Meet Chaney Seaton | Agency Owner & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chaney Seaton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chaney, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had always felt like I was never truly happy in any single position I had. I also felt like something was missing, even after propelling and scaling myself to the top of my career in different industries. Everything would feel “good” until it didn’t. So, for years, I found myself hopping from place to place, trying to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and believe me, that changed NUMEROUS times over the years. By the time I had my daughter, I’d just really started adjusting to a new career where, eventually, I was making decent money. I had a great job, a great team, and a great income. But every time I got to where I was told I should “strive” to be, I suddenly became depressed. I lost my drive and desire to be present, and instead, I would convince myself that I was doing the right thing, sticking with a job and industry that paid me well, but I was MISERABLE. One day, I woke up and said, I don’t want to do this anymore. Every time I was ready to make big decisions in my life, I consulted with my mom. One thing she said to me that I’d never forget, which started to “wake me up,” was when she said, “You need to find the root cause. Because it’s not the jobs you work, it’s what’s in YOU. Because until you do that, you’ll never really be fulfilled.” That was what gave me the courage to pursue marketing full-time. It was something I had gone to college for but never finished. I’d taken the “safe” route after I’d left school, unable to afford it. I got an excellent job with an excellent company that opened the door for the industry I had been in at the time, which, after four years, had propelled me to a place of comfort, where I realized I didn’t want to wake up 10-20 years from now and ask myself where the time had gone. I decided I couldn’t put a price tag on my happiness, well-being, and mental health. So I started looking, despite feeling SEVERELY inadequate, as someone who had always struggled with imposter syndrome. About two months later, I came across what, back then, I’d considered my “dream job.” Marketing is an extremely competitive industry. Social Media Manager jobs were even more competitive. Still, I was DETERMINED to get this job, and I went above and beyond during the interview process, took the heavy initiative, and, low and behold, got it. I’d gotten my dream job WITHOUT the degrees most of my peers had. I’d taken a significant pay cut then because I knew I would have to play the long game, especially with switching industries. I’d always had some form of marketing in my positions, but I never believed I’d land a job in marketing full-time. So when I did, I was on cloud nine, working at an agency with incredible flexibility, the whole nine yards. It came with its caveats, but I felt like I’d FINALLY done it. And then….that feeling started creeping up again. In this position, I felt like I had been sold beans to a beanstalk. Things weren’t fully amounting to everything I thought it would. I started feeling like I had been ripped off and asked if I had made the right decision to leave my high-paying job to pursue my “passions.” I started feeling stuck, like I couldn’t breathe, and once again, I fell into an extremely dark place, the darkest yet. Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it out without my fiancé, who carried me and encouraged me the entire time. It was then that I decided I needed to start my own side business as a freelancer to help supplement my income. So, I started planning and plotting again, thinking about what my mother said about addressing the root cause. When I had taken this job, I raved and swore up and down that THIS was it for me. I had found the one thing that had always been missing. But…something was still off. I got comfortable again, placing my endeavors on the back burner while looking for new jobs in the same industry because I felt in my soul that my time at this place was ending. I was miserable all the time. By that point, I’d interviewed at numerous other places, quite a few of them had gone to the very end, hearing things like I was “a dream candidate,” “perfect for the position,” “exactly what the company needed” etc…but, ultimately no doors opened. Not a single one and I began to feel discouraged. I felt like no one would have me. I knew going into this industry it was competitive. For almost four months, I searched when I had finally hit my lowest point. I had a sit down with my boss to let him know I was spiraling, my mental health was deteriorating by the day, and I would be taking some time off from work to regroup. It was the best I felt in MONTHS, and I genuinely dreaded returning. That morning, I told myself I would power through, and a door WOULD open for me. It turns out it did, just not how I had expected it to. That SAME morning, I was laid off. The company had lost too many clients and was headed for the reds within six months unless someone was let go. My boss and I had an honest conversation about it, and suddenly, it was like a HUGE weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could BREATHE again. One thing about me is that I often REFUSE to give up, so I would’ve never actually leaped to do my own thing despite wanting to and knowing I needed to. I wasn’t a risk taker. After the last risky decision I’d made (switching careers and leaving my high-paying job), I’d convinced myself it wasn’t something I would do again. To be honest, I was afraid. Because months beforehand, I’d had another candid conversation with my mom when things had started going south for me again. She’d told me then that “sometimes you just have to light a fire under your own a*s and take that leap. Quit your job and figure it out because you’ll have no choice BUT to figure it out.” I brushed it off and told her how absurd and unrealistic that was for me, not knowing she was right. I’d recounted my path leading to that moment in front of my boss, and things suddenly started making SO much since. My
Mom had been right all along…it wasn’t the job. It was me. She often told me, “I had too many gifts to be working for someone else…” Finally, I was starting to listen. Too many things had rolled out in a way that made it apparent…I was supposed to be a business owner, fully trusting in my faith and gifts. I was not taking the easy way out because, admittedly, I was lazy and comfortable. My jobs were my safe spaces and identity. But I was wrong. My body had been telling me from the very beginning that I wasn’t in alignment. It wasn’t until my hand was forced that everything suddenly fell into place, and when I say fell…I mean, it came CRASHING DOWN until I COULD NOT ignore it anymore. I’d always heard of entrepreneurs and business owners having that “spirit,” that determination and drive. Those were the people who KNEW what they wanted, who had a plan and a vision. I felt like that was never me, that I wasn’t capable of that kind of drive. I had always been ambitious and creative, with many ideas and talents, most of which never came to fruition. But it was evident to me at this point my path was different from most who’ll tell you their “why” behind being a business owner or entrepreneur. The truth is, I had no idea. The building blocks had always been there, but I was never into building things with my
Own hands from the ground up. I was a creative, and I always had been. But it turned out it was the one stepping stone I needed most. So I’d decided THIS time, it was time to bet on me. And to me, that wasn’t a “risk”; it was a necessity! So, I bet on myself and went all in! I’m still in the thick of the journey, still trying to iron out the chaos around me, but for the first time in my life, I feel aligned. Even when I feel like quitting, I think back to that lost little college girl….and I know I owe it to her and my family!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own a brand new social media agency where I work with clients to help truly bring their brands and businesses to life online. I wanted to do things differently as an owner, I didn’t want it to be about meeting bottom lines and maximizing profits, I wanted it to be about what it’s always been about for me in my life no matter where I worked or what I did….connection. Genuinely connecting with people. We say we are a social media team for The Social. As in, those who truly want to connect. We chose to work with clients who are looking for a partnership, because it’s never JUST about being online, it’s about connecting with your audience and team. We strive to build lasting relationships with our clients and that is the building block for our working relationships. I’ve learned that the best results are found when people make the decision to connect and be present. That is what makes us different!

