The emPOWERed Half Hour

Social Media Magic in Mary Topalovic’s Journey to Success

• Becca Powers / Mary Topalovic • Season 1 • Episode 69

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What if you could turn your passions into a thriving business?

In this episode of The EmPOWERed Half Hour, Becca sits down with Mary Topalovic, founder of Soul Connected Brand, and Becca’s own social media manager. Mary shares her journey from part-time side hustle to full-time entrepreneur, explaining how she found her path in social media, connected her skills with her values, and grew a brand that resonates with others.


Key Moments You Won't Want to Miss:

  • Finding Your Path in Social Media - Mary discusses the "aha" moment that sparked her love for social media, revealing how the platform’s creative potential inspired her to launch a brand focused on authenticity.
  • Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneurship - Listen as Mary recounts her journey from side hustle to full-time entrepreneur, sharing insights into the mindset shifts and determination it took to go all-in on her passion.
  • Building Relationships Through Authenticity - Mary highlights why connecting with clients on a genuine level has been foundational to her success and offers advice on how other entrepreneurs can do the same.


About Mary

Mary is a Social Media and Community Manager dedicated to making brands shine on social media. She specializes in driving brand awareness, ramping up follower engagement, and cultivating strong customer relationships to build thriving online communities.

Over the years she has worked with multiple International Bestselling Authors, Fortune 500 Sales Executives, Keynote Speakers featured on CBS, NBC, FOX and Chicken Soup for the Soul and other leadership visionaries.


Connect with Mary Topalovic


Follow Becca Powers:

Note: We use AI transcription so there may be some inaccuracies

Becca Powers: Welcome to another episode of the empowered half hour. And today I bring you one of my favorite people that I get to work with every single week. I am bringing you Mary. She is my social media manager, but she does not work for power speak potential. She works for herself and soul connected brands.

Yeah. and she's a social media manager to entrepreneurs. And let me just tell you too, she is fire. So if you're listening to this, there's a good chance you follow me on social media. I know you guys think that's me, but it's not. It's Mary and Mary does a really good job at, taking on the persona of the client she decides to work with.

Cause she is selective and, Just really freaking nails it. And I feel like, like Mary is a part of our team, not just somebody that's a contractor that works with us. So Mary is, our social media manager and we, let her run that title and give her full power to create. So anyways, that's a lot about Mary.

Mary, welcome to the empowered half hour. 

Mary Topalovic: I'm so excited to be here. Thank you so much for having me. 

Becca Powers: I know. So let's tell, the audience a little bit before we get into your backstory. It's how is it working with me and Linnea? I want to know. 

Mary Topalovic: I love it. I love it. we've been doing this for quite some time now.

It's been It's probably been over a year or something. I think so. And I love it. It's good energy team. I relate to both of you. It always feels like catching up with good friends. Yeah, like we've known each other for longer than what we've been actually knowing each other for. Yeah, I enjoy it. I love your mission.

I love your business. I relate to it on personal level with my values as well. And yeah, it's just my honor and privilege to serve you in such a way and support you and see you just flourish out there, you 

Becca Powers: honor to have you part of the team and part of all that growth and everything too.

So how long have you been doing this for? 

Mary Topalovic: Full time. It's been over three and a half years. I've done it part time before that. Probably for another, like, two years ish. so yeah, quite some time. I would say going full time, right at the cusp of COVID, was really good timing for me because like all the chaos outside, it allowed me just to kind of like cocoon in my home and, be flexible and take care of myself as I wanted.

So. That's really cool. 

Becca Powers: So I do want to get into a little bit more of the backstory of how you started your business and why, but I have always just been curious to ask you this question. Like, how did you fall in love with social media? And what made you be like, this is what I want to do because it's such an important piece.

And it's also. so hard to figure out for a lot of people and it's very time consuming, so what you do is a godsend. I'm like, thank you, Mary! But, how did you fall in love with the craft? 

