Here’s a “Sassy” story of an accidental entrepreneur! With her usual candour and disarming humility, Maura Calahan Thompson speaks to Carmen Salameh founder of the Hong Kong Business Owners, a podcast that shares inspiring entrepreneurs’ stories. Maura is sharing her story of running a successful media business in Hong Kong and Singapore.
She talks of how her own need to find out more about Hong Kong on hearing that she was moving to the city drove her to form Sassy Hong Kong. It started as a newsletter and has gone on to become the go-to digital media publication for everything that’s hot and happening in Hong Kong.
15 years later, mum to two kids and three successful media brands (Sassy Hong Kong, Sassy Mama Hong Kong and Sassy Mama Singapore), Maura has tips to share for other business owners. Here are a handful:
Step up and do more than you thought possible: In our first meeting as business founders, we said we had to write on the website. That’s not my skill set so I almost walked out of the meeting! I’m so glad I didn’t! I am not a writer, but I made it work. I tried really hard. And, you know, obviously, something stuck because people enjoyed what we were writing about.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions: Someone asked us for our media kit in the early days because we were starting to get traction and businesses wanted to work with us. When we got that first email asking for our media kit, I then Googled, what is a media kit? We just didn't know!
Build your support group: Find someone who is able to be vulnerable about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. No one wants to navigate hard times, but it's the reality of of running a business. To find someone that's open and able to help you along the way is so valuable. I'm a member of many entrepreneur communities and women's entrepreneur networks such as The Women Entrepreneurs Network HK
It’s been so helpful to get those “me too" moments from people.
For more, tune in to the Hong kong business Owner’s Podcast with Maura Calahan Thompson
https://lnkd.in/gFT37zKE