I also founded a meetup group here in Denver called Babes Who Brunch Colorado that exists under the same principles as I carry them with me no matter what I do. The driving force was, and always will be connection. I partner with numerous local establishments and business to help bring people together. All of wanted when I started, was to meet people who *also* wanted to meet new people. I had no idea of would turn into everything it’s turned into over the last few years. We started right before COVID, right before everything had shut down. We’d had 3 meets ups and then BOOM, everything changed. So things got put on hold and really didn’t pick up again until last summer. We’d hit over 4,000 members, and now, less than a year later, we’re practically at 5,000! Everything I do starts with one thing and one thing only…connection!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is always a tough one for me as I actually get this question SO much considering I call myself a “Denver Socializer” hahaha! It really boils down to one kind of time you’re looking to have. Personally, I am not an outside person, I’m originally from NYC so I am a cosmopolitan city dweller through and through, so everything I recommend kind of revolves around city life. One of my fiancé and I’d favorite things to do is go to Happy Hour! We consider ourselves true Happy Hour enthusiast so we spend a lot of time hunting out the best spots. We’re currently obsessed with Tupelo Honey, Aloy Modern Thai, and STK, as we’ve deemed them of having some of the best value and bang for your book. We spend a lot of time between where we live, in Union Station, and between Cherry Creek and Wash Park. If we had family come into town, we always find a place to go for happy hour in one of those three areas, and then put on something nice to go somewhere for dinner, we love taking family to Carmine’s in McGregor Square because it’s such a nice spot and you eat in true family-style fashion. We spend a lot of time as parks and museums, we love taking a blanket and laying out in Commons and Riverfront park. It’s actually one of our favorites because a lot of Denver parks get SO crowded. These ones don’t have the appeal as places like Wash Park and City Park. Which is fine with us! We love going to neighborhood festivals and markets or going for ice cream at Union station. I’d say all in all, we lead a simple city life most would expect when dwelling in a city hahaha!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mother, Fiancé, and daughter! They are my backbone that propels me forward!

Website: https://cheniersocial.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callmechaney?igsh=aWFuZmJhMnI4bGI3&utm_source=qr

Other: Business Page IG: https://www.instagram.com/cheniersocial?igsh=MTlrOWljMXg4eWRiaA==

Linktree Link to all (including Babes Who Brunch Colorado): https://linktr.ee/cheniersocial?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYSzQIqmbwhOnkYo6fcqJbFCQIkhMe9A_O0LgPFRJJ9EVxjFEBsV0dvBe4_aem_AXYd09slOfo5traPPa-XjSk0BJELokV0ShYAuLyrfxA-Dk5E6sL-echXJanBrkq6S3ESdni4HUo2_Mt0nUAuKLXG

Image Credits
Nicole Herring