2020 AusMumpreneur Awards

2020 AusMumpreneur Awards Submission for Leeha Debnam

The 2020 AusMumpreneur Awards presented by The Women’s Business School celebrate and recognise Australian Mums in business achieving outstanding success in areas such as business excellence, product development, customer service and digital innovation. The awards are designed to recognize the growing number of women who successfully balance motherhood and business in a way that suits their life and family.

You can imagine how blown away I was to be nominated for one of these awards and then, to find out that I was finalist in not one, but two categories was a feeling I’ll never forget.

You see, I don’t feel like I do anything extraordinary and I know there are so many other mums out there that are doing exactly what I am. They’re experiencing first hand how tough it is to start and grow a business while you’re supporting your family, and even juggling a part-time job. They’re AusMumpreneurs – just like I am. And it’s late nights, early mornings, mummy guilt and the pressure of trying to be many things to many people.

But it’s worth it and I thought a wonderful way to explain why I keep doing what I do, was to share with you my awards submission. Each response was to be 100 – 150 words maximum.

I’m so grateful to be a finalist in the I’m a finalist in the 2020 AusMumpreneur Awards B2B Service and People’s Choice Customer Service categories.

Tell us about yourself and your business, Mind Your Words

(NB: it was a requirement that this response be written in third person)

Leeha Debnam is the freelance copywriter and WordPress website designer behind Mind Your Words.

Leeha helps the owners of growing service-based businesses connect with customers through smart, all-inclusive copywriting and WordPress website packages. Having one point of contact means she gets a deeper understanding of her clients’ business. The result is an on-brand, SEO-friendly website that helps convert visitors into email subscribers, leads and clients.

Stand-alone copywriting services are also available for websites, blog posts and email marketing with a focus on helping other business owners connect with customers and grow their business. Leeha is also featured as a contributor on the GoDaddy Australia Blog.

Leeha is kept (very) busy with her young family and a part-time job and can’t wait to transition to her passion full-time. She loves to indulge in BBQs with friends and to get away to Hervey Bay and the Sunny Coast.

What inspired you to start your business?

I’ve worked for the Australian Government since 2007, mostly on business grant programs. It’s given me valuable experience working with businesses and not-for-profits of all shapes and sizes and I’ve loved the role, but deep down, I wanted to do more –  especially when it came to helping small business owners. 

When I fell pregnant with my first child, I started thinking about our future, and I longed for more flexibility both in time and geographically.

Honestly, it took time to discover what my hidden talent was and how I could put it to good use. I felt like a career public servant that didn’t have the skills or experience to make a difference. But, I’ve always been a great writer, and after stumbling across my mentor’s copywriting podcast, I felt inspired. I had found my true calling – copywriting!

It’s funny how the universe has a way of showing you exactly what you need when you need it. I was lost and confused about what skills I had to offer and how I could achieve my dream of being a business owner – that was, until I stumbled across the Hotcopy Podcast, co-hosted by Belinda Weaver and Kate Toon.

What do you love about being an Ausmumpreneur?

I’ve found something that doesn’t feel like ‘work’ because I love doing what I do. Seeing how I help bring other businesses to life or help someone else’s business dreams come true, motivates me to keep going, even during the most challenging of days or late nights.

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and what I’ve learnt. All the highs and lows combine to give me valuable learning experiences, and I’m always thinking about ‘what next?’. What can I do to grow my business and offer more value (especially in the early hours of the morning when I should be sleeping!)?

And, one day, when my children are old enough to understand, I’m going to tell them my story. I’ll use this experience to encourage them to find a career early on that uses their talent, makes their heart and soul sing and helps others along the way.

I know I’m not ‘old’ and that there’s a reason my business journey has unfolded the way it has. But, there’s a part of me that wishes I’d found this calling a lot earlier than what I did. That’s why, I’ll encourage my children to find a career that they love doing! It may take a couple of different journey’s to get there, but keep searching until you find it.

What has been your greatest challenge as an Ausmumpreneur and how have you addressed this?

I’m a mum, a partner, a business owner, and a part-time worker – it doesn’t leave a lot of free time. My biggest challenge is figuring out how to grow my business while still doing all the other things that I have to do.