Mary Topalovic: Well, before actually doing social media, me and my boyfriend, we started Started educating ourselves online, all about marketing, online business and everything, and we've done that for a couple of years before actually finding out the side of a business that's social media.

And then I was like, Hmm, let me, take care of this for us. The more I went into it, the more I was like intrigued by it. And, soon I started doing some video editing. I fell in love with Canva and then I fell in love with social like reels, the creative of social media really started to come up, you social media before it was like for personal use or it was just business, but I fell in love with the emerging trend of Small businesses actually being super creative and fun and entertaining, but also super valuable.

And I was like, I like this side of business slash entertainment slash personal, you

I really became super involved in it and started to see it and started to enjoy it and consume it. And then, All of a sudden I had this moment where I was like, well, actually, if I pull all of my skills, prior knowledge of, marketing, my good English, because English is not my first language.

I'm from Slovenia. So, all of that, and then creative in Canva and then videos. And it just kind of like all clicked. And I was like, well, all of these skill sets. And I was like, that would be pretty cool to be able to merge all of those things into one and actually, do what I want to do and it clicked, it fell into place.

And I was like, this is my jam. 

Becca Powers: Yeah, that's how, you know, it was meant for you, right? The universe supported you and there you go. Yeah. 

Mary Topalovic: And it even came to be in a way where. It was so random. someone else mentioned like, Hey, I think this would work for a social media manager. And I was like, huh, well, okay.

Becca Powers: it just came so organically together and it was just, I love when that happened, really something I've been waiting for my life, to get this clear message of this is where you should go. And I was like, yes, thank you. Finally, you that's really cool. What would you say to a listener?

Who, is exploring starting their own business or becoming a solopreneur or an entrepreneur and, feel like they're in the groove too, but just afraid to start, what would you say to them? 

Mary Topalovic: You don't have to take it so seriously, you don't have to risk it all and go for it right from the start, the whole thing of scary emotions comes up with this idea of go big or stop or go home, you kind of like you have to go into get debts, quit your job, risk it all you don't have to, but It's fine if you do it part time and just dip your toes slowly and follow the curiosity and, before I did it full time, I did it part time and I was like, yeah, this makes sense.

This is who I am. some people it works if you jump straight in. Some people need that. But there are also other people who just Feel more calm and more creative if they take it slowly one step at a time And that might be less scary for some people and just follow the curiosity just follow the crumbles just just go with it and Trust that if you do good job and if you meet the right people who you actually love working with, more will come.

It will open, just have that trust in your skills. And I would say that would be something 

Becca Powers: I love. Follow the curiosity because. the, the whole picture doesn't unfold in one moment of time, you you have to take those little steps. And I think each time you make a step, you get more clarity.

 like, you said, you start to know yourself. Is this something I want to do? And then you're like, Oh my God, this is not only something I want to do. This is something I love to do. And then you can put more energy into it. Or you might find out like, Oh, this is really just something that should be a hobby.

 I enjoy it, but I don't want to do it for a living. But anyway, I thought that was such really good feedback for the listeners because so many people do, do want to start their own thing and they always think I have to do this or that. And I'm a big advocate of this and that.

And I love that you said that because, Hey, listeners, if you want to start something, you're allowed to check that out. It's pretty cool. Definitely. 

Mary Topalovic: Yeah. where do you start might not be your end destination. 

Becca Powers: I love that you just said that. Yeah. Where do 

Mary Topalovic: you start might just lead you to the next thing.

 you might learn something else on the side and it's just like follow that one step. It's fine. No one knows all the steps and you don't have to freak out because you don't know them. It's fine. Just take one, enjoy that one, And like you said, follow the curiosity and it will lead you to where you have to be, where you will actually enjoy it.

Becca Powers: I absolutely love that. since you have your expertise in social media, what's a tip or a trick you can share, to a listener who is maybe just starting out? 

