Debbie Weil

Website: voxiemedia.com
Twitter: @debbieweil

Attended: Lift Off 4 (August 2011)

Where were you in your entrepreneurial journey before Lift Off? Before Lift Off I was “stuck.” That’s the best way to describe it. I hated being a “social media consultant.” It was generic and non-specific and I was constantly reacting to what prospective clients wanted. Even though I had written a book about corporate blogging, I didn’t know who I was or want I really wanted to do.

What are you up to now? Lift Off gave me wings, if you’ll pardon the metaphor. The workshop gave me the courage to go in a direction that I had been considering, but didn’t have the nerve to execute on. Within two months of attending Lift Off, I launched Voxie Media, a next-generation publishing company. We are a boutique imprint and consultancy that publishes short, smart and stylish eBooks and print books by both established and up-and-coming business authors. We also help authors navigate the new world of self-publishing via our signature program, Beta Author Boost.

What was your favorite thing about Lift Off? The support, thoughtfulness and smarts of the other participants is a big part of the experience. But my favorite thing about Lift Off was noticing the blinders coming off and realizing that it was OK to feel fear and uncertainty about launching a new business. Feeling fear doesn’t mean failure. It is part of the process.