Entrepreneur Interview – Caroline Sumners

Caroline Sumners
August 23, 2016
76 / 100

Caroline Sumners is the founder of marketing agency, Fifty One Degrees. With 18 years experience in marketing roles across multi-national corporations, Caroline helps SMBs to stand out in the market place with incentive travel & events planning, as well as social media management and marketing consultancy. Caroline has a degree in International Relations, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and often shares her workspace with her Miniature Schnauzer, Rufus.

Entrepreneur Interview Q & A

1. What is your business/Business Name? What does your business do?

Fifty One Degrees helps small and medium-sized business grow using targeted, effective marketing strategies. We can provide marketing strategy, social media management, inbound marketing incentive travel, and events management services.

2. Why did you get into this field? What opportunities did you see?

I worked in marketing for a long time, both on agency and client side. Initially I started an incentive travel company, but I kept being asked by other business owners if I could help with marketing. It was a natural evolution to move the services of the company to be broader and to encompass and draw on the years of experience that I had.

3. What have been your biggest challenges?

Mindset and cash flow have by far been the biggest challenges to overcome. I never realized I would be so affected by self-doubt as to whether I could do this or not. Cash flow with any new business is always a challenge, but it really helps using services like Xero to be able to take control of your finances and have a clear picture of where you are at all times.

4. What has been your greatest reward?

Growing a business by myself from scratch and meeting some awesome people on the way. It takes a hell of a lot of determination, but I really feel like it is all worth it.

Entrepreneur Interview - Caroline Sumners 1

5. If you could change something, what would it be?

I’d probably have gotten a desk in a shared office space sooner. About a year ago – a year into my business – I took a space in a local co-working space, and it was the best thing I could have done. In a co-working space you are surrounded by like-minded people who are all in the same position as you, and they know when you need some support and help.

6. If you could give a new entrepreneur advice, what would it be?

Get a business “bestie” as soon as you can. One of the best things I did was get some accountability partners. We meet regularly, in person or over Skype, and just check in and push each other on. I feel so strongly about this that I just started a Business Besties Facebook group to give people that wider opportunity.

7. Social Media. Yay or Nay?

A big fat YAY. It’s something that has really helped me grow my business, and I’ve seen my clients have some brilliant successes with social media.

8. How do you market your products?

I use an integrated digital marketing strategy to ensure that I get myself in front of clients and potential clients. Daniel Priestly talks about the need to ‘7/11/4’ your customers. Meaning, you need to have 7 hours, 11 touch-points in 4 locations with someone before they will know, like and trust you. That forms the basis of my marketing, so of course this means a combination of digital techniques – blog, social media, email, guest blogging, workshops and events (and I need to pluck up the courage for video).

9. Is your business a service or a product? If you are a product, how do you handle production?

It is a service.

Entrepreneur Interview - Caroline Sumners 2

10. What is unique about your business?

Well, I recently published a blog about what I stand for – I think it is really important to be clear about who are you are and what is important to you as a person and a business. At the end of the day it is a competitive world, but ultimately people still buy from people that they know, like, and trust. You can check out my commitments at The Brand Manifesto

11. Sell me your product/service.

We help small and medium-sized businesses grow using targeted, effective marketing strategies. Taking a best guess at how to market to your customers can only take your business so far. We can take a strategic view of your business, get a clear profile of your ideal client, and develop a mid- to long-term marketing plan that works for you and your budget. But in line with our own manifesto, we will only suggest things we would do if it were our own business. We have the experience and we will provide you with practical guidance and easy to implement suggestions.

12. How can people get in touch with you? What’s your website/Contact information?

Entrepreneur Interview - Caroline Sumners 3

Website: Caroline Sumners

Email: caroline@carolinesumners.com

Categories

More Posts:

The Social Entrepreneur – changing the world through business

The Social Entrepreneur, changing the world through business.
Individuals who start their own business are motivated by different things. Some people dream of becoming wealthy and building a global company. Others want to pursue something they’re passionate about or yearn for the freedom of being their own boss. In recent years, a new kind of entrepreneur has emerged: the social entrepreneur.
A social entrepreneur is a person who creates a business that has a positive impact on their community, society, or the world. Typically, social entrepreneurs are driven by a deep desire to create positive change.