Mary Topalovic: Well, the biggest thing I would say, with accounts socials is posting is not enough. have to be social on social media.

one of my biggest, I love that you said that cause it's true. Yeah. One of my biggest things that are non negotiable with my packages when clients work with me is engagement. And I say it straight up to my clients, like, if you don't feel comfortable with me doing the engagement in your name and just going out there making connections, liking, following, responding, then we are not the right fit because I see it so many times where people just post and ghost.

And that's not gonna fly. It's not gonna work on social algorithm requires us to be active. Algorithm loves us to be social and communicate with our audience as well. And that's the fastest way you can see some results. So I would say if you're just starting out, maybe posting three times per week on your socials, sit down three times per week for 30 minutes, put on a timer and just engage on your account in your name.

And just go out there, follow people who might be interested in what you have to say, people who are in your same niche, people who follow people who are in your same niche, and just connect, comment, respond to DMs as fast as you can, and just post stories behind the scenes. Be a human as well as a business.

It's important for that engagement and the best social accounts and businesses that thrive on social accounts are those that show a bit of personality. They'd show a bit of what's going on in their life that are, present people can trust. Those are the ones that perform the best nowadays on socials.

Becca Powers: Yeah, that's awesome. it's taken me a long time to do videos and we just started doing the shorts and they're doing really well too. Yeah, 

Mary Topalovic: yeah, they are. So you're going to have to do more of those. No, like I saw you messaged 

Becca Powers: me that. 

Mary Topalovic: They are amazing and I love them and I love seeing your energy through sharing what lights you up.

It's just like, it's enjoyable to see when someone's speaking to you and they light up. It just lights other people up, and people respond to that emotional charge, That's really cool. 

Becca Powers: so let's go back into your lessons. So now you're an, a solopreneur slash entrepreneur. You help other people bring their brands to life online.

What is a lesson you've learned either through working with clients or starting your own business at whatever angle you want to take? 

Mary Topalovic: I feel like also my best unique quality that I have is. I relate to people on a personal level as much as I care about their business as well. I really put in the effort to create a good relationship with my clients and people appreciate that nowadays I've heard so many times when people were hiring someone for socials or for any other like And they were left disappointed, frustrated because they were like, Oh, I just feel like I paid them.

And they just said, here to go by, people crave real relationships, crave having people on team that care about their business as much as they do. And it really shows in a lot of appreciation and quality of work when you have those solid relationships with people you work with. And to me, that was always important.

And that's one of the reasons why I choose who I work with and I don't just, you know, I don't want to just go with everyone because I want to feel good when I have a call with my client or when I ask them something, or I type them a message. It feels good to me, you I don't want to walk on eggshells around them and tiptoe and not know what they're thinking that type of tension creates weird energies and that dims your creativity.

It dims your productivity and that's essentially not good for both sides. not for me, not for the client. So the best way to ensure the good quality of work and performance on social for me is to actually get to know my clients, get to know like why they care about their business as much as they do.

Why should I care and how can I translate that to others so that they know as well? Why should they care? 

 

Becca Powers: I think that's so powerful because not only is that powerful for me as one of your clients, but I think the message is something that's very transferable to the audience because, there's a lot of us who hustle or are solopreneurs and.

We all want to make money doing what we love. but there's sometimes a desperation to it. And, I'm much more mindful like you're like now, if I'm taking on a client, it needs to feel like if I'm going to be keynoting or training or something like that, it needs to feel like there's a synergy that I understand their business, that I'm pumped to do it because at the end of the day, I do want to enjoy my work.

And, if there's, a lack of connection, then sometimes It's just not the best business partnership, and things go sour when the connection's not strong. And like you said, a lot of people who you help have said, Oh, I hired this person and weren't engaged. They just took my money.

And that contract may have only lasted two or three months. So it didn't work for the person who was looking at their client as a transaction. So I think there's a really valuable lesson that you're sharing too, is feel connected to the people that you work with and you that it opens up for not only fun and health in the relationship, but it also opens the door for more abundance and prosperity.

Like you said, you get organic referrals just because we all love you. 

