Lezlee Alexander
https://readwriteengage.comFour years in business helping others market themselves - by joining the GeekPack + Verizon Cohort Lezlee sharpened the message that mattered most: her own.
"Language was key for what I was able to get out of it. I'm grateful for that."
Lezlee knows marketing.
For four years, she's been helping nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors who are tired of trying to DIY their marketing - or don't even know where to start. She handles everything: brand strategy, website development, social media, email, newsletters, even proofreading.
But here's the irony that makes Lezlee's story so relatable: even someone who lives and breathes marketing for clients can let their own message run on autopilot.
In fact, this is more common than you might think.
For three years, she had the basics in place. The business was running. But she knew something wasn't as sharp as it could be - and it was time to go deeper.
This wasn't Lezlee's first time in the GeekPack + Verizon Cohort.
She'd been through an earlier version. But timing wasn't right, and she'll be the first to own it:
"It was kind of a half-invested effort."
This time was different. She paid attention, showed up to every session, and completed every assignment. When her cohort leader, Glenna, tapped her to serve as a cohort ambassador, she took that seriously too.
"I made sure to have my social media engagement hat on and get my tail in gear."
The program had also leveled up - more intermediate, more applicable to where she was in her business.
"I was able to dig a little deeper than the surface level I'd had."
The cohort challenged Lezlee in ways she didn't expect - not with technology, but with thinking.
Especially when it came to her OKRs.
"I do not understand or get the thinking behind OKRs. My brain just doesn't think that way."
Our answer: a custom GPT assistant designed to draw the right information out of each participant. For Lezlee, it was exactly the workaround she needed.
Then came the bridge - the connection between what she offers and how it actually transforms her clients.
"I'm not very good at thinking of bridges and transitions. That was hard for me - and Glenna was huge in helping me connect the dots."
Both challenges were frustrating at the moment. Working through them is exactly what led to the breakthrough.
Ask Lezlee what moved the needle most, and her answer is immediate:
"Language was key for what I was able to get out of it."
Stronger, more emotional language - built to speak to her buying customer, not just her general audience.
Before the cohort, Lezlee described her clients as "nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors." After it, she could articulate something far more powerful:
"Taking this program got it to a deeper level as far as who is more your buyer. It's more the frustrated DIY person - what are they feeling, where are they at - or those that don't even know where to start."
That shift - from "who I serve" to "what they're experiencing" - changed how she shows up in every conversation. She updated her website and her LinkedIn profile. And the difference is already clear.
"The language is better, stronger."
What stood out most is Glenna's ability to understand each participant's business - sometimes better than they can themselves.
She connected the dots between the Verizon Digital Ready courses and each person's actual needs, turning what could have been an overwhelming resource library into a curated, purposeful path.
"Glenna is an awesome instructor. It was the second time I'd had her as a teacher - and I think she was even better this time. She's great for guiding everything."
One of the things Lezlee values most about the cohort experience is the sense of shared journey.
"It's wonderful to have a group going through the same challenges at the same time. Even if the businesses aren't necessarily directly related, you're all going through the same processes."
Different industries, same growing pains - that's where connection happens. And for Lezlee, at least one of those connections has extended well beyond the program itself.
Lezlee isn't chasing growth for growth's sake. Her vision is intentional: keep learning and build a steady base of consistent clients.
"I don't think we're ever fully experts in anything at any one point. There's always something to learn."
With sharper language, a more targeted approach to outreach, and a clearer picture of exactly who her buying customer is - she's building toward exactly that.
Can you share a quick overview of your business?
I do brand marketing and communication services for nonprofits, fellow solopreneurs, and authors. I do anything from marketing strategy to website development and management, social media engagement, email and newsletters — basically those that are tired of trying to DIY their marketing, or don't even know where to start, or need an extra hand because they've actually gotten that busy.
How long have you been in business?
Four years now.
Do you have any employees or people you've worked with?
No, just me. Truly a solopreneur.
