Marketing Guru Debbie Oster On Her Inspirational Career Journey
March 13, 2024
Hi, Debbie! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:
Hi, I'm Debbie! With over 12 years of marketing experience, I have developed a deep understanding of how to create and execute effective marketing strategies that drive business growth. As a co-founder and the Chief Marketing Officer at Entrepreneur's Edge, I help small businesses get unstuck and achieve their goals with marketing solutions that work for them. I partner with my clients to understand their needs, challenges, and opportunities. I then provide them with tailored marketing strategies, plans, campaigns, and consulting that deliver results. Whether it's increasing revenue, acquiring new customers, launching a new product, or building a brand, I have the skills, experience, and creativity to make it happen.
How impressive! What excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?
It's a wonderful community of strong women fostering professional and personal growth.
What made you take the leap to start your own business?
I wanted to design my own life and feel a daily sense of purpose.
What was your background prior to starting your own business?
I was an A.P. English high school teacher right out of college, but I quickly realized that was not for me. I ended up getting into marketing through my personal network and realized how passionate I was about it.
Discovering your passion is so important at any stage in your career! Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?
My top marketing strategy was to leverage my personal and professional network; it helped me to obtain my first seven clients, which allowed me to quit my full-time job, so it definitely worked!
What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way and what did you learn from it?
Both my mother and sister passed away within the first year of starting my business. That taught me the true meaning of "life is short" and has helped fuel my passion for entrepreneurship and designing a life that serves me.
That must have been such a challenging time. But we're glad you turned it into a positive learning experience. What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?
Generating enough revenue to quit my full-time job so that I was not reliant on anyone else.
Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?
100%. I'm a better leader and business owner when I've created the space to enjoy the life I'm building. My #1 tip is setting boundaries—both with clients, colleagues, and personal relationships.
What's a piece of advice you can share that you wish you'd known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?
You never know where a connection/relationship will take you/what it will lead to, so don't try to connect with people solely based on what they can do for you.
Such great advice! What have you achieved recently that you'd like to celebrate with our community?
I secured my most high-paying client to date and it's 10Xs what I was charging when I began my business two years ago.
What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?
My business model has evolved over time, and I anticipate that it will continue to evolve in order to best serve my target market.