Meet Barb Davids of Compass Digital Strategies LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barb Davids.

Hi Barb, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be an important business woman in high heels, suit, carrying a briefcase walking down the skyways of Minneapolis, because that’s where I was living when I was in high school. Looking back, what I really wanted was freedom. I didn’t realize that until recently. I think that I thought back then that people who carried briefcases and beepers and wore high heels and walking in their business clothes across the skyways, they had the freedom to do what they wanted to do.

That’s what I’m doing today by having my own business. I wanted the freedom to do what I want when I want. To work any time, any where and still be able to make an income. I have a different thought around what freedom is compared to years ago. I thought it was the freedom to make my own choices, and it is, and also the freedom of emotional baggage.

I was working full time and had Compass Digital Strategies on the side. I was also a part-time professional fitness photographer. I went to a photography networking group and met my first client. We still work together today. From there Compass started helping other small businesses.

I didn’t realize who Compass Digital Strategies was when it opened but after working with my business coach, Heather Ferrari, Founder of The Women 360, I believe the company was started to help business owners make sense of their marketing with someone they can trust. Who will give it to them kindly direct.

In my corporate life there were so many times when I got frustrated at the companies we worked with, not being transparent and I couldn’t see what value I was getting most of the time. I was tired of hearing the same stale marketing advice. Compass helps service-based business owners find their marketing sweet spot through integrity and compassion-driven partnership so they can grow their business with clarity, calm, and a marketing path that’s uniquely theirs.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The 2nd biggest struggle I’ve had is when 2020 happened. I lost most of my clients because they pulled back on marketing spend. At the time, my clients were very dependent on tourism or travel. Everything shut down. Thankfully it was for a short time but it was scary because of the uncertainty of how long it would last. The absolute biggest struggle I’ve had is allowing myself to “be seen”. I didn’t realize when I started my business that I’d actually have to get out and show my face and talk to people! Hah! I had a lot of deep seated beliefs that I wasn’t good enough and that I didn’t matter. That really held me back for a lot of years. And it’s not fully gone but I’m better able to talk to myself about it. I think the comical (because I can’t think of another word for this) part to me is that I didn’t see that I had that belief until a couple years ago. I was feeling really down about my life and seeing my business was stagnant. I couldn’t figure out why people weren’t just lining up at my door all magical like. I would get a couple of referrals here and there but it wasn’t enough to grow my business. I felt like I was always working but the business wasn’t growing. Going through this struggle has really allowed me to grow in my business and personally.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Compass helps service-based business owners find their marketing sweet spot through integrity and a compassion-driven partnership so they can grow their business with clarity, calm, and a marketing path that’s uniquely theirs. We specialize in simplifying SEO, AI SEO and organic website marketing (meaning non-paid marketing strategies, advertising on Google or other platforms) so it actually feels doable and fits how they run things day to day.
What sets Compass apart is the way we work with clients… with integrity, compassion, and a practical approach that’s tailored to each one of them. We don’t do cookie-cutter reports or vague advice here. Every strategy is personalized, honest, and meant to help business owners feel clear about what’s happening with their marketing and, importantly, why.
I’m most proud of the trust clients place in me and my company. Many come to us feeling stuck or having tried things (strategies or other agencies) in the past that didn’t work and they leave saying things like, “I feel so much better now.” I love that for Compass. Helping business owners find their marketing sweet spot so they can grow their business and trust someone to help them do it right. They can trust that we care about them and their business.

Compass offers varied services depending on where business owners are in their marketing journey. For those who want focused direction and done-with-you support, we offer Personal Consulting with customized strategy and ongoing guidance to help connect marketing efforts to actual results. Our Website Power-Up Plan™ is a good starting spot because it offers a glimpse into how we work without a commitment. And it’s packed with a LOT of value for the business owner with recommendations to re-energize their website for more visibility and more consistent leads. For those who just want someone else to handle it all for them, we do that too… SEO, AI SEO, content strategy, analytics, all of it. And we have some freebie ways to learn more about website marketing through my weekly Small Business Sweet Spot podcast that shares marketing insights to help service-based business owners feel inspired to take meaningful action.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Oh boy do I! Do it all. Do it all at least once. As people, as businesses, we run through different seasons. We grow. We shift. We get new goals when we meet current ones. I had to admit I needed help. I couldn’t do it all myself. My advice is to write down what you want to get from a mentor and/or networking. For example, I wanted to find a business coach that cared about me, about my business. You can tell when you work with someone if they care or not. You can tell in a phone consultation. I’ve worked with two business coaches and a health coach that also dabbled in helping my business. I ended up with some really great mindset advice from my health coach that helped me in business. I’m pretty sure that piece of advice was the start of getting out of my stagnant phase. Her name is Tanessa Shears. I don’t think she does business or health consulting anymore. I shared with her that I always felt behind. Like I could never catch up. She offered a framework called CTFAR model by Brooke Castillo. Circumstances → Thoughts → Feelings → Actions → Results. Lay out what you’re thinking and reframe it to something more positive. I had to be aware so I could catch it. Moving to today, my current business coach is so incredibly helpful at pulling out information from me and putting it all together in a very clear way for me to look at. I met Heather Ferrari through her business development group, The Women 360. I really hadn’t been networking much all over the years. And when I moved here to Gilbert, I felt it was time. I did a ChatGPT search on women’s networking groups in the area and The Women 360 popped up. I signed up before even going to a meeting because of their socials and website. I could tell it was a great group. So I signed up. Went to a meeting. Then took the opportunity to meet with Heather for a coffee and we chatted. And before the end of our chat, I knew I had to work with her. I rarely spend time on my own business and this allows me that time and accountability. So I say go to a variety of things. It’s more likely that you will regret not going than going. Because even if you go to an event and it doesn’t have an immediate tangible outcome of some kind, you likely learned a nugget of some kind. Even if happens to an event with people that aren’t up your alley, maybe you went to a new location that you’ve never been to before! Adventure!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://compassdigitalstrategies.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassdigitalstrategies/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barb-davids/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@compassdigitalstrategies

Image Credits
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