When it comes to dictating your career, Frances Naty Go took the reins when she opened her web development company, Goldlilys Media. “I’ve always wanted to be my own boss and have my own projects and clients to serve with my skills,” she said. “I wanted to support my community with the knowledge I’ve gained throughout the years and be an important asset. ”But being her own boss came with its challenges.
Frances began to learn new skills outside of web development, like marketing, sales, and accounting, to help her business thrive. Over time, she learned how to market for her ideal client, balance accounts, and explain how she accomplishes complex technical websites to non-technical clients. “I’m still working on the perfect formula for my business, but I know how to choose the right kind of clients from how I market my business,” she explained. “I learned that not everyone is going to be my ideal client too, but all I have to do is focus on the clients that appreciate and value my expertise and partnership.”
Frances is not a one-stop shop either. She develops long-term relationships with her clients to support their growth as they add new products or services. Plus, to cater to a wider variety of clients, she offers three packages, Sprout, Growth, and Bloom. Each provides everything a business could need from brochures to ecommerce to mobile applications. “I love to work with designers with different styles and clients coming from different backgrounds. Making websites is my version of art,” she said. For the future of Goldlilys Media, Frances plans to hire more employees and mentor younger developers in the IT industry.
Her advice to other women business owners is to “not be afraid to ask as many questions to your designers and/or web developers. As, in order to sell your products or services from your website, we have to know who you really are so we can design and build a website that you and your customers will love.”
Besides her dedication to helping others, she finds support for her growth through the International Association of Women. “IAW has helped me get back to networking again for my business since the pandemic,” she said. “They helped me find a new community of amazing women who truly care about helping other women grow their businesses. Even if everyone has different businesses, everyone goes through similar challenges in the beginning and there is always someone who has found a solution to your problem. All you need to do is to ask for help.”
She especially thanks Kellie Sabas for introducing her to IAW and the San Diego Local Chapter. They showed her how fun learning together can be and that each member of a team is vital to success. Now, Frances is the Secretary of the San Diego Local Chapter, and her advice to new IAW members is to “ask any of the leadership team when you have a question because they can connect you to the right person you need.”
Connect with Frances:
Want to find a community like Frances’? IAW is open and waiting for women from all around the globe to join our community of professional women who want to expand their horizons just like you. Register for one of our weekly events, or find a local chapter near you to get started.
