Hey y'all! Welcome to Rollin' With The Dolans! If you don't already know, we're Patrick and Tamekia Dolan. Our podcast is all about the real joys and challenges of blending families, interracial marriage, raising kids across different age groups, and diving into entrepreneurship. We keep it real, we keep it positive, and we're just here to share life with y'all.
The Social Media Struggle Is Real
We used to think social media was just for the younger crowd, until we realized how powerful it is for business. If you're an entrepreneur, social media is no longer optional. It's a must-have tool to grow your brand, connect with your audience, and build credibility. In this post, we're sharing our journey into social media for entrepreneurs, the struggles, the wins, and why you should embrace it too.
From Facebook to TikTok, Our Evolution
Alright, so let's start with where we both began.
Tamekia: My biggest platform was Facebook. Back in the day, I just posted about parenting, family stuff, and whatever was happening in life. It was my way to stay connected with friends and family, especially when I was traveling a lot.
Patrick: Meanwhile, I was not about Facebook. I thought it was just people bragging all the time, and honestly, I found it kind of annoying. I was much more into LinkedIn, which is still technically social media, but, you know, business-y.
Then there was MySpace, which, let's be real, was a whole other beast. Tamekia tried it, I tried it, and neither of us really got into it. But hey, it was a thing.
Why Social Media for Entrepreneurs Is Essential
Things changed when Tamekia went back to the salon. Instagram became her go-to for business because, let's face it, hair is visual. People want to see the work before they book an appointment. But then, TikTok happened.
Tamekia: So during COVID, our kids were all over TikTok, and we said, "We should do this too!" And our kids? They shut that idea down. Told us we were too old. And naturally, I took that as a challenge.
We did a couple of videos, but then our third one? It blew up. Like, thousands and thousands of views. And here's the kicker, I didn't even notice until one of our older kids pointed it out.
Patrick: And for the record, our first post was actually from our honeymoon. But it was that third video that really took off, over 100,000 views. So yeah, we stuck around, and now I'm the one constantly saying, "Hey, let's do a TikTok!"
Our kids have feelings about this. Some love it. Some think it's the most embarrassing thing ever. Our 16-year-old doesn't care what his friends say. Our 14-year-old hates when her friends mention seeing us on TikTok. Different kids, different reactions, same Dolan energy.
Which Social Media Platform Is Best for Entrepreneurs?
One of the biggest things that changed our perspective was realizing that social media is mainstream. People are actual celebrities just from TikTok and YouTube. Now let's talk about why we actually need social media for business. It's no longer optional, it's necessary.
Tamekia: For my salon, social media is huge. It's literally how I book new clients. It's like another full-time job, but if you don't do it, you fall behind. I've integrated my personal life into it, and clients love it because they feel like they already know me before they walk in the door.
Patrick: And the numbers back this up, 75 percent of people use social media when making purchasing decisions. That means if you're running a business and ignoring social media, you're missing out on a massive opportunity.
Here's the thing: your brand isn't just your website anymore. It's a whole package:
- Your domain
- Your website
- Your social media
- Your search engine optimization
- Your content creation
If you're not active, Google doesn't care about you. Social media shows that you exist, you're relevant, and you're engaged with your audience.
Final Thoughts: Embrace It or Get Left Behind
If you're new to all this and thinking, "Okay, I get it, but where do I start?" here's our advice.
Patrick: If you're only going to pick one platform, go with YouTube. It has staying power, and Google loves it. YouTube Shorts are growing fast, and it's a great way to reach an audience long term.
Tamekia: It depends on your business. If you're in a visual industry like hair or fashion, Instagram is great. If you want something fun and fast-paced, go for TikTok.
But at the end of the day, just pick something.
Social media isn't going anywhere. Either you get on board or you get left behind. And no, you don't have to mix your personal and business life, create a separate account if that works better for you. Just start somewhere and start now.
So, are you resisting social media for entrepreneurs like we did? Or have you already embraced it? Let us know. Until next time, y'all, have an amazing, fantastic, super-awesome week.