Mary Topalovic: Yeah, yeah, youis relevant to all sorts of businesses like businesses or if you're just an employee, life is easier when you're working with someone who's fun and, you know, relaxing.

You still get loads done. Interestingly enough, people sometimes equate fun and good to chat or good relationship and then they're afraid, Oh my gosh, but we're not going to be productive. That's not true. before I started my journey as a solo entrepreneur, I was working in a store, and I remember to this day, whenever I go there, I still have friends and I love to see them.

But I know for a fact that there were a few of those that I was just like, whenever I saw my name next to them, we're on the same shift together. I was like, yes, done so much. But yet we had fun. We had a coffee break. They took care of me. I took care of them. I love that that can exist in any setting either.

It's corporate either It's a business whatever it is. I feel like it's applicable to everything to every area of your life so I 

Becca Powers: agree. obviously you're passionate about what you do But what would you say? You're most passionate about

Mary Topalovic: I would say the creative part of it. and the organizing part of it, I love just putting things together and I love bringing something that a client says to me and they're like, I see it like this, and then they just talk to me and then I ask them the questions and then I can actually make that a reality.

And when they see it, they're like, yes. How did you know? Yes. That's my favorite part when I can actually nail down, what their vision in their head was that they even couldn't bring it out of themselves. And I could that part is so satisfying to me because I can just see them light up and they're like, finally someone who gets it.

That to me is the highest compliment. honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to, replace that with seeing that satisfaction. It's just something that lights me up each time. And, To get to those things where you can actually nail it to the T, you have to know your client and it just comes back to it.

 if you know them and you ask them and you really get into their head and really see what they want, that moment happens because of it. And that to me is just like such a huge confirmation of okay, what you're doing is good because it just reaffirms like, They trust you, you get them, they love it.

It's just like, clap, clap, 

Becca Powers: I'm just smiling over on this side because, the listeners don't know all the behind the scenes, but I'm in the middle of a website rebuild for the gazillionth time. And then to Mary's point, she's like, she's like, well, it's nice. But can I give it a try?

Can I show you what I see? And I'm like, yeah, of course. You're Mary. yeah, let's do it. And what she showed us was so beautiful that I started implementing it. And so, there's a good chance that if you visit the website. actually named everything. You don't know this, but in Canva, I named everything Mary's version.

Mary Topalovic: I love that. 

Becca Powers: So the website will be very great. I'm glad you like 

Mary Topalovic: it. know, there was also no attachment to it because website design is not my main forte. There is a bit of graphic design to what I do, but, I've also do some branding on the site. So it's not my main thing.

Place, but, I even left it for you. I was like, check it out, no attachment, use it or don't I love you. If you feel like I send it, you're like, nah, this is not it. I wouldn't mind. It's fine. You know, but I like that. You like it. I'm happy that it's. Well, it 

Becca Powers: goes back to what you're saying, though, like you have become part of my brain.

I feel like as a social media manager, 

Mary Topalovic: I should because you're like the face of the brand. And for me to actually make it sound like you, because I want to be an extension of you, not just like, Oh, this is Mary writing and this is Becca. I have to get into it. I love that. I was just like, she's 

Becca Powers: seeing things in there.

It's part of my brain. So let's transition a little bit. What's an empowering message? that you can share with the audience. and I want to ask it in two ways. So the first one is I want you to, share an empowering message with someone who is flirting with their hopes and dreams, but hasn't started yet.

Mary Topalovic: Hmm. the world is not going to fall apart. If you don't make it, you try. And if it doesn't work out, you're gonna be fine. It's gonna be fine. The world won't stop. You can always give it another try. don't strive for perfection, but for progress. That's my main thing. You know, everything is figureoutable.

You can try it, give it a go, tweak it as you move, and it's gonna be fine, you don't go over what you feel comfortable with, don't just jump in because someone said you should, just take it at your own pace, feel into it, In the beginning I had, Only one or two clients. And that was enough work for me.

