Cara Parrish
CEO
The Hedy Society
“There is no one right way for all of us.”
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
I was doing consulting for Fortune 500 companies and I was really unhappy. It didn't feel like I was heard most of the time. And my work didn't feel like it had any impact.
When I started my agency, I focused on personal brands that were mission-driven. It was very easy to just not only feel like I had made an impact but to know that I had an impact.
I started several companies that focus on different aspects of marketing. I built a matching tool for podcast guests & hosts. I built a firm that specializes in personal branding.
I built what originally started as an event that turned into an education and personal development company.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Human Development Neurology
West Virginia University
Human Development Neurology
West Virginia University
Career
CEO
International Marketing Consultant
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Entrepreneurship
Business
Working with Others
Day to Day
I get up and have a lot of coffee before opening Slack. I have several workspaces there. I start at the top and I go down through all my threads and all my new messages and respond to everybody. I use bots to help organize my schedules and tasks for the day. Also, I have client calls throughout the day. Those typically happen over Zoom. I have my AI bot that comes with me to the calls.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
I would say that marketing in general is extremely varied in skills and experiences. You can be a specialist, in theory, in niche types of marketing. I would start with a certification in whatever appeals to you the most inside marketing. If it's analytics, there are a lot of great marketing analytics certifications that you can take. If it's social media, you can get certified on any major social media platform. They all have their own certification platforms.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Bachelor
Marketing, Psychology, A combination of marketing and other majors
Marketing, Psychology, A combination of marketing and other majors
Certification/License
Marketing (any concentration)
Marketing (any concentration)
Vocational
Social Media platforms
Social Media platforms
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"My Noise was about the way I structured my career path. I chose to go the route of starting my own agency. I am self-employed or sometimes a contractor within a consulting firm and have to travel a lot. People didn't think it was a real job."
Q&A
What age should you start learning?
Asked by Fanta at Roadtrip NationWhen my little sister was in high school she got into YouTube Marketing. She did a lot of certification programs. There isn't a limit on the number of certifications you can do. You can do them at any time too. This will help in higher-ed courses.
What is your structure for coming up with businesses?
Asked by Fanta at Roadtrip NationBusinesses have to be tested for viability. People have ideas all the time, but that doesn't mean it's a business. You have to test out your minimum viable product by selling it. If it bites, then you got a business, & if not, it's just for you.
Do you have any networking tips?
Asked by Fanta at Roadtrip NationWrite it down. You meet many people in networking and it can be hard to remember everything they said or were passionate about. It's helpful to use a Client Relationship Management tool to keep track. Make sure you can see them being beneficial.
How do you stay motivated?
Asked by Fanta at Roadtrip NationTake an off day. If you have an unmovable event go to it but clear the rest of your day. Take time to decompress and remember that you can always do your work tomorrow. Your health is important & affects your work.
Interviewed By
Fanta
at Roadtrip Nation
