Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Clouser.
Lynn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
“Lynn, I need recommendations on where to host a bridal shower?”, “Lynn, what‘s the best place to purchase a nice ball gown that won’t break the bank?” “Lynn where can I take my son who was recently diagnosed with autism for speech therapy?”…These are just three of the many questions I’ve received over the last decade from friends and family who trust me, my experiences, and my standards. I am a firm believer that sharing really is caring. I recently launched The Butterfly Influence, a social media platform fusing the power of The Butterfly Effect and Social Influence, for the purpose of sharing my personal thoughts on the best of the community’s businesses, products, charities, and services-those in which I’ve experienced personally. It’s something that I have done for so many years, but The Butterfly Influence platform allows me to capture and influence a bigger audience. I love seeing businesses thrive.
Remember when I said that sharing is caring? As a graduate of Capital One Bank’s “Getting Down Business” course and The University of Houston’s School of Business SURE program, I share my expertise in marketing and branding to help ambitious entrepreneurs with their marketing and branding through my new Butterfly brand. It’s a joy to see other businesses come alive through their marketing after we work together. I have worked with brands such as Sienna Jamba Juice, MakeUp by Sparkle, Sharp Minds Academy, Once Upon a Praline, The Pink Table Supper Club, The Charisma Principles, Posh Paper Expressions, and Darsten’s Marital Events, just to name a few.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This came very natural to me. People that know me know that I am very passionate about my interests. A friend of mine jokingly told me years ago that I should start a concierge service and charge people for my time because my phone would ring constantly from people requesting my recommendations for a specific product or service. I consider that gesture an honor because that means that people trust me and trust is one of those things that’s hard to gain and easy to lose. My only obstacle was ME! I was standing in my own way. It had been an idea of mine for a while until one day this year, I sat down with my sister Marlette and told her what was sitting in the idea bank of my head. She did a little research, gave me the “This has you written all over it!” pep talk and after that, I literally burst out of my chrysalis. This butterfly was free to flutter her wings and fly.
Please tell us about The Butterfly Influence.
All butterflies undergo a metamorphosis. That’s representative of life in general. In chaos theory, The Butterfly Effect is essentially a major event that happens as the result of something small occurring such as the simple flapping of a butterfly’s wings. It took my sister Marlette to help me understand how powerful my influence can be with others. Thus, The Butterfly Effect was born: The Butterfly Effect + Social Influence. When I got out of my own way, got the idea out of my head and launched my brand, I knew that I didn’t want to be like or compete with any other Social Influencers nor did I want to seek out brands to pay me to use their products or services like many of the mainstream influencers we see. I want people to see and feel my genuine passion for what I select to highlight and know that my experience and my review is from the heart and is my truth.
Social Influence is such a powerful movement. I like to interview the business owners on my platform so that people can see the face behind the business. It’s a lot of work to become an entrepreneur and to ultimately stay on that throne. I have always been fascinated by people’s “Why?” Your “why” tells your story, draws people in and connects their hearts to your brand. It’s important for my followers to make that connection. I am always open to learning more about new brands! If I don’t like my experience, I just don’t post about it. The second wing of The Butterfly Influence is working with entrepreneurs on their marketing and branding, emceeing some of the best galas, luncheons and symposiums around town, and a new title that I recently added to my resume is “Actress”. I was in a commercial for Facebook a few months ago and my daughter and I were in one this month for an energy company. The bonus of this second wing of The Butterfly Influence is that it comes with financial benefits.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood was living in Royersford, Pennsylvania. As a child, my friends and I would put on our snowsuits and build snowmen, throw snowballs, ride the sled down the hill by our home and then sometimes, I was allowed to have dinner at my best friend Mary Ann’s house. It was a real treat to have a seat at someone else’s table for dinner at that age. What is funny is that I was so used to the way my Mom prepared and served our meals at home that it left me confused that Mary Ann’s Mom always served milk at supper time. I still laugh about how THAT specific memory stuck to me.
Image Credit:
XBJ Photography, CharlesDante
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