If you ask Lisa Buyer, she was born a female disruptor.
“My mom said I used to wait for the preschool bus with a briefcase in hand.”
Meet Lisa Buyer
Founder and CEO of The Buyer Group, a social PR Agency established in 2006, located in Celebration, Florida. Her most recent gig is the launch of #FemaleDisruptors.
Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
It all started in the eight grade believe it or not. I took a journalism class in middle school and started writing for the school newspaper. In high school, I was on the yearbook staff and worked as a photo editor and copy editor. By the time I got to college, journalism and PR seemed like a natural progression for passion. I always wanted to own a magazine or be an editor.
When did the entrepreneur light bulb go off?
Designs By Lisa was the first business I started when I was in college, hand-painting T-shirts to make extra money and pay for the beer (and the bills). I created business cards and came up with six different patterns for my shirts. I made flyers using a Sharpie pen and printed on pink paper and started selling to the T-shirts friends. I packaged them in Ziploc baggies.
Eventually, word spread to some sororities and I started taking orders. I would have T-shirts drying all over my apartment and balconies. The business continued after college until I ran out of time and space to make the shirts.
What advice would you give other women wanting to start a biz?
Don’t try to figure it all out at once. Start in baby steps with side projects and freelance work to get a feel for how to manage your stream of income. Experiment in the process of coming up with pricing, proposals, billing and collecting money. If you are not able to do this on a small scale, a larger scale will be a challenge.
Life is a new business process. People say “Oh I am not good at new business development or sales is not my thing.” What they don’t realize is we are constantly selling ourselves as a personal brand. How do you get your next job, gig, score, raise, promotion, award, recognition, without putting forth an effort that will lead to a new outcome? Life is a new business.
No effort, no gain.
Analyze your work ethic and life ethic. What are your standards? Raise the bar.
Are you surrounding yourself with successful people you can learn from? Good.
Are you self sabotaging yourself? Stop. Don’t let the guilt from your past get in the way of your future.
How do you bring goodness to the world?
I’m a connector. I do my best always try to help people connect with others who can help them in some way. I thrive on matching good people with good things – even if it is a restaurant or hotel.
None of us are able to achieve success without some adversity along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
My yearbook teacher inspired me to write and design. My high school sweetheart was a football player getting recruited from colleges. At the time college was not in my vocabulary. His older sister encouraged me to take the SAT class so I could have options to get into college. It worked and I got into the University of Florida.
Julie Talenfeld taught me behind the scenes of running an agency and how to take a journalistic approach to public relations.
Dana Todd invited me to speak on my first panel at Search Engine Strategies San Jose in 2009, completely out of my comfort zone. I talked about how PR influences search. It was a pivotal moment in my career. The next chapter opened the door to become a PR disruptor at a time when public relations needed a shakeup and a breakup.
Ron Antevy headed a dotcom startup e-builder back in the day. The client turned friend, we rode out some pretty nasty times in the highs and lows of a volatile economy. Where is Ron today? He sold e-builder for a cool $500 million last year and still serves as president and my confidant.
My husband, Don Hempel, nurtures and encourages my disruption while helping me stay balanced.
What are your “ Five Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience” and why?
- Be resourceful.
- Ask questions and listen.
- It’s ok to not know all the answers.
- Less is more.
- Write it down.
Bonus
Silence is a secret weapon
Favorite “Life Lesson Quote”
If you are handed it, handle it.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
Deepak Chopra. I basically have had breakfast with him weekly the past five years through Facebook Live. He got me through some very tough times and made me see things in different perspectives and dimensions.
Secret Talent?
Yoga and meditation.
Zodiac Sign?
Gemini. Watch out, you never know which twin is showing up.
Currently Reading?
Everything.
Where will social media in five years
Hopefully in a healthier and less addictive state of being. Social media should be adding to our efficiency and not creating a deficiency.
Favorite Drink Order?
When I’m not following the Keto diet, triple grande skinny vanilla latte with 2 stevias and whip
Favorite Instagram Account?
Must-Have Technology? ?
Fitbit, iPhone, MacBook Air.
Favorite Way to Decompress? ?
I am the queen of self-care in the form of spa therapy.
Mediation, sunset walks, hot yoga, and wine.
Women You Admire?
Reese Witherspoon – Legally Blonde and Big Little Lies, need I say more?
Lalah Delia
Lady Gaga
Madonna
What are you most excited about for 2019?
I’m most excited about scaling my agency The Buyer Group and launching FemaleDisruptors.com. Being a member of Baby Bathwater is my calling.
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