Face to Face: Ann Evanston

Posted on January 28, 2011 by admin

Face to Face: Ann Evanston

It’s not often a person gets to sit down with a pillar of the Internet Marketing industry, and words could not adequately describe the honor it is for me to be able to bring to the  faithful readers of BillMitchellOnline.com an interview featuring Ann Evanston of Warrior-Preneur.com.

Ann welcome and thank you for granting me this opportunity to sit down with you for this Face to Face meeting (so to speak).  Being new to my blog as many are what I aim to do with Face to Face Friday is to get to know more about the people that interact with me online, so I’ll just dive in with a few questions that I have for you today:

Bill Mitchell:  Reading your biography on Warrior-Preneur.com I read something truly
remarkable, and that was that before you brought your talents to the digital world,
you founded your own sorority called Zeta Pi.  The wise guy in me wants to ask, “What,
you couldn’t find a sorority that you liked?” but in all seriousness that’s a remarkable
feat, but I do have to ask in two parts:  Why? and I would imagine that was a difficult
task, was it?

Ann Evanston: Haha, Bill, well you are right! I went through rush and felt sick that it was all about being “like” everyone else instead of being your best you. I wanted to belong to a group of women that wanted me to be my BEST Ann. So I started my own (it’s still on campus 20+ years later!).

It was a difficult task and gave me my first taste of “start-up” and entrepreneurial spirit. I really had to learn, marketing, budgets, leadership, politics-to make it happen!

Bill Mitchell:  Today you make yourself available as a business coach, I had the opportunity in the past (before I got so busy with my own side projects) to take a peak at the community, you have built online.  How many people are taking advantage of your services and how does social networking sites such as Twitter play into the grand scheme of things, so to speak?

Ann Evanston: I love where coaching has gone over the years, first all face-to-face, then the phone, now online. I can now coach one to many in a just-in-time format which works well with people’s lifestyle.  We have hundreds that have gone through the program, and several hundred lifetime members.  Social Networking plays into business strategy, mainly marketing.  See marketing is the JOB of a small business owner, and learning strategies that they can replicate for results is key.

Bill Mitchell:  Internet marketing has constantly been evolving to adapt to changes in both technologies and mindsets.  A lot of people reading this might be a little skeptical about the industry as a whole, they seem to have a “snake oil salesman” mentality when they conjure up visions of someone representing the Internet marketing community.  Speaking as someone who is rather high profiled and do dare say becoming one of the faces of said industry how do you address those types of concerns?

Ann Evanston: Great question! I so hate it when some says I am a social media “guruexpertdiva” (new word, like that?), because I am not. And I so cannot stand the slimy salesperson! Videos on the technology is a dime a dozen, just go to youtube.  And these “experts” teaching the Ronco Rotisserie “set it and forget it” method of internet market make me take out the sword! My goal is to role model the difference every day. That’s my integrity on the line-just tweet me you know I will respond!

Bill Mitchell: Going back to your biography for a moment, something else really popped out on me and that was your philanthropic interests.  Specifically creating a non-profit organization for homeless pregnant and parenting teens. I applaud your efforts, I wish everyone shared our passion for philanthropy, if you don’t mind sharing with my readers what or what series of events caused you to want to get involved with this particular non-profit endeavor?

Ann Evanston: First and foremost I believe in giving, if not our money our time. Even now I serve on Advisory Boards and do community service. But, being the insightful Bill that you are, the “series of events” as oyu ask, are basically that I was one. Abused and neglected, pregnant teen, using drugs, on the streets. I was told I’d be a statistic. Well, I am NOT the one they expected!

Bill Mitchell:  As you and I both know and we are reminded almost on a daily basis it seems like, our country has been reeling from a economical blunder of do I dare say epic proportions, with the unemployment rate still pretty high, and financial requirements that most people have on a monthly basis seems to be ever increasing, we seem to be in a perpetual mode of panic.

If there is someone out there reading this, that seems to be feeling overwhelmed about the financial issues they are facing, what advice would you give them that might act as a catalyst in changing the direction of their present situation?

Ann Evanston: Interestingly, just before this downturn, we had a house fire and had to rebuild in the height of the market. Our final appraisal on the house before turning on the gas was 4 times what it was before it burnt down. With what we were making, we weren’t worried…wow, here we are. Fighting for it all right? So what would I say: breathe.  Stop looking for the miracle dollar. Stick to a plan, and the money follows. I know sounds cliché, but it always does. My business took a huge downturn in 2008, I stayed true and last quarter it fully bounced back.

Bill Mitchell:  Thank you Ann, for making time for this very enlightening and candid look into a small piece of your world, it has indeed been a pleasure.  If any of my readers were to want to get in contact with you directly how would they go about doing that?

Ann Evanston: thanks Bill, you are awesome, I love your wisdom and wit! I am easy to find! People can find me on Twitter @AnnEvanston, the Warrior-preneur website http://warrior-preneur.com, over on Facebook http://facebook.com/warriorpreneur, YouTube http://youtube.com/aevanston and Skype: AnnEvanston.

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  • /index.html Lisa Ann Landry

    Hi Bill,

    I’ve known Ann for a long time, those that don’t know her story may feel that she is surrounded by opportunities and good things all the time. This is simply not true and your interview helps them see just a few of the really awful things that have happen. What is truly amazing about her is that she is a warrior consequently Warrior Prenuer is perfect fit for what she embodies.

