Ok BIG REVEAL TIME! Remember a couple of weeks ago, when we kept saying that we were working on a "super secret project?" It involved some cryptic images of a sound booth, The Avocados & Coconuts very amazing office, and this interesting (although hard to figure out) picture of me in a snow globe?

LinkedIn featured my story:

Hustling for my first marketing job

and how it lead me to start Prim'd Marketing

LinkedIn (as part of Imagine LinkedIn) is doing a series they're calling "Here's To Your Success" where they're featuring everyday success stories of business folks. I was featured in this short spot, telling the story of how I found marketing and ultimately started my own business (read: THIS MEANS I WAS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA instead behind the camera of planning the shots like I normally do. Gulp.).

It was an experience I can only describe as surreal: all of the teams involved were incredibly creative, finding interesting ways to take my words and memories and turning them into something you can see with your eyes — which is an strangely fabulous thing to watch unfold.

Ok, so without further ado, here's my success story:

When we did the initial interview, we talked about a lot of things: my first job where I hated what I was doing, the struggle of 2008 where there NO jobs, and that feeling of finally finding a career that paid me to do things I might have done for free. So after about an hour of audio, I was really interested to see that they teased out this line:

"If I hadn't pushed so hard that year to find the job that lit me up inside, I wouldn't have a marketing company of my very own."

In hindsight, I hadn't even remembered saying it. But watching the spot for the first time, part of me said, "Yes, this is exactly it." Because this its the hustle that all of us business owners have in common. It's that go-go-go that gets us the meeting, a really cool client, pushes you to the next level. And there are times where it feels like all I want is two more hours of sleep — but having the business of your dreams is way better than any night of rest I've ever had (am I right?). So my wish for you readers this week is that you look at your go-go-go moments, and celebrate them for the hard work that they are.

There were a lot of people who came together to make this series happen, and I appreciate True Stories SF, Avocados & Coconuts, and The Chemistry Club for being incredibly kind with my story. Also, thanks to Nina Sadjadpour, and to LinkedIn for highlighting my career push to business owner!

Jenni Heffernan Brown

Jenni has a skillful eye for writing and design and a love helping clients discover who they are and how they're different through words and visuals. At Prim'd Marketing, she's the resident branding and web strategist — she guides clients through identifying the best pieces of their experience, personality, and style to form a cohesive and authentic brand.

She's an end-to-end story teller; she has sharp skills in design coupled with an MFA in Writing from the University of San Francisco. She has 7+ years of marketing experience with clients ranging from Fortune 500 such as Pepsi and Taco Bell to small businesses and personal brands. Since moving to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, she's worked with startups as well as in the publishing and lifestyle industries.

When she isn't creating beautiful marketing and brand strategies through The Brand Plan for Prim'd clients, she writes and designs for Prim'd.

Connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

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