The Power of Women-Owned Small Businesses

     Women-owned small businesses are on the rise, and their impact is undeniable. In fact, in 2019 alone, women-owned nearly 12 million businesses that employed nearly 9 million people and generated over $1.9 trillion in revenue. From retail to technology to finance,...

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

Soe Tun: The Copy Doctor

Autistic kid finds out that he’s unemployable and doesn’t enjoy most social settings. Decides to be a pro copywriter as a result.

Annie Anderson – Business Strategist & WordPress Creator

Annie Anderson is the owner and digital creator at Midnight Rebel Digital Co. With over 25 years experience in design and development and more than 15 years experience with WordPress, Annie is a great person to have in your corner when it comes to websites, tech, and systems.

How Entrepreneurs Can Stave Off Burnout

Have you been feeling more stressed and exhausted than normal lately? Everyone experiences burnout at some point in their career, and this is even more common with entrepreneurs due to the many responsibilities that they have. Here are a few ways to stave off burnout...

Strategies and Technology for Female Entrepreneurs

Since entrepreneurship is the foundation of any nation's economy, it is essential to economic development in developed and developing nations. In the last several decades, there has been a significant improvement in the role of women in our society. Women are now...

Role of female entrepreneurs in a changing society

Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in female entrepreneurship. More women are choosing to launch their businesses and participate in the world of business creation, one of the rapidly expanding facets of entrepreneurship globally. But in...

Features Every Health Insurance Plan Should Have

When creating a health insurance plan for your employees, you want to be as thoughtful as possible. Not everyone is in the same situation and they need health plans that are flexible and customizable.  There are some features you can add to your plan to make sure your...

How Entrepreneurs Can Feel More Confident in Their Appearance

When you are an entrepreneur, the way you look is a big part of your success, because people will tend to want to help your business if you make a good impression. It can be difficult to like the way you look, but when you put in the effort, you can improve your...
The Social Entrepreneur – changing the world through business

The Social Entrepreneur – changing the world through business

The Social Entrepreneur, changing the world through business.
Individuals who start their own business are motivated by different things. Some people dream of becoming wealthy and building a global company. Others want to pursue something they’re passionate about or yearn for the freedom of being their own boss. In recent years, a new kind of entrepreneur has emerged: the social entrepreneur.
A social entrepreneur is a person who creates a business that has a positive impact on their community, society, or the world. Typically, social entrepreneurs are driven by a deep desire to create positive change.

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

All Categories

Business Operations

Entrepreneur Interviews

Marketing, Networking, & Social Media

Self Care & Personal Development

Working Moms

Business Software and Technology

Entrepreneurship & Small Business

Organizing Tips

Sales

Career Building

Family Businesses

Inspiration

Starting Your Own Business

Work-Life Balance

Communication

Hiring Help

Management & Leadership

Time Management & Priorities

Women in Leadership

Recent Posts

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

A company retreat is an excellent opportunity for team-building, learning new skills, and fostering relationships between colleagues. Whether your team is large or small, a well-planned retreat can be an invaluable investment in your company's success. We will explore...

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

Prioritizing employee health is crucial for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By investing in the health and wellbeing of your employees, you can improve morale, reduce absenteeism, and build a positive company culture. Here are some tips on how to...

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

In today's fast-paced business environment, keeping up with technological advancements is essential for success. Implementing the latest technology can offer numerous benefits, such as improved productivity, enhanced data security, and reduced costs.  Improve...

What are local links and how to earn them

What are local links and how to earn them

What local links are and how they might assist local businesses develop an efficient SEO strategy are covered in this article. Local links allow visitors to learn more about a region and its businesses by connecting websites from the same area that are relevant to one another. They must be pertinent to the neighbourhood and offer valuable resources or information. Content marketing, reviews, sponsored content, social media, and directories are all ways to generate local links.

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Property management is not a simple job, there are multiple tasks that a property manager should complete for various property investors. Marketing is one of the difficult parts, but it’s crucial. You can only attract tenants to your property and gain income after you have generated leads. Therefore, you should try your best to come up with smart and effective strategies to get your company known.