We were lucky to catch up with Amy Forsythe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?
Don’t take “No” for an answer. Never give up on a dream or a goal. There will be plenty of people who will try and dissuade you from following your heart but must stay focused and consistent if you want to succeed.
Consider how your community, relationships, and digital landscape shape your output.
Are you:
* Surrounding yourself with ambitious peers who inspire growth?
* Cultivating relationships that energize rather than drain you?
* Curating your digital environment by managing notifications and creating separate profiles for work and leisure?
Remember, productivity isn’t just about your desk – it’s about the entire ecosystem you inhabit. This week, examine your wider environment. Which elements nurture your goals, and which ones hinder them?
By aligning your broader surroundings with your aspirations, you set the stage for sustainable success.
Amy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I had the dream to be a combat photographer so I joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1993. I’ve served in many overseas locations including Iraq and Afghanistan where I was responsible for covering stories and what it’s like to serve in combat.
One of my most important accomplishments was publishing a book with many of those photos taken while serving from 2001-2021.
I recently completed on the of most meaningful projects I’ve ever worked on that resulted in a 200-page book titled “Heroes Live Here” that chronicled the memorials and tributes located on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California.
The project grew out of a desire to share the courage it takes to serve in the military but it turned into a passion project. I’ve assembled hundreds of photos to share the legacy of the Marines that were lost in combat operations during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during 2001 to 2021.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I was an early adopter of social media (2005 timeframe) with MySpace and AOL chat rooms, etc., so I have almost 20 years of trial and error, but I would recommend people start by identifying which platforms are a good fit for their personality and products.
The space has changed so much and I love seeing the creativity of young influencers and what they are doing. There’s room for everyone to find their niche and segmented audiences.
If you’re just starting, I recommend developing a content creation workflow that is manageable and sustainable is equally important. Here are the phases I use for most of my creative projects, campaigns, events, promotions, and content development:
1. Ideating – Thinking about the trends, tie-backs, topics and titles of content.
2. Planning – Creating timelines, calendars due-dates, coordinating with others and developing budgets.
3. Preparing – Charging camera batteries, setting up digital folders with labels, prepping space on hard drives, etc.
4. Executing – Fully play out the plan and stick to your time hacks and schedule.
5. Reflecting – Take time to identify what to sustain and what to improve. Close the loop and ‘clean up’ your digital space by ensuring assets are properly labeled, catalogued and archived.
Key to success is to keep a journal and track your growth progress by noting your social media audience metrics monthly or quarterly to determine what is working best for you.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
One of my favorite ways to build momentum and gain a strong following is by focusing on media engagement. Learning how to pitch to all types of media outlets is really key for gaining credibility and trust with customers and future customers. Nothing says “I’m trustworthy and reputable” quite like being seen in the news on TV and on print news websites.
I always try to reach out to journalists directly instead of their news desks because you can establish a one-on-one relationship that will result in follow-on coverage.
I pitched a story to one of my favorite military news outlets, “Coffee or Die” Magazine which is a male-dominated audience, by contacting one of their female journalists and she was very receptive to covering the launch of my new book. I don’t think I would have received a response if I reached out to only the editor or press desk.
I recommend identifying your niche media markets and start following them on social media which will help you feel more comfortable engaging with them for your pitch. They will follow you back and look for more opportunities to tell your story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heroeslivehere.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyforsythe760/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeroesLiveHereCP
- Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/amyforsythe760/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_forsythe
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmyForsythe
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=cjIyklXvgByoHmfvftp75Q
