Community Highlights: Meet Erika Tebbens of Erika Tebbens Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Tebbens. 

Hi Erika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my first business in 2004, back when you still had to code your own website. I would buy in wholesale lots of designer jeans and handbags and resell them. From then until now I’ve run businesses of all kinds and sizes, both for myself and for other people. Everything from multimillion-dollar retail stores with large teams, to six-figure small businesses, both in-person and online. 

My favorite thing to do is to teach people how to understand ethical and effective sales and marketing strategies so that they can grow their businesses in a way that works and feels good too. I know that sales and marketing can feel really hard and scary a lot of the time, especially for people who don’t want to be pushy or sleazy, so I like equipping them with skills they can use again and again. 

I also love working with entrepreneurs to help them create aligned, strategic growth plans that allow them to hit their goals more easily, and without risking burnout. Often it feels like the only way to grow is to do more, but that simply isn’t true. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Part of why I’m so passionate about teaching in the way that I do, which helps prevent entrepreneur burnout, is because I burned out hard at the end of 2016. I had a very demanding business at the time that required me to really work around other people’s schedules and desires. It wasn’t sustainable for me. 

I knew I couldn’t keep it up, but I also knew I didn’t want to go back to working for someone else. So, I decided to focus on what I do best, which is sales and marketing strategy, but I was going to move it online. 

That also came with its own challenges because the world of online business operates a bit differently than more traditional, in-person business. But thankfully I was able to figure it out and I’m so glad I made the leap! 

We’ve been impressed with Erika Tebbens Consulting, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business provides ethical sales & marketing strategies to ambitious misfits who want success, but aren’t willing to compromise who they are to get there. I primarily serve online service providers, consultants, and coaches to create custom growth plans that avoid complex systems, sleazy sales tactics or battling burnout. 

My 17+ years of experience running different kinds of businesses makes me able to have a lot of sales & marketing tools in my toolkit for my clients. Because of this, I’m able to offer personalized advice that honors each client’s strengths, values, and vision to help them build a thriving business. My ability to not force anyone into a one-size-fits-all box is what I’m most proud of and what really sets me apart from the competition. Also, the fact that I’m always aiming for simplicity with my strategy and teaching. My clients always say that I make everything so simple to understand and execute, especially for things that are often made to seem so complicated. 

I also host a weekly business podcast called Sell it, Sister! which now has over 100 episodes. I love that I provide real, actionable advice there, not just more fluff. 

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I’ve always been quirky. I was very much an “indoor kid” who preferred drawing and painting rather than playing sports. As a teen, I was obsessed with watching standup comedy or sketch comedy shows on Comedy Central, while a lot of my peers were into soaps and more dramatic TV series. I’ve also always been a fan of anything weird or creepy. I love Halloween and scary movies and books. And I did theater for a time which was so fun because it’s always an adventure to get to pretend to be someone else for a bit. Plus, I’ve always been imaginative and really chatty, so it fits! 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: ErikaTebbens.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/erikatebbensconsulting
• Facebook: facebook.com/erikatebbensonline
• Other: sellitsisterpodcast.com

Image Credits
Gina Co. Photography