YOU ARE ENOUGH. THERESA OSCHMANN

BY NICOLE HEROUX WILLIAMS I PHOTOS BY NSP STUDIO

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am Theresa Oschmann, a wife, mom, Oma (Dutch for grandmother) and an entrepreneur. My husband and I are empty nesters which sometimes makes me think how that is even possible when we share our home with The Rescue Trio, a dog (lab/ golden retriever mix) named Bailey and two tuxedo cats, Saber and Nya, all of whom came from the same rescue.

How long have you been an entrepreneur? What is your business?

I have been an entrepreneur for 10 years. As far as my business, I am business partners with a direct mail sales and marketing company. I work with businesses, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs to help them keep their clients (so that no ad, no Google search will take their clients and customers away from them), help them earn referrals, and build relationships that will grow their business.

What is “Hanging Out for A Living”? Tell us a little bit about it and how it got started. Hanging Out For A Living is actually a book written by the late Mark Herdering. It speaks to a method of doing business based on the idea that what you give away you get back … ten-fold! By building business relationships that are based on friendship, not revenue, you eventually end up with a strong revenue stream

PHOTOS BY JULIE OLDFIELD

that you didn’t have to give yourself an ulcer to generate. It’s easier to promote another’s business than it is to promote your own, but by doing so, your business grows… and grows, and grows!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mark several years ago and over the years watched him as he hung out with people and posted about it on his social media. When I asked his permission to the do the same, he said “Of course!” and the rest is history as they say.

Oschmann. If there was a picture next to the definition of the word Girt, it would be hers! Liz’s determination and courage to push through any challenge or obstacle thrown her way, her ability to be objective and to love whether she agrees or disagrees with my thought process, or anyone else’s, has me wanting to be like her when I grow up!

How did you start your business?

2023 ushered in year 22 of my career in higher education sales and marketing. The cornerstone of my career is deeply rooted in the relationships I’ve built over the years .... the relationships I continue to build. I believe that business is built on relationships, and I’ve made it my business to build them.

Who is someone that inspires you, and why?

My mother-in-love, Elizabeth

My passion for creating genuine relationships and appreciating my clients opened the opportunity of entrepreneurship. Creating a sales portfolio in the high six figures year after year doesn’t go unnoticed and when people started to ask me how I did it and would I show them how, I just had to say yes and the entrepreneurial journey began!

What are some mistakes you wish you could have avoided?

Saying “yes” when I knew the right answer was “no.”

Not setting boundaries. Not having a DMO (daily mode of operation)

What advice would you give to starting entrepreneurs?

Work harder on yourself than you do on your business.

What are some of the things you feel female entrepreneurs struggle with the most?

Self-care

A confusion in priorities. Feeling like we need to be everything to everyone. The feeling of not being enough … smart enough, talented enough. Asking for help.

How do you build a successful customer base? Do you find word of mouth or social media platforms are better for your business?

While most people want to know how they can market to get more business, I’ve learned that the keys to building a business are creating genuine relationships, appreciating your customers and clients, and being of service to others. As far as word of mouth or social media, for my business it’s both. When done right (and believe me when I tell you I see many people making big mistakes in what they send), direct mail will have new customers calling and old customers referring.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself? Conqueror inspiring and empowering others to live the life of their dreams, leading by example. If what comes across my path does not align with this statement, I respectfully take a pass. you apart from your competition? The uniqueness is in the personalization/customization and how our platform saves time, energy, and money all while making you money. The setting apart from the competition is the experience that is created; an experience where no ad or Google search will take clients and customers away because now there is an emotional ROI. As Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

What do you think defines someone who is a successful entrepreneur? Someone who isn’t chasing the money. Don’t get me wrong, the green stuff is powerful and compelling; it’s one of the main reasons we become entrepreneurs. According to some business experts though, you must be willing to climb over bodies to get to the top and you can only win at the expense of others. A successful entrepreneur is someone who has done it without hurting or exploiting others.

What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning of your journey? Mindset.

Time management. Networking and how I don’t need to belong to every networking group and chamber of commerce to build a successful business.

Ever think “I’ll never get that hour back” after meeting with someone? I hate to admit it, but I can’t even begin to count how many times I said that early on in my entrepreneurial journey so now I make sure to qualify prospects/any meeting I take.

What has been your greatest success?

What have you enjoyed most about being self-employed?

Being able to live life and not let life live me.

Where will we see you next?

Being a heart driven entrepreneur would not be complete without giving back. As a result, my husband and I have an emerging not-for-profit, Paw Pet Pantry so you will find me/us traveling across the country opening Paw Pet Pantry Chapters that will help fulfill our mission to provide no-cost cat and dog food together with limited pet supplies to those who are experiencing financial hardship in communities nationwide. In doing so, the organization helps to keep pets in loving homes while reducing shelter intakes and euthanasia.

For more inforamtion contact Theresa at theresa.oschmann@gmail.com

How have your priorities changed from when you first started?

My priorities now align with my core mission statement which is. I am

Buying my home as a single woman.

What is unique about your business and how you handle clients that sets