encouragement to you that, if something hasn’t gone how you wanted it to before, you can use what you’ve learned to create something great!
My business adventures have always followed my passions and interests. My first online business, back in 2008, was an eBay store. Yes, really!! THAT eBay.
Back then, I was a twenty-something, full-time student - supporting myself financially through multiple part-time jobs. I was grateful for the work at the time because the recession was terrible. It was near impossible to find work if you had advanced skills, and it was even harder as a young person with no experience.
When I wasn’t working, all I wanted to do was shop for clothes, shoes, and cute bags. To balance my budget with my shopping addiction, I became a master bargain shopper and coupon queen. It was such a rush to find a lightly-used pair of $200 jeans for $20.
When I discovered I could buy and sell items on the internet? It was game-over; I was fully in. eBay was a combination of everything I enjoyed at the time.
This hobby hustle eventually paid for my rent once I mastered SEO, systematized shipping, and nailed a process down for sourcing items.
Years later, when I discovered TPT (TeachersPayTeachers), I realized I could leverage the skills I'd built as a reseller, with everything I'd learned about social media marketing over the last 12 years. Except, I could just sell digital products and not worry about shipping! It blew my mind.
I’d already built a Facebook Group up to few thousand teachers for a travel community I founded. So when I opened my own TPT store in 2020 and made $400 in the first month, others had to know how I did it. That’s when Verity Media was born. Now, Verity Media supports me with a full-time income as we support teacher creators with email list building and social media marketing.”
What challenges did you face as a female entrepreneur, and how did you overcome them?
“As the saying goes, "New level, new devil" - so I believe there will always be new challenges! And that things don't get easier; we get better.
I have figured out content marketing, lead generation, and sales from practice and consistency. I also watched what others did, and decided how much I did or did not want to emulate their techniques.
Being in a community of other female founders pursuing the same goals really helps, too!”
How do you maintain a work-life balance while running your business?
“Work-life balance is something I'm still working on. I honestly love to work! The work we do as social media managers is so varied and creative, so I truly enjoy it.
I also really love creating content for my own brand, and supporting my team! So my challenge is usually pulling myself away from work.
I have developed a routine that makes me go outside an exercise in the mornings, and I strive to finish work by 6pm daily when my husband gets home from his job. That's really helped!”
What advice do you have for aspiring female entrepreneurs looking to start their own ventures?
“You will never feel ready enough, or like you know enough. Just start!
Think of the easiest, simplest version of the thing you could offer and put yourself out there.
The package and pricing you start off with will likely change, so whatever you do now won't be permanent.”
Tell us about a defining moment or milestone in your entrepreneurial journey:
“While I was freelancing casually on the side beforehand, I didn't take my business too seriously until I knew I needed to quit my teaching job.
I'd been making a few hundred or a thousand here and there from blogging, and I'd led retreats which was great seasonal income.
But I needed something CONSISTENT.
I was so desperate to get out of the classroom, as teaching had entirely changed for the worst post-Covid, that I knew I had to do something differently to make "salary money."
So in just under 3 months from making the commitment to quit, I was able to fully replace my teaching income with social media management work. That's when I knew that this was a truly viable business.”
What strategies do you use to stay innovative and adaptable in a rapidly changing business landscape?
“One joke I make is that "I'm everywhere," but it's actually kind of true!
I'm always staying up to date with trends in social media, digital marketing, SEO, and AI.
I read articles, listen to podcasts, and talk trends with other people in the industry.
I also set aside "thinking" time to ensure I actually have the mental white space and energy to come up with new ideas!”
What are your future goals and aspirations for your business?
“For the last 8 months, I've been transitioning from being a solo freelancer to owning an agency. It's been a wild ride, but I'm finally finding my footing.
My immediate goal is to make $2,500 more monthly so I can hire on a high-level VA or OBM to take me fully out of daily operational tasks.
Once I'm there, I can work more fully on our long-term goal of $20k in revenue monthly as the CEO of our company.
I'd also like to do at least three paid speaking gigs a year! Speaking is something I've found I really enjoy, and it's been an amazing lead generation tool for me.”
