Amy Smith, Founder of Power Hour Editing
Names: Amy Smith
Founder: Power Hour Editing
What's your elevator pitch? (Ie. In one sentence, what do you do?)
I help students find & amplify their best voices, communicate their Wow Factor, and succeed in the competitive college & grad school admissions landscapes.
What's your story? Share how you got to where you are and WHY it is you do what you do.
“What's your story?” is my trademarked tagline that has followed me through ALL I've done. I've been writing & reporting since being an editor for my 6th grade newsletter. Writing always came easily to me AND I also gravitated to the business side of journalism. I was the Advertising Manager (& frequent writer) of my high school newspaper, Advertising Manager at The Daily Northwestern leading a team of salespeople, and continued freelance writing throughout. After Northwestern, I worked at DDB Needham Advertising Agency, then Family Circle Magazine, then launched an advertising program at an exporting magazine, and launched my PR firm, Write Ideas, Inc. For 25 years, I helped companies tell their best stories and worked for Fortune 500 companies like 7-Eleven, Blockbuster, and many more. I launched a mom blog to report on parenting tips & tactics (The MomTini Lounge), and all this led me to my favorite chapter yet—combining my journalism and PR experience at Power Hour Editing & Consulting for the last decade helping students find & tell their best stories! Occasionally, I work with companies (Power Hour Business) during my less-busy season, but I'm very full-time helping students apply to college & grad school & tackle other writing projects.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
I truly believe that we're BETTER TOGETHER. Why reinvent every wheel if it's already been invented? Sharing ideas & supporting each other; we ALL grow! I believe in KARMA & paying it forward. And I believe in continuing education. The day I stop learning, I'll stop growing, so every day, I try to learn new things, and being part of a group like this is a GREAT opportunity to do that!
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
From the start, I've LOVED supporting other female founders. I completed an AWED (American Women's Economic Development Course) early on & had a Board with 3 other women. I launched a Mom Blog (The MomTini Lounge) where I reported on "Tips & Tools for the Business of Motherhood." I authored an essay in an all-women book, "Knowing Pains - Women on Love, Sex, and Work in our 40s" -- and volunteered to do the PR campaign to give EACH essayist a toolkit to promote the book - and themselves - in their markets. I meet with "womenpreneurs" a LOT and share ideas, crowdsource, and more!
What is ONE BOOK that you would recommend every female business owner read?
Something in your niche that inspires YOU. :) Can't say just one...so many!
What are the first five things that you did when you were starting your business?
I've launched 3 businesses, so I'll focus on my current/present one...
1 - Brainstormed a name that would speak to what I do & who I want to do it for!
2 - Thought about systems to be efficient in my day-to-day
3 - Wrote a friends & family launch note & asked them to share
4 - Trademarked my name & taglines
5 - Told myself...YOU'VE GOT THIS!
Who is someone who has helped change or shape your business for the better and what did they do to help you?
My son. He's a software engineer, used to work at Apple, and helped me create incredible interactive spreadsheets to make my life easier AND my students'!
At what point did you make your company a full time gig? How did you know the time was right?
At first, I was toggling between my PR firm and Power Hour Editing. It was somewhat gradual...I started getting more students and being a lot more critical about what kind of PR projects were worth my time. I remember turning down a $12K summer PR project because I knew it would make me miserable and detract from my busiest season of the year. THAT was pivotal!
What lesson or skill did you take with you from a prior job to help you succeed in your role today?
SO MANY! From PR, your message MUST answer “SO WHAT?” & be your BIGGEST HEADLINE. From many years of journalism, the inverted pyramid idea that your intro MUST catch the reader and be your best material.
Let’s talk social media—who handles it for your company (you, an internal team member, an outsourced solution?) and what is the secret to making it successful? What is the biggest challenge?
Me and occasionally my intern. I'll be honest...I'm not great at social media and want to grow in this area. In reality, I have 2 targets: student and parent. I'll post on Facebook occasionally and know my parent prospects are there. But catching teenagers is sometimes like trying to catch wet spaghetti or a moving target—Tough!
How did you land your first client?
Started organically with friends and realized...this is such an amazing combination of PR + journalism, two things I know VERY well! Probably around 2014 for Power Hour. First PR client prob around 1990 or so when I was freelancing and around 1995 when I launched my company, it took off!
What is something you do differently from the industry standard?
I have a unique combination of journalism & business experience, so my approach is multifaceted.
Have you sold a business? If so, how did you know when it was time to sell? What were the steps you took to make it happen? What advice would you give to someone looking to sell?
No. But I helped an early PR client sell a domain name for a ton of $ and got a percentage :) That was exciting!
What would you do differently if you were starting your business today?
Start earlier than I did. I love it so much.
What are three strategies you use to market your business, grow brand awareness and generate bottom line growth?
Word of mouth is so key. If I do a great job for someone, the siblings/cousins/neighbors/friends all follow.
Newsletter - keeping me top of mind.
Speaking engagements.
What was an obstacle you overcame to get your business where it is today? Please share the story behind it.
I think "scope creep" is a real thing in business. I learned how critical it is to tightly define scope & have an agreement in place that outlines it clearly. I LOVE helping people and especially those in need and friends. But as a business owner, you have to remind yourself that it's a BUSINESS with services people should pay for :) Doing some pro bono work is important, and every year, I meet people who need more help and can't afford it. That feels good!
What are three actionable tips you would give with other women who want to start a business or are just getting started?
1 - My dad gave me a book and inside it wrote, "You only need start." That inspired me, and I believed it! JUST START!
2 - Baby steps - don't be afraid to start slowly. The joy of starting a business is that YOU set the pace. Do it slowly, and do it well!
3 - As an entrepreneur, the highs are higher, and the lows are lower. Ride the waves, and don't ever get complacent! Keep going & growing!
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