7 Questions with Missy Creed McFerron
“ You never know what opportunities await by just saying yes. ”
What inspired you to start Dogwood Social and Jefferson City Magazine?
Dogwood Social started because I saw a need in the market for which I had the skill set to provide a solution. I noticed so many local business owners weren’t taking advantage of the free social networks they could use to share their stories and attract more customers. So, I reached out to an acquaintance and asked if she had ever considered outsourcing someone to manage her social media and she said yes! The rest is history.
We (Janelle, Sarah, and myself) actually acquired the company from Columbia Business Times, so I didn’t start it. The former publisher was ready to retire and Columbia Business Times didn’t have as strong of ties to this community so we were approached to consider and eventually ended up saying yes.
What is your source of inspiration; What do you enjoy about the industry and why?
I find the most inspiration for new ideas and direction of all businesses from travel and then in second place would be podcasts. What I enjoy most about all the industries we work in is that they’re constantly changing and evolving. Every day is a new day and with the way technology plays a role in our companies, there’s always something new to learn.
What is something you do not enjoy about the industry?
Deadlines can be stressful, but that comes with the job. If I had to choose one thing that I don’t enjoy is that it’s not always easy to find the true impact I’m making in the world. There are rewarding factors to all of our businesses, but there are also times when I have to dig deep to find the humanitarian impact we’re making which is something I personally care about.
What inspires you to do a good job for a client and why?
It all boils down to my reputation and my word as a human being and being a person that other business owners can trust. I always want to do a good job because I want to be proud of the work I produce and I want my name to mean something. The work one puts out into the world becomes their brand and I always want the brand to be trusted and held in high regard.
What is your background? (education, professional training, etc.)
I have a B.S. in Fashion Design from Missouri State University. I’ve worked all sorts of jobs which I truly believe have helped me to be able to dream big and manage so many businesses. After college, I taught ESL in S. Korea and was able to travel the world for two years. The education I got by experiencing different cultures and places outside of the USA has served me well and formed who I am today.
What gave you the idea for Campus Coworking Space and its free-form way of running an office?
We actually didn’t come up with the idea. Coworking is widely popular all over the world. We were just the first to bring it to Jefferson City. We were in a group of entrepreneurs who saw there was a need in our area and took the risk to provide it.
What is something you wish you knew when you first started that you wished you knew now?
Saying yes to everything when you’re starting out is a great idea. You never know what opportunities await by just saying yes. But you also need to know when it’s time to take a step back, recalibrate, and focus on what you’re good at. People will pull you in all kinds of directions if you let them and you don’t have to always say yes to everything forever.
Ainsley Lamb, is a 2022 Jefferson City High School graduate who interned with Missy her 2nd year of the Nichols Career Center Graphic Design program.