And I was like, Oh my gosh, this is a lot, and as you move through, you learn how to navigate when you have more and more and it's fine that way. you don't have to stress about where you're going to be in five years time. It's great to have an intention, but. Learn to also be present on the journey and just focus on the progress.

 what did you do today? That's getting you closer. And today and today, and just take those little steps. They will accumulate. They will pile up into making that shift eventually, you

Becca Powers: Yeah, that's beautiful. So now I want to ask it in a different way because we have your expertise here.

 what's an empowering message for someone who is ready to show up on social media? Because I have to say, That visibility is so scary. Some people start their businesses and this is just what I've learned in coaching and training and all these things. And they're like, Oh, I've created my website, but nobody knows I exist.

And I'm like, how are you doing on social media? Well, I haven't wanted anybody to know what I'm doing yet. I'm like. Well, it's kind of comes with the territory. You got to throw yourself out there. I get that it's uncomfortable, but it's social media is part of the visibility process. So what would you say to someone who is considering starting their business or the brand and has to take on the beast of social media?

Mary Topalovic: Yeah, I would say start with a bit of a plan, you write down, like what do you want to show up as? sometimes you're just showing up randomness. And it's kind of like my page doesn't make sense anymore. make a bit of a plan, like what are the key topics you want to talk about?

And just follow those, you I always refer to it, like as content pillars, have a few of those down and then just. talk about those in different variations in different ways to just make your presence on social make sense and on brand, rather than just posting randomly, just for the sakes of it, because, you also want to represent your business.

In a way that it deserves and I feel like a bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way when it comes to it and then just show up every day. I'm sorry. There's no easy way around it. There's no way to avoid it. Just show up, and practice, not everyone that gets on the phone when you have to say something is natural.

It's fine. We all sound weird and look weird when we do our first video. That's a good. Oh, my God. I was so weird. Mary. 

Becca Powers: Hey, 

Mary Topalovic: the weird was turned up a couple notches. I'm not gonna lie, right? And it comes down to practice, um, at the beginning of my. My journey when I started showing myself up and my journey on socials, I would do a 90 day challenge, which is like every day for 90 days, I would record a video, a thought, a tip, a story, whatever.

And I would just record for the sakes of it. I wouldn't post it, but I would just record it and save it so I could analyze myself as I would go. And just look back at it, and be like, Oh, this is what I should do. Oh, my, face looks weird when I do this face, you or like, Oh, I should release my shoulders.

It's fine. Relax, and stuff like that. It's very helpful, to do that. And then, when you feel comfortable after like 90 days ish, or if you want to cut it down into 60, I feel like that would be enough as well. then start posting and just be mindful of like, oh, this is what works and oh, I got a lot of response to this and that, so those types of tips of just being mindful of, what you're doing, what you're posting and how it's received on social.

and what to tweak around because we also want to make the most out of it, pay attention to your insights and what they are telling you. Don't just post, you I hope that answers the question. No, 

Becca Powers: it totally does, because I think that the message, although.

They're different. There's a similar theme and it's just like to start and then add in consistency, those reps, they don't have to be big steps, but you get those reps in, it's kind of like working out, you might start off with a three pound dumbbell. And then after 60 days, you're on to a 10, 

 it's very similar to that. And social media brings out the weird in people. So what I got to say, guys is where I am now and where I started, we are not the same person. 

Mary Topalovic: You couldn't have come to this place if you wouldn't have put in so much. And if you wouldn't start, you can't expect yourself to be perfect, from the get go, like it really happens, really doesn't happen.

And it's fine. We've all been through it. And I look back at some of our old stuff and I'm like, Oh my God. Yeah, because you're testing out certain things and then you already don't know what you're doing. And then you also test and it just comes out a mess and it's fine. all messy and we all tweak as we go, and it's just fine.

