From Marketing Consultant to SaaS Founder: Tayler Cusick Hollaman of Enji

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I am Tayler Cusick Hollaman. Like a lot of Entreprenistas, I didn't grow up thinking I'd be doing what I am! But when becoming a community college professor didn't happen, and after giving the corporate world a good college try, I ended up starting my own consulting business—where I supported other small businesses on the marketing side of things. Fast forward 5 years to when my husband starting building the guts of a SaaS platform for fun, and that's when we ended up having the crazy idea of turning myself into software so small business owners could actually do their own marketing in a fast and strategic way!

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Absolutely not! My dream was to spend my career teaching, and I do not come from a family of entrepreneurs. So this was a path I didn't even know was really an option, but now that I've been here for almost 11 years, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

I knew that Enji's first customers would come from the wedding industry because that was where most of my consulting clients were. So my focus before we launched was to focus on PR and getting in as many places as I could to talk about my soon-to-launch software. So I pitched myself to every podcast I could while also starting to share content on Instagram and build our email list. In the end, it worked! And Enji actually had it's very first subscriber on launch day which is not something I was expecting!

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

Of our 50 5-star Google reviews! I mean, there is so much to look back and be proud of, but these reviews sort of embody all of it.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

That where I started is not where I was going to end up.

What did you go before starting your own business?

I went to grad school to become a Sociology professor (I also have a degree in Psychology). But during my go at being a corporate employee, I discovered marketing—and really dug it since it's a very practical application of what I studied!

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

Taking the leap was more about quitting my corporate job than starting my own business—that was the risky part. But when a series of fortunate events happened, I ended up with a few small businesses who wanted to hire me for marketing support. And in the end, that was what made me start my business.

Do you have any recent wins?

Enji has kept up with releasing new features and enhancements since we launched! And this year we even launched a new product—a Social Media Scheduler Only plan as a simpler version of our Full Marketing Suite.

Who are your customers?

Enji is for anyone who needs a better way to plan, do, and review their marketing. And 2.5 years in we have a super wide range of business owners using our marketing tools: website designers, wedding planners, independent lawyers, healthcare providers, shop owners, and more!

What's your top productivity tip?

Commitment to the work. Sure, I batch my time and plan things out ahead of time, but when it comes to being productive? That only happens when I'm not dilly-dallying during the day.

What's your favorite business tool?

Enji, of course! I know that is the most biased answer, but I use our marketing tools every single day. Partly because I think it is important to eat my own dog food (it's a tech saying...I don't actually eat dog food!), and partly because what we've built really does help people plan, do, and review their own marketing!

How do you avoid burn-out?

Playing outside as much as my brain needs it to stayed screwed on straight! During the summer that means mountain biking and in the winter it's skiing. But both are things I do at a level with physical consequences if I mess up—so it's the best tool I have for turning my brain off from work.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Be kind to yourself. Do go it alone. Ask for help. Enjoy the ride.

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