Tena Pettis brings new media business to the historic area
Website: http://www.tenaciousedge.com/
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With clients ranging from credit unions to craftspeople who make jewelry with healing energy crystals, Tenacious Design and Social helps businesses create their brands, logos and social media strategies.
With that in mind, a quaint brick building on Seventh Street on St. Paul’s East Side might seem like an odd home for a cutting-edge media company, but it perfectly fits the personality of Tena Pettis, founder of Tenacious Design and Social.
And that’s no accident. Because Pettis helps entrepreneurs develop social media strategies and their online personas, it’s important that she is comfortable with her own.
Her rustic roots, developed while growing up in Brainerd and going to college in Bemidji, come through in her sense of style. Pettis, now a mother of three, currently lives in Hudson.
Prior to moving her business to Dayton’s Bluff, Tenacious Design called the historic Selby-Dale neighborhood home. She found the new location with the help of the East Side Area Business Association.
“We really wanted to have the same feel,” said Pettis, who is excited about the new developments in the neighborhood, including Mississippi Market and the expansion of Metropolitan State University.
Comfort is important for her clients, so knowing who you are and how you want to make money are the keys to success. According to Pettis, you can start with these two questions:
“What do I want to do?”
“Who do I want to reach?”
Too often, in an attempt to reach to everyone, businesses end up reaching no one, according to Pettis. In order to stand out, brands need to be targeted and have a consistent message on social media. Interacting with clients through Instagram, Twitter, and a regularly updated blog help you build your community. People want to interact.
Pettis says these targeted strategies is how you can “get rich in your niche.”
Social media and networking seems like an odd specialty for someone who grew up collecting stamps for a hobby, but they have more in common than you’d think. The designs and color schemes on stamps from different countries intrigued Pettis and possibly lead to her love of travel. While she enjoys hiking and other active adventures, a summer in Iceland – a country with the most art galleries per capita – helped hone her eye for design.
Her penchant for experiencing new things helped ease the relocation process. It didn’t take long for Pettis and her staff to get comfortable exploring their new niche in Dayton’s Bluff.
“We love it,” Pettis said of the Swede Hollow Café, where the Tenacious staff often grabs lunch, and the neighborhood in general. “It’s like a second home to us.”
Dayton's Bluff Community Council 
When I spoke to her, Tena also mentioned that Dayton’s Bluff has great potential to build on its momentum and turn into a destination. I agree. The craft breweries and the new shops, restaurants, and pubs cropping up today combined with the current revitalization efforts could create the synergy to attract artists and young families.
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It’s important to do your branding right — on social media and elsewhere. When I reviewed music, I came across a ton of discs with the “Hey, I have a camera” photo on the cover. I think a lot of good bands hurt themselves with poor marketing and should have hired a pro.
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