by Caroline Trembly
MEET THE AUTHOR: Greenville native and Endeavor Intern Caroline Trembly, who will graduate this fall from Clemson University, is currently majoring in marketing with a minor in brand communications through Clemson’s Erwin Center for Brand Communications. As Endeavor’s intern, Trembly focuses on content creation, social media management and public relations support. In addition, Trembly is interviewing Endeavor members to learn from and highlight Greenville’s creative community.
When I first started at Endeavor, I took part in hosting my first Collaborators and Cocktails as an intern. The event filled me with inspiration as I ran around with my camera, meeting professionals from all disciplines. As an aspiring entrepreneur myself, it was encouraging to meet Lindsey Stemann and hear her journey as a businesswoman. After our conversation, I was thrilled to interview Lindsey and get a better sense of what life as an entrepreneur looks like.
Curious to hear what her initial leap of faith looked like, I asked Lindsey what sparked her launch of McMillion Consulting. “When considering starting my own business, I tried to think of the worst thing that could happen. I soon realized that this step of faith was an investment in myself and my personal development. It was an exciting process that took a certain degree of courage that I had never experienced before,” said Lindsey. Inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial background, Lindsey’s courageous spirit has helped her take bold leaps with McMillion Consulting.
Prior to starting McMillion Consulting, Lindsey worked in sales for diverse industries, ranging from print to software. Through her experience in sales, Lindsey began to believe if she could sell custom manufacturing and software as a service, she could sell anything. Since 2013, Lindsey has trained thousands of professionals on how to use LinkedIn as a business tool. In2016, she launched McMillion Consulting to equip professionals with optimized LinkedIn profiles and empower their companies to prospect more effectively through LinkedIn to increase their revenue.
With today’s assortment of social channels to choose from, I was interested to hear a LinkedIn expert’s perspective on what makes this network different. “LinkedIn is an online networking platform where people can establish credibility for themselves and their businesses, while also building professional relationships for networking, selling and recruiting. It can be used as another entry point for conversation and a supplement to other communication channels, like email and phone,” Lindsey said. To my surprise, more than two people join LinkedIn every second. With this high user presence, Lindsey trains clients to utilize this platform to articulate company values and connect with purpose.
How does McMillion Consulting accomplish this? “We start with The Profile Transformer, which ensures that an individual’s reputation offline is mirrored online in LinkedIn. Through this project, we interview our clients and take the heavy lifting off their hands by writing and launching their LinkedIn profile for them. You would be surprised by how many people need permission to tell their story. Your profile is so much more than a resume. It is an opportunity to use your voice to tell your story,” Lindsey explained.
This transformational process brings Lindsey the most joy from the work that she does as an entrepreneur, trainer and advisor. “Instilling confidence in my clients and allowing them to be proud of their story is one of the most rewarding aspects of the work my team and I do. Giving people permission to share their story and then witnessing them succeed through our training excites me to continue serving clients,” said Lindsey.
Lindsey’s passion for teaching carries into her impressive role as a national keynote and breakout session speaker. “I believe teaching should be practical in order for learning to actionable,” states Lindsey. From leading workshops for women entrepreneurship groups, to advising Fortune 500 companies, Lindsey is an inspiration to all aspiring business owners.
To manage her busy schedule, Lindsey has a creative approach for structuring her time. Being an organizer at heart, I was motivated to incorporate this unique discipline in my daily routine. “At Endeavor, I break up my time into three stages to get the most out of my day. Front stage is my block for in-person meetings or remote client sessions in the phone booth. Back stage is time dedicated to working on my business. Lastly, I have off stage time to take a breather and refresh from the day,” Lindsey shared.
Lindsey’s heart for people has echoed into a thriving business that empowers her clients to turn their online connections into meaningful relationships. “Teaching my clients to connect with purpose and realize the power of their influence is incredibly satisfying work. People want to connect with real people; have courage to tell your professional story and share it with the world on LinkedIn.”
