INTERVIEW

meeting them first.

YS: Would you say it’s important to your business? If so, how?

MB: I would definitely say social media is and has been important to our business. It keeps people informed and keeps our business at the forefront, and it’s free advertisement. Being able to remind people what we offer and

YS: What advice would you give other small businesses who want to use social media but don’t know where to start or what to do?

MB: If you are a small business owner and you do not have any social media presence, you are really missing out! It all starts in just creating a page. Be authentic, be true to your business and share about yourself, and your journey. People are excited to go on your journey with you, as Randy (Nelson) would say.

We first got into social media by visiting Randy Nelson and Vanessa Castillo at the Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center. They have been a huge influence and have helped us tremendously along the way.

Vanessa is the social media guru and has taught me about everything social media related. The most important tips she has given me are create a schedule and stick to it. Be consistent. Know your target audience, create content that is relevant to them, try to relate to them as much as possible. And be patient!

You don’t have to know everything, just start on one platform and branch out from there. YouTube has tutorials on almost anything, if you get stuck.