I recently connected with Marina Bargouti, an influencer on social media with a loyal and engaged audience of 461,000 combined followers at this time (235k on Instagram and + 226k on TikTok). Marina is an Interior Stylist and Certified Luxury Home Specialist who started from humble beginnings.
Marina Bargouti
Photographer Andrew Fennell, listed by Sean Fitzgerald, Staged by Luxe Home Staging and Design
Three years ago, Marina remodelled her home, and her friends were so impressed at what a great job she had done and encouraged her to share it with the world. So she opened her Instagram account @marina.b.style and started sharing. Within six months, she was bringing in clients. Today, Marina has excellent partnerships with top brands and retailers such as Pottery Barn, Neiman Marcus, Home Goods, and others. She creates floor plan designs, hosts events, advertise their products, and showcase her talents.
Marina provides her services all online through e-designs. Clients send her pictures of the rooms and measurements, and Marina creates beautiful plans for her clients to implement in their homes.
Marina learned quickly that when you connect with your followers, build your brand, and establish the know, like, and trust factor with them, it is then when they feel more comfortable investing in your services.
Marina built a community through her social media platforms and wants her followers to know her. She openly shares her knowledge and experience with her clients and has a good grasp of industry knowledge, products and market. Marina builds relationships with those in her circle and puts in the effort to get to know her clients.
But Marina isn’t all about brand building and aesthetics; Marina knows her business numbers. Having a background and education in business and accounting, Marina knows and understands the importance of how her numbers play into the success of her business. And she urges other entrepreneurs to get to know their business numbers as well.
Marina offers these tips to help you manage your own business with confidence and success:
1. Maintain financial stability in your business
Don’t try to grow too quickly and invest in everything right away. Be mindful of how you are spending your cash and ensure your cash supply does not dry up.
2. Create a digital presence and monetize it
When you choose a social media platform, you can build an interested following to build on your know, like and trust factors. Then people will be ready to invest with your offerings. Social media is a great way to connect with people.
3. Develop a financial plan and create a budget
Having a financial plan is essential to track the profitability of your business and create targets and goals that you want to achieve. It keeps you accountable to your company and your numbers and allows you to grow and scale your business without issues.
4. Hire professionals and delegate so that you can focus on your zone of genius
It’s ok to hire bookkeepers and accountants to help you manage your finances, only if you still stay on top of your finances by checking in at the minimum of monthly to ensure you are always on the right track in your business. Having other professionals help you frees up your time to focus on your zone of genius.
5. Analyze your largest expenses and find ways to reduce costs
When you continuously check in with your numbers, you will find ways to reduce expenses and increase revenue. Making money is not a bad thing.
6. Invest in the growth of your business
Only when you have achieved financial stability is it safe to think about investing and growing your business.
The bottom line is when you have a sound financial management system set up, it allows you to manage your business with ease. Business isn’t all aesthetics and social media; you need to know your business numbers if you want to grow a thriving business.