Initially, new projects came one after the other with little effort (thank you word of mouth!). But after the launch of my new service in January, I’m in the position where I have multiple clients at once, but my ‘business availability hasn’t changed.

I’ve had to step up and provide clearer expectations around timeframes to clients. My processes have become tighter, and I’m exploring ways to streamline and automate tasks – without losing my customer service focus and keeping my personality and values at the forefront. Also, for the sake of my young family, I no longer check business emails on weekends!

What have been your top 3 greatest achievements in the past 12 months as an AusMumpreneur?

Launching my new service that combines my copywriting and WordPress design talents to deliver a seamless experience for clients to revamp their website or get online. I spent 12 months upskilling in design, and I’ve launched two websites with more to come!

My interview with Suzi was a moment in my business where I felt like I’d ‘made it’. My copywriting mentor is also part of HerBusiness, so it felt incredibly daunting but amazing at the same time to be interviewed as an expert in my industry. The interview has been watched 509 times!

Old fashioned customer service is what I’m all about! I’ve received great testimonials and my latest one, well…I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried tears. It was a personally recorded video message of my client telling me how much she loved her new website. It made all the hard work and late nights worth it.

What an honour it was to be interviewed by the amazing Suzi Dafnis, CEO of HerBusiness

What do you wish you knew before you started your business?

That there’s so much more to business than just delivering a service to my clients. There’s marketing, social media, accounting, email marketing, building sales funnels, project management etc. and when you start out having a minimal budget – you tend to wear ALL the hats.  And, I feel like I’ve had to be an expert at all of them!

Honestly, I’ve lost count of all the courses I’ve bought over the years that I’ve never completed because I didn’t have time. So, I guess what I wish I’d known before I started my business is that you don’t have to be an expert. Know enough to get by and then invest in help to do the stuff that you’re not an expert in.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a business for the first time?

Do it. If it makes your heart and soul sing just thinking about it – do it! There’s never a right time, and it doesn’t matter what business you’re in, there are going to be learnings from every experience that you have along the way.

These little gold learning nuggets might come from negative or positive experiences that you have throughout the years, but if you learn from them and pivot where you need to because of them, I believe you’re on the right path.

Finally, you’ll know what you’re meant to be doing when getting up in the morning to go to ‘work’ doesn’t leave you wanting to crawl back under the covers!

Why do you believe you should win an Ausmumpreneur award?

From the outside in, my business might not look like it’s a rip-roaring success. I mean, my turnover isn’t anything special, I don’t have a Facebook group, a membership or a social media following of thousands (yet!). But, my success is measured by the satisfaction of my clients.

With a part-time job and two small children (2 and 5 years), my availability for my business is limited to only 10-15 hours a week. I work many late nights, and it’s bloody tough – I’m sure there are many (many!) other mumpreneurs out there in a similar position. But I give as much as I possibly can to deliver not only outstanding copy and WordPress websites but an enjoyable and inclusive experience for my customers along the way.

I believe that I should win an Ausmumpreneur award because, despite the challenges I face, my customers are the backbone of my business.

Copywriting and WordPress Website Packages

My goal for sharing my 2020 Ausmumpreneur Awards Submission was to give you more insights into who I am, what I stand for and what I hope to achieve.

If after reading this you’d like to know more about my services and how we could work together, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you and learn more about your business journey.

Voting for the People’s Choice award closes on Sunday, 30 August with QLD winners announced on 09 September 2020.

If you’d like to show your support please cast your vote under the Ausmumpreneur 2020 Customer Service Category.

Brisbane Copywriter - Leeha Debnam - sitting at her desk

Hi! I'm Leeha Debnam

I help service-based businesses connect with customers with my affordable, all-inclusive digital marketing support packages. Having one point of contact means I get a deeper understanding of your business. The result? On-brand and authentic digital marketing that connects you with clients and helps you build the business you desire. From brand strategy, copywriting and content, to websites and social media - I'll tailor a package to your needs.

If you're a business owner looking to stand out from the crowd and connect with clients, book your free 30-minute consultation call today.

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