I’m a Balanced Babe and…I’m the Cofounder of ParadigmNEXT

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Beauty and brains are powerful commodities when it comes to life, and Yana Nirshberg absolutely falls into both categories. Being the Cofounder and Creative Director of ParadigmNEXT, she is strategic, organized, poised and to round it off, on top of her fashion game. 

It’s no wonder why Yana is this week’s Balanced Babe! She breathes innovation into her projects, puts family first, makes room for self-care, and is a Chicago fashionista. Let’s dive in:

BB: Tell us a little more about ParadigmNEXT. How did you get the idea and how did you get started?

ParadigmNEXT has evolved out of a very real and present need to connect sales strategies with a coherent and relevant online strategy. Often times, business owners have great ideas about growing their businesses digitally, but the ideas get “lost in translation” when trying to convey their message. Everyone in the business from developers to social media strategists to designers and many more have to understand the business, their customers, their products and their messaging. All of us at ParadigmNEXT are entrepreneurs, and our team is diverse in the industries they’ve worked in prior to joining ParadigmNEXT. We’re different in that we take the time to make sure that our solutions are truly integrated into a multi-faceted marketing approach, rather than just completing tasks as many consultants often do.

BB: What skills do you think are most essential for young women in business today?

You cannot be afraid to lead! You must be able to get out of your comfort zone. You also need to have ambition and passion about your profession.

BB: What are three essential steps female entrepreneurs need to take when starting their own business?

1) Make sure you love what you do. 

2) Don’t lose track of the big picture. Some people tend to get overly excited about immediate results and successes instead of looking at everything from how it will affect the bottom line.

3) Envision where you want to be in six months, one year, and even three years from now. Having a clear understating of your goals will help you stay on track. 

 BB: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve  learned since becoming a business  owner? 

 Treat the relationships you build and your  professional and personal reputation as  your most valuable commodity. 

 BB: Being in the marketing/PR world,  what are some ways that female  entrepreneurs who are on a tight budget  can market themselves to the public?

 1) Develop and write a blog to establish yourself  as an industry expert is easy and cheap. The next  level would be to take advantage of the free  publishing platforms that allow you to distribute  your content.

 2) Be active in relevant groups and within  relevant social platforms.  

 3) Network within your community! That’s your  best referral base.

BB:  You also have a wonderful family and child, how do you balance work and personal time?

It’s honestly a daily struggle. I have yet to find a perfect balance but I do have one rule:  Sunday is ALWAYS a family fun-day!

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BB:  If we could take a peek at your daily schedule, what would it look like?

I’m typically up at 6:00am to have breakfast and spend some quality time with my family before the craziness of the day unfolds. I’m out of the house by 8:00am and in a daily team meeting by 8.30am. 

With two offices, I have to split my day between Glenview and Chicago with client and vendor meetings peppered in between. With the recent expansion of ParadigmNEXT, the daily routine has expanded to 14-hour workdays, but seeing results is what keeps me moving forward!

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BB: How do you maintain the Balanced Babe Lifestyle? 

– Breakfast is a must! 

– I have to unplug before bed and spend some quality time with a good book!

– I have a hard time with planned workouts, so I incorporate mini workouts into my daily routine. Silly dancing with my daughter to a fun jingle or a walk to a client meeting allows for some physical activity here and there!

BB:  Do you have any secret home remedies for your beauty? What about homeopathic cures for colds or ailments?

I don’t have any home remedies to share, but I am a huge fan of dry and wet saunas as a beauty and health fix. It helps detoxify my body and skin, as it keeps my skin glowing and it takes off any unnecessary water weight! Saunas also significantly reduce the possibility of colds and influenza during the winter season. 

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 BB: What’s next for you?

 We recently launched  ParadigmLABs, which is our  development arm. This service  offers a full breadth of digital  development services ranging from  web, to Android and iOS, as well as  custom applications. However, this  would be done in true  ParadigmNEXT style.  Clients would not only work with  developers, but also a full team of  entrepreneurs and  marketing experts, along with the  development talent to build a  product that is conducive to  rapid growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo source: Helen Berkun

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