Like even the best speakers in the world. Like on video on TV in person, they've all been through it. It's fine. no one, it's 

Becca Powers: fine. Yeah, 

Mary Topalovic: it's fine. No one will judge you like, Oh, you're making your second video. they won't expect you to, be like a real entertainer. it's fine.

It's fine. Don't take life so seriously. it doesn't have to be all perfect. Social media is like a definite place of showing you it's not all perfect, and neither do you have to be, I love that message. 

Becca Powers: So, last question before we wrap up. What's a current a ha that's up for you right now?

Mary Topalovic: Current a ha for me? Um, self care, health. Nice. That's a big, big piece of my life at the moment. I love my work and that combined with a bit of like a workaholic self that I have within me, that isn't it. I have to take care of myself, as much as I enjoy what I do. It shouldn't be all that's not my all.

I should take care of myself. I should take care of my health and a nap every now and then is fine. Nothing will fall apart. If I take a nap, you if I go to the gym that one hour, I'm not going to miss anything. I won't. be late with anything, it's fine. again, giving myself that piece of grace and compassion because I'm running it, so I should feel good.

You know what I mean? Like I can't run it if I'm not okay, if I'm not taking care of myself. that idea of like pushing, pushing, pushing, hustling all the time, especially when you're starting off. Yes, that's important. And take care of yourself. It's, it's a weird thing with health.

 Sometimes take it for granted and when it shuts down when your body is not cooperating you're just like Oh my gosh, I wish I had my health like it is important and that's why I relate to your message and your business as well because it's all about, burnout prevention all about enjoying your spark in a healthy matter, and enjoying your gifts and doing what you love, but not forgetting that.

At the end of the day, you're the one that's doing these things. And if you're not feeling good, it's not going to be good. Your business is not going to be good. A hundred percent. So that's like my most recent aha. So I'm taking a lot of time for naps, for yoga, for walks, for massages, different types of things.

 I'm, leaning into that a bit more, and adding it in because I do deserve it. I work hard and I I 

Becca Powers: just love that you've mentioned naps a couple times because I can definitely say more in like highly productive women naps is like a sign of failure. Like what? I can't take a nap. Do you understand what's on my plate?

Like a nap? that's a luxury, but it's so good to rest. not, I don't nap. Well, but in lieu of napping, I live in Florida, so I've got the palm trees and I made my backyard look like a resort because I work from home but I go into my little, chair hammock and I sit there for 15 minutes and I let.

have no phone. I stare at birds. I just, do whatever. And I come back and I'm like, nothing fell apart. 

Mary Topalovic: Yeah. It's still running. Like I'm not bankrupt. It's fine. It really is. And it's not always enough. That's just my, thing. I found it to be the most, Soothing and relaxing and rejuvenating thing for myself, but find what works for you.

Like you said, maybe it's just 15 minutes out in the nature. Maybe it's taking a bath. Maybe it's putting on a face mask and just eating a cookie or two, like whatever, For me, it is a nap. my brain is always on. And even if, when I try to do these self relaxing things, it's 50 50.

Sometimes I can quiet it down. Sometimes I can't, but with nap, I definitely do. And when I want to bet on like, I need to relax, I kind of go to this one, which is like the most proven way to work for me, so it's kind of like finding those times. Tiny slots of time during your day, throughout your day to just do like some 15 minutes, an hour, 20 here, 10 here, you don't have to work around the clock.

I love that message. It does wonders, you

Becca Powers: So perfect. It's so perfect. Give yourself permission to rejuvenate. we all need it. We all need it. So, well, Mary, we're at 30 minutes. It flew by. Tell the listeners how they can follow you. 

Mary Topalovic: Yeah, I'm most active on Instagram, Soul Connected brand. I have my details there.

I have loads of freebies and I also have my website linked to that. I enjoy it and, I'm working with social accounts all day long. So for me, I just need one. I'm fine. So, yeah, on Instagram, Soul Connected brand and follow me. That's awesome. Well, thank you for 

Becca Powers: everything you do for us and thank you for being a guest on the show.

Mary Topalovic: Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure.