Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Brannon.
Hi Victoria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started my LLC when I turned 18, the year I graduated high school, almost a decade ago! I started working for a paycheck when I turned 13, babysitting and teaching dance classes. Once I saw a monetary return for doing something I love, I knew I would be working for myself eventually. My entrepreneurial journey has been just that, a journey. Learning how to serve clients, all the inner workings of running a business, plus experiencing the transition from teenager to adult. My business started as entertainment and events, then turned into events and marketing then landed here at leadership and team dynamic support for women. Through this time, I realized something: no matter how many new clients I brought my current clients, most of them could not keep them in the door. This was because they didn’t have the right foundation, systems, or tools to lead a group of people. I started working with some clients on a business strategy, which included team dynamics and leadership. After 2020, the events industry took a turn, and I realized I needed to pivot my business. So I did! I now focus on women in leadership and her team to create a magnetic company culture people will stay for, so she can focus on continuing to grow her company.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think any successful business or career is full of “fails.” That’s the only true way to grow and evolve as a person. We have a saying here at Hugs N Hustle that we’ve based our curriculum and framework on: Fail Fast and Fail Forward. There’s always a lesson in every single experience you have. It’s up to you to find it, learn from it, and adjust moving forward. Starting my company at 18 had its pros and cons. One of the biggest struggles I faced was being young in the business world and being a woman. It was difficult to take seriously, so I adapted and learned along the way.
One of the main things I learned was how to articulate my thoughts more clearly. This led to me diving into my business operations to clarify what I did, who I served, and what results I provided. Once I was clear on that, I could navigate conversations around business much easier. As you can guess, this also created a confidence and foundation I could stand on to be taken more seriously because I knew what I was talking about, what I was doing, and who I was doing it for! Navigating the business world as a woman took work. I got hit on, laughed at, talked over, and disrespected. It takes just one woman out there doing it to empower a whole group of other women. Unfortunately, this is a normal reality for most women in the workplace and business, but I’ve seen many efforts for change lately, which is incredibly inspiring.
Our mission here at Hugs N Hustle is to empower women in the workplace with the skills, tools, and knowledge to lead a team of impactful leaders. We are improving mental health by creating a better work-life for themselves and their team!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Hugs N Hustle?
At Hugs N Hustle, we focus on Leadership Training for Women and their Management Team. We do this by partnering with her to create and maintain magnetic company culture, so she can lead confidently, keep her people, and grow! What set’s us apart is that we specialize in highlighting the woman in leadership as the authority with her team. Sending in an outside source to fix your team dynamics and company culture problem does no good if the leader doesn’t first embody those things herself. Plus, she is with her team most of the time, not us! We work together to craft an annual team training day here in Greenville, SC, away from distractions (we serve nationally and bring people here). She leads the day with her team, we pop in for a few pieces of training of her choice, but ultimately she gets to shine as her team leader. We then fill the accountability gap with virtual 1:1 coaching with the leader, quarterly team training (again, she leads with our guidance and support), and quarterly virtual Q&A for her managers to work through problems in real-time.
This creates a true company culture that goes past casual Fridays and gifts on their birthday. We grow with you every step of your team journey because culture is something you continue to build year after year! We value lifelong partnerships with clients so they feel she has someone in their corner at every turn. Leadership can feel like a lonely journey, especially when leading a team. I think our clients “know” this, but it can be hard to believe until you’ve felt it: relief and support. Everyone looks to you; you become the center of decision-making and don’t know who truly has your back.
Having Hugs N Hustle in your corner means you get to lay your problems down, get up, stretch, and take a deep breath daily. That alone is huge for most who lead a team, especially my women. We carry our teams on our hearts and backs that get heavy after years of doing it. Getting a sounding board, tools to handle your team, systems to keep your team energized and productive, and ultimately cultivating a thriving community. These things can be a reality through partnering with us at HNH!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Remember this when you’re out networking. Start with a handshake and end with a hug. Try your best to listen, ask better questions, and be genuinely interested in what someone says. The best gift you can give someone is your authentic interest and drive to support them. When you shift your mindset around what business connections look like into actual relationships, it doesn’t feel like work and is always more beneficial to both parties! Remember, they don’t have to know they are your mentor when trying to find a mentor. I have had so many “mentors” that had no idea who I was. Being in someone’s space, whether virtual or not, can greatly affect you. The saying “you are who you surround yourself with” is so true. See someone 20+ steps ahead of you, and they inspire you? Follow their social media, listen to their podcast, read their blogs, and sign up for their newsletter. Consume their content so you can start to believe what they do about others and themselves; you can start to think as they do and then take the action that provides those massive results you crave.
Want to hit a goal? Don’t think, “what do I need to do?” think –> “Who do I need to become?”
Our beliefs dictate our thoughts provide our actions create our results. What does that version of you believe, so you can start to think differently to take bigger action and get better results? I could go on forever – let me stop! lol
Pricing:
- Our program starts at $15,000.00 Annually, depending on team size, can go up to $50,000.00 Annually
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hugsnhustle.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hugsnhustle
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hugsnhustle
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/victoriabrannonhugsnhustle
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/hugsnhustle
- Other: Email newsletter sign up, monthly “Team Issue” on all things women in leadership and team support. Plus women who are winning in the professional world globally. https://hugsnhustle.activehosted.com/f/3
Image Credits
Trilby Saldana, Empower Soul 2 Soul Professional Photography
