Please, introduce yourself and your business.
Hi, I'm Jenn Leach, the creator behind Millennial Nextdoor. I talk to millennials about how to earn an online income and reach their financial dreams.
How did you start your business?
I launched just before the pandemic in late 2019. My goal was to create a brand that helped millennials with finance. I wanted to share ways to make money through starting a business, side hustles and working in an online career.
How much revenue was your best year? (include margin if possible)
150,000
When did you notice traction when building your business? The “Oh S**t!” moment, what did that feel like?
My business began to see more growth in late 2021 entering into 2022. My website traffic started to rise rapidly and I was getting more outreach from brands wanting to partner with Millennial Nextdoor.
It was a great feeling. I knew the possibility and the power of small blogs but, I honestly didn't think my small site would pop for a few more years. It felt like it came out of left field but, it was exciting and surprising.
What was your childhood like? Were you slinging candy on the playground?
I had a good childhood. I grew up with one sibling. We were military brats but we spent most of our childhood between two states.
Although I wasn't slinging candy on the playground, I always had a business mindset.
I was thinking about how I could pay "Paul" half as much as "Peter '' paid me, do minimal work and keep the profit (dropshipping or drop servicing) from a young age. For example, if my Dad paid me $10 to cut the grass, I could get my friend to do it for $5 and keep the other $5.
What has been your best marketing marketing channel?
Social media has always been one of my top marketing channels. Pinterest in particular. I've had a Pinterest presence since 2012 between several accounts. I've always used the visual search engine to drive traffic to my blog posts and products.
How many attempts at building something did you make before you found what you’re working on now? Did you always have an entrepreneurial drive?
I failed at least 5 times with different business endeavors before I got to where I'm at today.
Prior to getting into digital publishing, I was running an ecommerce store. That store was doing well and I ended up selling it because I was getting burnt out. Then, I was introduced to digital publishing and I've been working in this field ever since.
Yes, I think I always had an entrepreneurial drive and I've always been drawn to an entrepreneurial lifestyle.
Growing up, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I was drawn to professions that were entrepreneur-based but, I didn't realize it. I wanted to be in a career where I was the boss, I could make my own schedule, travel when I wanted, and earn unlimited income.
I had thoughts of being a model, an artist, and a fashion designer, not realizing that all those careers were businesses.
It didn't click for me until after I got my MBA and I was working in my career for around 4-5 years that I wasn't happy in.
Once it set in that running a business was what I wanted, I took some time to decide what kind of business venture to pursue and I failed multiple times doing different things before I found that one thing that worked, ecommerce.
Then, ecommerce led me to digital publishing.
What is your biggest overhead expense?
Software costs
What’s the most important skill you’ve learned?
Communication and outsourcing. I spend my time communicating mostly through email. The way you read an email is different based on how it's structured. An email in all capital letters looks like you're shouting, for example. I learned to be a better communicator and use the power of email to my benefit.
Outsourcing is something I learned and developed over time. Sometimes it feels like you're the best person for every task but, in actuality, that may not be the case.
Taking on everything myself left me overworked, burnt out and failing. When I turned to outsourcing, I really was working smarter and not working harder. It's one of my biggest business lessons.
What do you spend the majority of your time doing, in a given week?
I spend most of my time creating content. I do online writing for clients, my blog, and writing platforms like Medium. I also create social media content for platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when first starting your business?
I learned a lot about the power behind outsourcing. You aren't the best at every task. Sometimes its worth the investment (and the return) to outsource tasks to professionals.
The world of entrepreneurship can be misleading. Many people think it’s always easy and always glamorous. What’s a big problem you’ve faced as a business owner and what were the emotions behind it?
I experienced slow periods in my business. Those times are tough.
Over time, you begin to recognize and better understand those ebbs and flows in business. With that awareness, you can better prepare for when those slow times hit.
For example, the end of year is a popular time for ecommerce but other times during the year may not be.
What is your best advice for someone who feels completely stuck?
If you have an idea of what kind of business you want to run, just start. I see so many people wait and wait for the perfect time. Or, do months or years of research before they start any work on the business. That precious time can be squandered away easily. Even if you're not 100% ready, start anyway. Things won't be perfect but you'll learn along the way.
Get more tips and tricks on become a digital nomad from Jenn's website, here:
Jenn Leach, MBA
