From City Sales Rep to Rural Writing Service Entrepreneur
My story, as with so many others who have found themselves unemployed, reflects the success that can be obtained despite unfavorable circumstances. Success obtained through the combination of old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity. This story begins when I relocated from the New York City area to rural Wilkesboro in the foothills of North Carolina. Last summer, I found myself unemployed after only three weeks at a local Fortune 500 corporation. This was followed by many weeks of submitting over forty employment applications at diverse companies in the area and getting little or no response. Finally, I decided it was time to start up my own business.
Owning my own business had been a dream of mine for many years. However, the ideas for the business had gone from opening up a craft store with my sister to pet-sitting to freelance writing. My interest with writing first began by composing poems about nature in my childhood. I also wrote a play in my 4th grade class at Trinity Elementary in New Rochelle, New York. It generated enough positive feedback that my class put on the play in the school auditorium. It was a very enriching experience for me at the ripe old age of nine! I was also fortunate to have a lead part.
Thus, I decided upon the freelance writing service idea and obtained my very first Doing Business As (DBA) this past March. This action has opened up a few doors to business opportunities that were previously not opened to me.
To further my dream of Jeanne Armonk Enterprises becoming a successful business, I realized I was in need of assistance. So, I utilized several internet search engines that lead me to a plethora of extremely helpful information. I am indebted to the local WilkesCommunity College here in Wilkesboro, North Carolina for its very fine SmallBusinessCenter. I attended courses offered during the Winter and Spring of 2009 Semesters. What a bargain with free tuition costs!
The SmallBusinessCenter courses recharged my batteries. I was now very enthusiastic to begin marketing my new freelance writing service. My new business cards served the purpose of introducing me to an individual who just happened to be starting up a business of her own. A new paper in the county now named The Wilkes Gazette. She was in need of reporters, writers and sales people. She agreed to hire me on as both freelance reporter and writer. In essence, she gave wings to my dream in that now my articles appear on the printed page.
Thus, I have made the transition from city sales rep to rural writing service entrepreneur.
My interest with writing began by composing poems about nature in my childhood. I also co-wrote a play in my 4th grade class when I lived in New Rochelle, NY. It generated enough positive feedback that my class put on the play in the school auditorium. I was fortunate to have a lead part.
After my high school graduation, I entered the working world. For over 30 years I have been steadily gaining writing, editing and digital publishing skills. I began by composing letters and emails to company clients.
I contributed to articles written for The Commuters Register based in Windsor, CT.
Since 2009, I have added social media, digital publishing and blogging here in Wilkesboro, NC.
Since 2010, I write ad copy for the listing descriptions for each of my 3 Internet shops open at Etsy.com.
In 2012, I entered a poem about my dog Red in the World Poetry Contest. The poem was chosen for publication.
I have written articles for the Winston-Salem Frugal Living Examiner and Hub Pages.
In 2012, I acquired The Wilkes Gazette digital newspaper that was renamed the Wilkes County Gazette in 2014.
I write under both my own name and my pen name, Jeanne Armonk.
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