What problems were you looking to solve by signing up for the GeekPack + Verizon Cohort?
I've had the basics in my business for the past three years. I even went through an earlier version of the cohort, but I'll admit at that time the timing was a little off for me — so it was kind of a half-invested effort.
This one I definitely paid more attention, showed up routinely, did all the assignments. Glenna was great for guiding everything. She was also brilliant in tapping a few of us as ambassadors, so I made sure to have my social media engagement hat on and get my tail in gear.
Plus, it was a more intermediate level, which was really where I was at — more useful and applicable. I was able to dig a little deeper than the surface level I'd had.
Have you tried to learn about improving your digital presence before?
The earlier GeekPack/Verizon program was probably my most structured effort. I'm kind of an education junkie — always listening to podcasts, signing up for webinars, reading books that relate to business and mindset. Always learning.
Have you seen any tangible returns from implementing what you learned?
I'm definitely more confident in my language — the language has changed. I'm a little more structured in my outreach and approaching prospective customers. I'm very good at building relationships with everyone, but I'm getting a little more targeted in who might be a better customer fit, and making more of a point of actually offering and mentioning my services.
What were your biggest challenges during the cohort?
Definitely OKR. I do not understand or get the thinking behind OKRs — my brain just doesn't think that way. Glenna was amazing and ended up creating a GPT assistant for all of us to feed information into that pulled it out of us. That was a Godsend.
I'm also not very good at thinking of bridges and transitions. That was hard for me — and Glenna was huge in trying to connect the dots. Coming up with that bridge between what I offer and how it's actually transforming or useful for clients was a challenge, but we got there.
What else would benefit your business to learn?
I'm already in RevenueOS, which is very helpful for the hands-on practical aspects. Probably more of the same, but stepping things up as I go further along in business. I'm always looking for ways to improve my craft — website design, email communications and marketing, that kind of thing. I don't think we're ever fully experts in anything. There's always something to learn. I keep a pretty open mind about it.
Did you feel supported going through the Digital Ready courses and being part of the GeekPack community?
Definitely. Glenna was huge. She's an awesome instructor — it was the second time I'd had her as a teacher and I think she was even better this time.
The cohort itself is wonderful. Having a group of a dozen or so going through the same challenges at the same time — even if the businesses aren't directly related, you're all going through the same processes. That's extremely helpful. The app and systems within it are very useful. I'm thrilled with the GeekPack program.
Did joining the GeekPack cohort help with your progress in the Digital Ready courses?
Yes, definitely. I'm not always the best at knowing where to look for content that might be useful. So it's particularly valuable that GeekPack ties the programs together — pulling out just the right courses with useful tools alongside them. I likely wouldn't get as much out of the Digital Ready courses on my own.
What was your most impactful takeaway?
Thanks to the language I was able to develop with Glenna's help, I updated my website and LinkedIn profile. The language is better, stronger.
A real key was going from how I used to describe my clients — "I serve nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors" — to getting to a deeper level as far as who is really the buyer. It's more the frustrated DIY person. What are they feeling? Where are they at? Or those that don't even know where to start. So language was key for what I was able to get out of it. I'm grateful for that.
In your opinion, what was the most valuable part of being in this cohort?
The language was probably the biggest thing. The time — making the time for it. The guided learning, the structure, going through the who, what, where process. You can't beat the camaraderie of everyone showing up for each other. And the office hours and assignments were necessary to really move forward through the program.
What's your number one tip for someone who wants to learn a new skill or move forward in their business?
Hooking up with GeekPack is definitely advantageous. I think it's a valuable asset for any solopreneur or small business getting started. The cohort education process is very useful — and as I've learned across a few different stages of my business, you just think about your business differently as you go.
What does the future look like for your business?
Probably more of the same — with just a little bit more. I'm a solo business and I'm not planning to be an agency or hire anyone. Having a couple more clients a little bit more regularly — I'm looking forward to anchoring those processes a little bit more.
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