Interview of Joy Gendusa

Episode Summary:

In the latest episode of the InPowered Women's Podcast, host Sharon Lee interviews Joy Gendusa. In this episode, Joy gives insights into how the idea of PostcardMania was born, and how she was able to grow the company from a start-up, with no capital, to a behemoth of approximately 388 staff members. She delves into learning from her mistakes, especially in marketing and using that to her advantage and increasing her revenue.

Joy shares the importance of putting in the work, and not letting challenges come in the way, her natural progression from marketing to online ads, and how she was able to maintain longstanding relationships at work. Finally, she closes off by giving a piece of advice to other upcoming female leaders, and how she unplugs from work. 

 

Sharon Lee

Sharon Lee is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing expert dedicated to empowering female leaders. With a diverse background in sales and marketing across industries like advertising, magazine publishing, and solar energy, Sharon's journey showcases her versatility and determination. As the principal of Pinnacle Strategic Advisors, she assists businesses in enhancing their marketing strategies. Sharon's entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish her own consulting firm, reflecting her commitment to excellence. Alongside her professional pursuits, Sharon co-founded the InPowered Women's networking group, fostering mentorship and support for women in business. Through the InPowered Women Podcast, Sharon will share stories of resilient female leaders with listeners encouraging them to pursue their aspirations fearlessly.

 

Joy Gendusa Joy Gendusa is more than just a marketer. She is a successful entrepreneur, accomplished speaker, business owner, author and philanthropist. She founded PostcardMania in 1998 with only a phone, a computer and her own marketing savvy — no capital injections or outside funding whatsoever.

 

Insights from this episode:

• Insights into what PostcardMania is and how it was born
• Growing PostcardMania from a start-up for 26 years to a behemoth with approximately 388 staff members 
• Starting as a graphic designer, Joy highlights how she built her company
• The importance of putting in the work, despite challenges that may come your way 
• The importance of identifying gaps in businesses and being ahead of other entrepreneurs
• Joy Gendusa’s advice for young female leaders
• Why it is important to cultivate long-standing relationships at work
• What makes a successful postcard campaign and why postcards are important in marketing

 

Quotes from the show:

• “The size, not the quality of an organization’s mailing list and the number of mailings to it, determines the gross income of that organization” – Joy Gendusa, InPowered Women, Episode #11 
• “I definitely always felt like somebody knows better than I know. And there are so many people who know better than I know, to be truthful. I try never to be the smartest person in the room because I need to learn and grow” – Joy Gendusa, InPowered Women, Episode #11 
• On a successful postcard campaign: “You need a really good headline that immediately communicates either what the product or service is, or what the benefit is, or what problem does it solve for the recipient.” – Joy Gendusa, InPowered Women, Episode #11 
• “Do not try to close the sale on a postcard. The whole point of a postcard is to get somebody to reach so that you can collect the identity of that person and follow up with them for the rest