We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Griffin a few weeks ago 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?

I think the most interesting part of success is how we all define it. Success to me and success to you can be completely different things. When I first started my business three years ago, replacing my previous income was a success. Then booking more clients meant success. Then my health took a dramatic turn and I had to step away from the majority of my business and so today success means enjoying my work and my life, with a decent measure of health.

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 am Amy, a Brit now living in Charleston, SC. At this point I have lived out of England longer than I ever lived in England so the accent is a little in and out these days. I started my business three years ago. I heard those dreaded words “we don’t need you anymore” and after crying the entire drive home, I opened my laptop and Googled “how to work from home with no experience.” I truly felt at that time that I had limited experience. I stumbled across many Virtual Assistant trainings and found a course for Pinterest Marketing. I fell in love. I started taking on VA clients and offering Pinterest Management. I then went full time in Pinterest Management and consulting in May 2023.

I love to serve small business owners who can’t outsource full Pinterest management yet. I believe everyone deserves a seat at the table and so a large part of my business today is providing training, resources and strategy for small business owners to market themselves on Pinterest.

I have loved getting to know so many talented and creative business owners from all over the world. I never niched down to serve one particular business so I have had the joy of working with fellow service providers, clothing designers, home organizers, photographers, online course creators, social media coaches, brand designers, online boutiques, interior designers….you name it.

One thing I say often is Pinterest is nothing like Instagram….and thank goodness for that. Instagram is like a wild puppy dog that refuses to be trained but Pinterest is like a mature cat. Once you learn how to feed it correctly, it’ll be the easiest marketing platform for your business. I love developing custom strategies for each client, not just based on the Pinterest algorithm but mostly custom to their life, their business, their content creation plan. In order to be successful at using Pinterest for your business, you need to be consistent, your marketing strategy needs to be sustainable. I love to create these sustainable strategies that my client’s not only enjoy, but actually get real results from.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I had previously mentioned my health taking a turn. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease back in 2013. For any other business owners with Autoimmune issues, you know the rollercoaster ride of not knowing what the next day will bring. I was the busiest I had ever been in my business. I was working with the most amount of clients and earning the most I had ever made….and yet my health was tanking. When you have chronic health issues, you come to accept a new normal or not feeling great but this was severe. After seeing my Dr and getting some test results back they asked if I could take a step back from work. I couldn’t believe it. I had a job that allowed me to work from home and make my own schedule but it still wasn’t working for me. I dreaded sending those emails out to my clients to let them know my situation. They were all so kind and loving but I was devastated. I had to take a step back and had no idea when I could return. I took a couple months off to focus on my health, I had recently moved and fortunately the best specialist for my condition was in my area. The difference in those few months was night and day. Once I started taking on clients again my entire business model had changed. I am so much more aware of my personal work load now, how many clients I can work with, how long certain projects take and of course….taking care of my health.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think it’s a constant unlearning. I never expected that being a business owner would be a self improvement project along the way, and a huge one at that. It’s like a mirror back at you, all the time. There are a number of lessons I am always learning. Boundaries….for your own good. Boundaries enable you and the client to have the best working relationship. Comparison….you never actually know what is going on in someone else’s life or business, nor should you. Side note….this is another reason why I love Pinterest. You can market your business on there without ever seeing your competitors. Amen to that. I am also unlearning the need for approval from others. Starting a business, growing a business and running a successful business is something many around you might never do. They can’t relate. They don’t know the ins and outs and the day to day stresses like you do. Some might never get it. You know you, you know your business. Market yourself and that business in any way you can. That person from high school that found your IG….let them watch. That neighbor who saw your blog post….let them read it. That relative who asks about ‘your little business’…let them ask. Your success is not dependent on their opinion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amytime-va.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.time_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-griffin-79379922b

Image Credits

Ren Photography