We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Pamela Grant. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Pamela below.

Pamela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve been working as a creative in the social media field for the past six years. It started years ago when a brand reached out to ask if I could assist them with their Instagram page after seeing the work I was doing on my own page. And ever since then it has been a roller coaster ride.
I always worked quietly in the background and would get clients by word of mouth or people asking how I did something and if I could do it for them. Then the pandemic hit. I think that was a moment in time that made a lot of people rethink things. I started seeing the rise of social media managers and content creators and felt like “I’ve BEEN doing this. Maybe I need to get a little louder.” And that’s what I did.

I started showing up as an expert in my field. Letting others know what I do and the why behind what drove me here. The more I showed up for myself and my brand, the more clients I began to gain. It isn’t just about showing up for yourself and your brand. You also have to educate yourself. Constantly learning new ways to better your craft. Be willing to invest in your future.

The moment I decided THIS is what I wanted to do long term, I hit the ground running and took all the free (and several paid) courses that I could find. One thing I firmly believe is that I will forever be a student. No matter what, there is always room for growth. As my business began to grow and my knowledge expanded, I started to realize that my 9 to 5 was holding me back.

In 2021 I finally decided, it was time to let go of my 9 to 5 and take a leap of faith and bet on myself. I sat down one day and calculated just how much my current clients were bringing in. When I realized it exceeded what I needed to make sure bills were paid, it was go time! I would say that finally showing up for myself and showcasing my skillset to the masses helped me tremendously. If you’re quiet about your gifts, how do you expect others to believe and trust you? I’ve recently hit one year of full-time entrepreneurship and although it has been a rollercoaster ride, it has been so fulfilling knowing that I have built my brand from the bottom up and it is still growing. When I look back on this past year, I realize that I was the one standing in my own way from truly creating the business that I have now.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My journey into the creative field started many years ago. I was always that kid who was sketching, making jewelry, sewing, etc. When the internet became a big thing and everyone was on Myspace, Tumblr etc. I moved into the digital creative space. And man oh man, that opened my eyes up to a lot. I think we all were coders back then. Lol.
In 2016 a brand by the name of Ours by Blackjoy slid into my Instagram DMs (it does indeed go down in the DMs) stating how much they loved the work they saw me doing on my page and wondered how I’d feel about helping run their social media page. I never really thought of managing others pages as a job back then. please update to “But, that was my first paid client; being the social media manager and content creator for their growing business.

To this day, I still provide those services for other businesses. Currently I am a social media manager and content strategist for other brands and businesses. I also assist people with content creation services. either editing videos or creating graphic posts for them to use. Not only do I provide services, I also drop tips and tricks for others who may want to learn more about social media and creating content but not ready to invest in my services.

One of my proud moments occurred after a few months of doing a brandstorm strategy plan for a client. One morning I received a text from this client stating that she landed her first paid influencer collab. She was so excited and realized that my strategy plan assisted in her being seen by this brand she’s had her eyes on for many months which led to the paid partnership. It filled me with such joy knowing that not only did she implement my plan and did the work, that work is what got her seen and paid. I love helping others bring their visions to life. Helping them sort through their ideas and goals and actively work towards them. I would have to say that my brandstorm strategy calls are my favorite service.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of the goals that drives my creative journey is me being able to show my children that their are other ways in life to be successful besides going to college. Yes, college can take you far. But it isn’t always the route for everyone.
When I worked a 9 to 5, I never felt 100% fulfilled. I was stressed out more than anything and just working to earn a check. By following my creative journey, I get to do what I love and earn a living. Yes, it can be stressful at times but I find myself more fulfilled than anything.

Knowing that I am doing what I love. Feeding my creative soul. Helping others within their business/brand.

My children seeing me work for myself and build something from the ground up makes me even more proud of my journey. When they ask me about what I do, how my day was and how my current projects are going, I feel as though I am making them proud.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Referrals and Instagram have been the best sources of new clients for me. I love that not only current and previous clients but also my peers continue to refer me to others. Knowing that my name is spoken in rooms that I haven’t even entered yet feels amazing. And it’s all based on people believing in me and my work, trusting me and loving the work that they’ve seen me do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.socialprnt.co
• Instagram: @_thepamelarenee and @socialprnt
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/prgrant

Image Credits
Chicago Bulls Shirt @justericaangelic Justerica Angelic
White Shirt @itsnazsare Nazsare English