Meet Alexandra Franzen | Co-founder of Get It Done, a company that offers writing, editing, publishing, and marketing services

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

Hi Alexandra, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I became self-employed, 11 years ago, I didn’t have a specific business plan.

I just knew, “I don’t want to work in a cubicle anymore. I need to get out of this stuffy beige box! I’ve got to figure out another way to earn a living.”

I wanted more freedom, more control over my time, more income potential, and a workspace with less fluorescent lighting. Those were the motivating factors, back then.

I asked myself, “What’s something I could do that would generate money? What’s a skill I’ve got that somebody would be willing to pay for?” The first thing that came to mind was: “writing skills.”

I’ve always had a knack for writing and communicating things in a clear, brief, simple way. So, I started offering writing services on a freelance basis–writing language for websites, promotional newsletters, video and podcast scripts, book proposals, speeches, and so on.

My first 10 paying clients were friends, friends-of-friends, and family members. I completed projects for them. They told their pals and colleagues about me. More clients contacted me. Within a year or two, I’d established a reputation as a reliable writer who delivers good work, on time. Word-of-mouth buzz kept spreading from there.

Gradually, over the course of many years, things grew from “just me” into a larger company with several employees. It has been an incredible journey that has taught me so much about resilience, tenacity, and patience.

If you’re thinking about starting a business, my advice is…just start.

It’s okay if you don’t have a 5-year plan. It’s okay if you don’t have a mission statement all figured out, or a perfect website, or a professionally designed logo. Those details will come later. For starters, just figure out something you can do that people would be willing to pay for–a service, a product, a program, whatever.

What’s something you can do to make people’s lives happier, easier, safer, healthier, more prosperous, or more beautiful? Start there. Start working with clients or customers. As you do the work, more clarity will come.

You’ll learn more about how to run a successful business from 1 hour working with an actual client…than from 100 hours reading articles online. Start where you are, with whatever resources you’ve got. Just begin.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a self-employed creative, I’ve had to learn how to ask, ask, ask…even when it’s uncomfortable.

You want a book deal? You need to find a literary agent, reach out, and ask them to represent you.

You need more money? You gotta circle back to previous clients and ask if they’d like to hire you again.

You want your artwork or book featured in a cool shop? You need to contact the owner and ask them to consider your product.

The difference between stagnating and succeeding usually comes down to, “Are you willing to ask, or not?”

Asking did not always come easily to me. It’s a muscle that I’ve had to strengthen over time, through lots of repetition. I’ve had moments where I typed an email, re-read it back 100 times, felt my heart racing, and practically had to force myself to click “Send” because it just felt so nerve-wracking. Asking is usually the one thing you DON’T want to do, but need to do.

When people say to me, “How do you find clients? How did you get featured in that magazine? How did you get invited to be on that TV show?” and so on…the answer is, “Because I reached out. I emailed them. I asked.” It’s really just that simple. Simple and scary, too.

I’m proud of the fact that I’ve become a lot more assertive over the last 11 years. I used to wait to be “discovered.” These days, I go ask.

You’ll be surprised by what happens when you ask.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in a small city on the Big Island of Hawaii. We have no freeways, very little traffic, and a lot of rain, coconut trees, turtles, and wild boars!

If someone was visiting, I would say…

– Go watch the surfers at Honolii Beach. They’re on the waves all day. Some arrive before dawn.

– Grab coffee and a delicious breakfast burrito at Surf Break Cafe.

– Visit the Honomu Goat Farm. For $5, you can go play with baby goats and they’ll hop all over you!

– Take a stroll around Queen Liliuokalani Gardens and admire the huge trees, bridges, and sculptures.

– Head to Carlsmith Beach, cross your fingers, and you might see a big turtle basking by the shore. Wave “hello” from a respectful distance.

– Get lunch at Chef Ernie’s Poke Market. Amazing fresh fish. Order the “Angie Bowl” if you love spicy ahi tuna, like me.

– If you’re up for a drive, cruise over to the west side of the island to watch an incredible sunset in Kona.

Remember to wear reef-safe sunscreen to protect the ocean, wave to folks as you pass, practice “Aloha,” and be patient at restaurants and businesses. Hawaii isn’t an instant-speedy-rapid-delivery kind of place. Things roll slower over here. Relax and get into the flow.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I want to mention!

Rachel Rodgers (helloseven.co) for permanently changing the way I think about money.

Robert Hartwell (bwaycollective.com) for reminding me that success in a creative field comes down to a positive attitude and disciplined work ethic.

Susan Hyatt (shyatt.com) for always reminding me that health comes first, and you can’t run a thriving company if you’re neglecting your physical or mental health.

Melissa Cassera (melissacassera.com) for proving that it’s never too late to go after your dreams, whether it’s a TV screenwriting gig, a book deal, or retiring early and relaxing by the lake!

Website: alexandrafranzen.com … youcangetitdone.com

Image Credits
Photo credit: Danielle Cohen (Danielle-cohen.com)