There are so many consultants and coaches out there but it’s hard to find one who truly understands the needs of a creative entrepreneur. A little bit ago I discovered the wonderful Amanda Hirsch of Good Things Consulting. Her passion and genius are palpable in her copy and I’m so happy to share her advice and story with you today. If you are looking for a helping hand in content, blog, or social media strategy, Amanda should be at the top of your list.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.
Sure! I run Good Things Consulting, which builds support for good products, good art and good causes — which I like to group together as “good things.” Far too often, the people behind the good things are burned out, so I go out of my way to make working together a pleasant experience that leaves my clients feeling energized and inspired. I’m passionate about helping other people become champions of their own good work, which is the idea behind my e-course, Telling Your Story Online; the next session starts in September (I like to keep the classes small so I can really interact with people).
I’m also a writer, blogger and performer. I published my first book earlier this year — Feeling My Way: Finding Motherhood Without Losing Myself. I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Jordan, our 1-year-old daughter, Alison, and our 14-year-old dog, Cosmo (and a lot of people with mustaches).
Before you ran Good Things Consulting, you had quite the desirable job as the former director of PBS.org! Was the transition from corporate to self-employment difficult? Did you set up a plan or just take a leap?
I really grew up at PBS — I started as an editor there in my early 20s and worked my way up to director level; I left when I was 30. I knew it was time to move on, but it’s so hard when you’re immersed in a big organization like that to see around the corner to what’s next. So I figured I’d freelance for a while and give myself time to figure things out. I had a pretty great network after working with producers and stations all over the country for over six years, so I was very fortunate that the transition to freelancing was remarkably smooth (PBS kept me on as a client, too). And then I just fell in love with freelancing — I loved the lifestyle (sitting on the couch with my dog, instead of running from meeting to meeting), but I also loved the variety… getting to dip in and out of different organizations and taking on fresh challenges and assignments… it’s just a perfect mix for my personality.
It’s interesting, I actually found that it wasn’t until I was out of PBS for a few years that I needed to really come up with a business strategy, beyond relying on word of mouth. The recession hit, and at first, freelancers seemed safe — companies were laying off staff and relying on outside consultants more than ever. Then there was a second wave, where companies cut their consultant budgets, and the staff left standing just had to do it all. At that point, between the overall state of the economy and my PBS credential being a few years old, I went through a really challenging period. I considered going back to work for someone else, and even got a job offer at one point from a company I could feel good about working for; if it had been more lucrative, I probably would have taken it at that point, but it wasn’t, and I’m glad, because instead I started investing more creative energy in building Good Things Consulting.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to give creative business owners in terms of running a successful business?
Clarify your goals, and create specific strategies to help you meet those goals. Creative people have no shortage of wonderful ideas, but the risk is that you end up spinning your wheels and wasting time and energy with activities that aren’t tailored to help you meet very specific goals. Then you get burned out or start thinking, “Nothing’s working!” — when really, you just don’t have a clear framework for assessing what’s working and what’s not.
What has been the best marketing move you have made for your business?
Honestly, I think it’s my name, “Good Things Consulting.” I get so much positive feedback — I think it really catches people’s attention. Naming things can be so difficult…I remember being in an improv group once that created a complex Excel spreadsheet with an elaborate voting process just to come up with a name for ourselves. For an improv group! I remember things got really tense for a while there ;). And when my husband and I were naming a side business we run called Think Improv, we labored over the decision for weeks… whereas Good Things Consulting just came to me. So did the name of my first blog, Creative DC. I am so grateful for those momentary flashes of inspiration!
Do you ever have doubts as to your future creative direction? Are there things you yearn to achieve, but haven’t yet found the time for?
I just typed and deleted my answer to this question three times! I definitely have doubts, and I absolutely have dreams that have yet to come true. But I don’t feel plagued by doubt. I feel hopeful. That’s the thing about designing your own life and business — for all the times you stumble, and for all the questions, underneath it all, you are learning to make things happen for yourself. And that is a truly powerful and beautiful gift — and one I hope to bestow on my daughter.
Be sure to check out Amanda’s site to see how you can improve your content strategy.
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