    To clarify what I mean by warrior: Even though she gets knocked down, cut & bruised, burned and smacked – she maintains a laser beam focus on the business goal. In all the great war movies – Last Samuri for instance – warriors are disciplined, they practice their craft, they coach and guide their fellow warriors ( and kick them in the butt when they need it). Warriors are fiercely loving and give honor and homage to other warriors. If you pay attention in the Social Media space Ann Evanston does these things.

    Lisa Ann Landry
    Vibrating Positive Energy….what are you vibrating?
    http://www.imagedevelopmentgroup.com

  • http://louiseedington.com Louise Edington

    What a great interview Bill – meeting you and people like you through Ann has been one of the greatest pleasures since my involvement with Ann. Full of admiration for both of you and VERY happy to now be working with Ann on her Social Networking Coaching Club.
    Louise Edington
    Facing Fears For Freedom
    http://louiseedington.com

  • Bill Mitchell

    Thank you for your comments, Lisa. I tried to cover a lot of different facets of Ann’s life, to give readers a fresh prospective. People generally take what they see in a Tweet, or Facebook profile at face value, assuming that is all they need to know about a person.

    The only problem with this strategy is that people will draw up broad assumptions, which is something that has been plaguing various industries (which coincidentally not necessarily been monopolized by the “Internet Marketing Community”).

    I hope the interview will allow people to appreciate Ann for not only what she has done for some people’s bank balance but value her for what she has contributed to the betterment of man (and woman) kind.

  • Fiona Stolze

    Hi Bill

    Thanks for this very insightful snapshot of Ann and her life. It shows her as a very real person, not just someone who is in this to make a quick buck. I’ve been working through Ann’s social networking coaching club and after nearly two months have found huge benefits to following her teachings. I’m learning great strategies that I can implement in my business and this is already bringing tangible results in my work as an artist and coach. It’s also showing me that I can use social media to strengthen my profile online and increase my credibility. It’s an ongoing process and hugely inspiring to have someone with Ann’s experience there as a mentor.

    I think the bottom line is, especially when you look at Ann’s background, it doesn’t matter where you’ve come from. If you have the dedication and commitment, you can build the success you choose.

    I’m loving being active in the social media space and would recommend anyone else reading this to get in touch with Ann. Thanks for doing this interview Bill.

    Fiona Stolze
    http://fionastolze.wordpress.com

  • http://LYShome.com Jennifer Duchene

    Ann Evanston embodies whom a lot of women desire to be, including me. I am always delighted and inspired to learn more. Ann shares because that is who she is. Real, touchable, and powerful. Ann knows how to make more than lemonade with lemons, she can make a meal out of a couple of lemons. Turning adversity on its backside, Ann lives her truth, as few do. Honorably, with a sword that cuts the rot. Had to laugh at the Ronco Rotisserie “set it and forget it” method. Ann is a true warrior.
    I signed up for her SNCC program which has boosted my visibility and made me a better business woman and a more evolved woman, on my own terms.
    Thanks Bill, for an insightful interview.

    Jennifer Duchene
    Home Makeover Mixtress blending Lifestyle & Laughter
    http://LYShome.com

  • http://www.fierceover50.com Julie Labes

    From the interview it seemed as though you were really interested in what Ann had to say and weren’t just “asking the right questions” I feel as though you were able to get to know the real Ann in the time that you talked to her and then pass that feeling of familiarity on to your readers. Nice job Bill!

    Julie Labes,…The Fierce over 50 feels much younger point and click junkie loves to travel does not use a jogging stroller and before you ask this is NOT my granddaughter..Woman

  • admin

    Ladies,

    I first want to apologize for not getting your thoughts posted on this blog sooner.
    After Friday’s article, I normally don’t check the blog until I am ready to update it again on the next business (Monday). Ann did give me the heads up that your thoughts were sitting in moderation, so I quickly reacted and made sure they got published so that the community could be exposed to your thoughts.

    Julie – Some journalist always stumble to try and “find the right questions to ask”, I’ve found that once you take a particular interest in the topic, you’ll always find the right questions to ask without the interview coming across as dry and cookie cut, most interviews of these types typical have been known to become.

    Fiona – Thank you for sharing your insight about Ann. I get the impression you were trying to come to her add about her credibility, which was never called into question, at least not by me. I’ve just been around the industry long enough to have been exposed to every lotion, notion and potion and I know the general vibe that outsiders have about the industry as a whole. I think that line of questioning was designed to have Ann distinctively explain the difference between what she does and what the countless others (who seem to be going to the same well, time and time again).

    You are correct however when you imply that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” for the lack of a better analogy. The majority of the people that think they want to conduct commerce online, are traditionally first exposed to the concept through some sort of late night infomercial (not going to mention names, but there are a few you could reference and they would all be applicable), and when they are told that for $29.95 and some light reading time they too can become “experts” and I am here to say I’ve been doing the Internet thing for going on 17 years (I first came online in the summer of 1994 – when a local BBS service obtained email and IRC access), and I am not far from an expert. The only thing I have going for myself, is that I make liberal residency “outside of the box”, much like Ann does.

    As for taking credit for the Interview, I didn’t do it all by myself. I did have an excellent dance partner (gosh I really need to update my metaphor collection).

    I am happy to know however the both of you enjoyed this interview and I appreciate your feedback.

  • http://houseonahillorg.blogspot.com Dwana

    Ann is such a spectacular and vibrant spirit! Thank you for covering her so glowingly!