Soaring Stories

Jen Hartmann is the founder of NEAT, a boutique PR agency located in Louisville, Kentucky. With over 9 years of industry experience, she's worked for a variety of agencies managing influencer collaborations, content strategy, email marketing campaigns, and events for both startups and Fortune 500 brands. Today, I chatted with Jen about what it’s like to be the CEO of an agency with 10+ women on the team!

✨ We talk about:

Jen’s background and what led her to start NEAT

Why Jen decided to specialize in public relations

What Jen looks for in an employee

What is newsjacking?

The most common mistake Jen sees in pitches

Prioritizing a social media presence

The skill of sales and selling

How Jen is expanding the agency

Following up with purpose

✨ Connect:

NEAT the agency: neattheagency.com

Served NEAT podcast

Jen + her team on Instagram: @neat_theagency

Jen on LinkedIn

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

After working in marketing for huge brands like Pantone and discovering the pleasure and beauty of dates in her travels to Dubai, Kathryn Shah started Spring & Mulberry with her co-founder Sarah in 2022. Since then, Spring & Mulberry has been featured in numerous press outlets, developed 8 flavors of the chocolate bar and is sold in over 500 retail stores!

✨ We talk about:

Creating the right chocolate flavor

Designing the packaging and branding for Spring&Mulberry

Kathryn’s background in marketing and what led her to starting this business

The benefits of working at a large company before starting a business

Positioning for luxury brands

Benefits of trade shows and community events

✨ Connect:

Spring & Mulberry website: springandmulberry.com

Spring & Mulberry on Instagram: @spring.mulberry

Episode mention: Letter A

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

From her career cheat codes to explaining “cringe mountain” to millions of people, Courtney Johnson is a social media consultant and content creator. Today, she’s on the podcast to share how she did it – and the challenges that come with posting your ideas online for anyone to see.

✨ We talk about:

Starting at advertising agencies to creating content now

What jobs haven’t been invented yet?

How to post on LinkedIn for high school students

What is cringe mountain?

How to work through cringe mountain

Outsourcing + what Courtney delegates in her business

Day in the life of a freelancer

The difference between working at an agency vs a brand

How to start in marketing if you don’t want to talk about yourself

✨ Connect:

Courtney on TikTok: @courtney..johnson

Courtney on Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson

Courtney on LinkedIn: /courtneylynnjohnson

Courtney’s podcast: Slay the Gatekeeper

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

Over the past 3 years, Ellē has created a brand with her hand-drawn designs, accessories and gifts that’s reached a community of over 60k on Instagram and even a celebrity! At 20 years old, she’s a full-time small business owner with plans to expand into her own store someday.

✨ We talk about:

How Ellē learned digital art

Going from gap year to full-time with her business at 20 years old

Getting her designs ripped off by bigger retailers

Planning for product launches

Being a brand account vs a business account

Seeing her products on celebrities!

Ellē’s goals for the next few years

✨ Connect:

Ellē’s website: shopellenicole.com

Ellē’s Instagram: @shopellenicole

Ellē’s podcast: open.spotify.com/show/5IgcJGlyU81e5KyXSDbONO

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

Sandie, "The Gen Z Strategist," is a Liberian-born American Brand Strategist who started out in corporate banking and found her passion in brand strategy. She excels in crafting authentic narratives that resonate in today's digital landscape, helping her clients establish themselves as thought leaders and influencers in their fields.

✨ We talk about:

Sandie’s pivot from corporate banking to branding strategy

What to focus on when trying something new in your career

Choosing the story that you want to tell about yourself

Staying consistent and authentic in the stories you tell

Effects of sharing your story online

What traits set GenZ up for success in careers?

Can you be fully yourself at work?

Being the youngest in a corporate environment

Sandie’s experience at DC Startup Week

✨ Connect:

Sandie on LinkedIn: sandie-bonwinkor

Sandie on Instagram: @thegenzstrategist

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

Jessica Hawks is a modern online coach empowering and supporting new entrepreneurs in becoming virtual assistants. Before becoming a VA, she was a chiropractic assistant looking for a change in careers. She’s a VidCon speaker and has been featured on Business Insider, Yahoo! News, TikTok, In The Know and VIP Global Magazine.

✨ We talk about:

How Jessica discovered the world of being a virtual assistant

Transferable skills from an office job to starting an online business

Jessica’s mindset going into buying a $3500 course

Figuring out a brand aesthetic that is unique + reflects you as a person

What separates the successful virtual assistants from the ones who quit after 2 months?

It is not your clients’ job to enforce your own boundaries

Working at night and differences in time zones

✨ Connect:

Jessica on TikTok: @itsjessicahawks

Jessica on Instagram: @itsjessicahawks

Jessica’s website: itsjessicahawks.com

Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org

Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com

Business email: [email protected]

Stephanie Long has an extensive background in marketing and communications and has led countless campaigns for both small and large businesses. After spending over a decade working in marketing for tech startups, Stephanie founded her SEO company, Mrs. SEO. Today, Stephanie shares how she got into this business and why getting laid off was the best thing that happened for her career.

We talk about:

✨ Connect:

Leah and I are doing a podcast swap today! We talk about high school life in my episode on her show, Decision Day.

Leah Leverich is a class of 2022 high school graduate exploring every path to success after graduation. Instead of following the traditional path, she decided to go right into the workforce doing video editing and production for entrepreneurs!

We talk about:

✨ Connect:

Maureen knew she wanted to start a business + knew she had a passion for creating content. After starting a handmade business selling on Etsy, at 20 years old, she’s built a business helping other small business owners with their own content creation. Today we get into the story behind Maureen’s success and what went into where she is today!

We talk about:

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From selling out of the bags she hand-sewed to working with lawyers for her potty training product, Maile McManis is an incredible young entrepreneur. She’s currently a junior in high school and shares her story with us today!

We talk about:

✨ Connect: