Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Hickey.
Hi Paula, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a web designer and digital tech specialist. I got my start in 1999 building websites just for fun. I taught myself HTML and CSS. It was a fun time on the internet! In 2010, I also started blogging on WordPress. This was just a hobby as I had a day job in retail management. I didn’t know it was something I could make into a career.
In 2017, I realized I wanted out of retail. While I enjoyed my time in retail, I knew I wanted a job with a more flexible schedule so that I could be with my family more. From my job research, I learned about virtual assistance! Virtual Assistance meant I could start my own business and offer the skills I had learned from my many years of hobby web design and blogging as a service to other bloggers!
I could also create my own schedule and work when I wanted to. It sounded perfect!
This began my side-hustle days of building my business while still working my day job in retail. I offered various services like social media marketing, email marketing, and freelance writing before I found my niche in web design and website tech support. These are the services I love and that bring me joy!
In 2020, my side-hustle enabled me to retire from retail and go full-time in my business!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I first started my business, my biggest struggle was my mindset. I had been in retail for many years, so I was super confident in that job. Suddenly, that confidence was gone! I found myself worried and anxious about doing client work. What if I couldn’t meet their expectations?
I had to remind myself that it was like getting a new store manager. You had to learn their expectations. And I had always been able to do that and then meet and even exceed their expectations. Working with my new clients would be the same. I would learn them and how to meet their expectations.
When I finally went full-time in my business, I faced another hurdle—finding a good routine. The temptation with being a freelancer is to work whenever you want. But what happens is you end up working ALL THE TIME. That was not why I created my business. I created my business to have more freedom, not less.
So, I got strict with myself and set my work hours and mostly I keep them. I do want to be flexible with them. So, if I have a doctor’s appointment or need a day off, I take it. I also have clients in many time zones, so if I need to schedule a call outside my normal hours, I do that.
Creating work hours for myself has really been a life-changer! I’ve found I’m way more productive because I know I need to get my work done in a certain amount of time. And I can truly enjoy my evenings and weekends with my family without thinking that I should work instead.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a web design and digital tech specialist working with business and mindset coaches who would rather spend their time landing their dream clients than dealing with the techy stuff.
My passion is helping women, like myself, who want out of the 9 to 5 life, build their own businesses so that they can have a life and business that they truly love. I do that by building websites that not only give them a beautiful online presence but support their business goals.
My many years in retail also give me a unique perspective on the websites I build. I always see them from the customer/client viewpoint, ensuring that a good user experience is a priority on every website I build.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Knoxville is a great city! There is a ton to do and the community is fantastic. One of my favorite things to do is attend shows at the Tennessee Theater. And you can’t beat the Volunteer Spirit! My least favorite thing would be the traffic, but that’s pretty much any city.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@paulasextonhickey.com
- Website: https://paulasextonhickey.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulahickeyva/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulahickeyVA/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulahickeyva
Image Credits
Paige Marlow
