We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura McElyea and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind the success of the my business is understanding and valuing mental health and family. So many business owners get wrapped up in the daily madness of running a business and forget to slow down and take care of what matters most. Owning a business when you’re a parent is very challenging and it can take a toll on your mental health. It is important to not only take care of yourself as a business owner, but also recognize and appreciate your clients mental health as well. Not only do I take the time to understand a clients goals, but I take a well rounded approach to understand my clients on a deeper level. I take the time to understand the vision, the clients background and where they are in life with no judgement. Business is not all about analytics and sales sometimes, it’s about the human element. Through this process my client relationships last longer and my clients appreciate transparency and understanding. At the end of the day, I want my clients to feel heard and valued.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Their is going to be a moment in your life when you think the door is closing but in fact it is opening. Sometimes we can be blind to opportunity. Several years ago I had just relocated to South Carolina fresh out of the automotive business, working as an internet sales manager at a shed company. The hours in automotive were not accommodating to a single mom of twins, so I was looking for something different. After a year and a half of working for the shed company I was laid off right at the start of Covid. Like any normal person I was devastated to lose my job and I had 2 small kids to support without any help, I was freaking out. This is when I decided to completely change my mindset and the way I had been thinking. This company gave me a severance package for 6 weeks, so I knew I had 6 weeks to come up with a plan. I knew I was very good at sales, marketing and social media and I had made the shed company millions of dollars. Once they let me go I remember saying “thank you”. I didn’t cry once, I wasn’t upset, I was motivated. I thought to myself, if I can make someone else millions of dollars why can’t I do that for myself? In a moment of clarity, Intent Marketing Group was born. I knew that my skills were just too great to be an employee forever and I started to embark on my entrepreneurial journey. As a single mom of special needs twins everyone doubted me, said it was impossible etc. I trained myself to think better, work harder, and spend more time with the kids. I did not want my kids being raised by a nanny so I gave it everything I had. Almost 6 years later we are still going strong and growing everyday. 6 weeks turned into 6 years of freedom all because I was laid off and decided I wanted more. I want to encourage parents and everyone alike that anything is possible, it really has a lot to do with your mindset. Train yourself to think differently and you will be amazed at the results. Winners don’t give up on themselves, and I never did.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to recognize my father for always pushing me to be better. In the 90’s I watched my father pivot his career from hotel management to small business owner in the marketing and consulting space. I will never forget when we got our first computer with AOL and my father just knew we were about to build something great. My father taught me computers and had me attending board meetings at a very young age. My father saw something great in me I had not yet seen in myself. Right before my eyes he grew a profitable small business as a single dad in Michigan, teaching me everything he knew along the way. Throughout my life I had no idea he was building a legacy right before my eyes. Fast forward to 2023, my father just retired and sold our family business after over 20 years of service. My father is currently struggling with Parkinson’s disease but that doesn’t stop him from motivating me and teaching me everyday. Now it’s my turn as a single mother of special needs twins to take the torch from my father, and continue our legacy, and pass it to my own children. I am so grateful my father gave me the skills and the backbone to be strong and keep pushing when I wanted to give up. I also want to give a shout out to myself for believing in myself when employers wouldn’t see my value. I am destined to do great things and my children and I are here to change the world in a big way. Never give up!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intent_marketing_group/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/laura-mcelyea-93566712a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intentmarketingroup

Other: https://calendly.com/intentmarketingroup

Image Credits
These are originals I created.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSouthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.