We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Pamela Grant a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Pamela, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I’ve always been one to share tips and tricks that I know, especially in the social media realm. When thinking of an official name for my business, I thought about what I offer to others. What am I passionate about? And honestly…I love giving others the blueprint to elevate their social media presence. That could be done with a strategy plan, helping with graphics, creative direction, video editing, and more. Hence the name socialPRNT; I offer the blueprint to all things social media.

Pamela, 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’ve had a passion for creating for as long as I can remember. I would paint, sketch out clothing items, make jewelry, and design nail art on myself and friends, etc. If it involved creating, I’ve probably dabbled in it. It’s something that always brought me such peace.

In came the social media era and it was as if a switch turned on inside of me! I was that girl who was always recreating her MySpace page. Matching my layout to my current favorite song and editing photos for my page. Even back then, I would get inquiries from others to edit photos and create their MySpace page layouts. It was fun for me. MySpace came and went but my love for design remained.

When Instagram popped on the scene, I found myself doing the same thing on that platform. Editing photos that matched my creativity. Back in 2016 as the owner of a brand by the name of OURS by Blackjoy DMed me inquiring about my posts. It was at this moment that I realized people need and want others to not only create for them but also manage their social media. Something I never even considered to be a career path I would eventually take…

Not only is creating a passion of mine, I also enjoy helping others. As we know, the social media world is forever changing; evolving. Something that you must always stay on top of. Because of that, I always tell others that I am “forever a student.” I love sharing the knowledge that I gain through my Instagram page and even more in depth during my 1-on-1 Brandstorm Strategy sessions. In 2022 alone, my Brandstorm Strategy sessions helped over twenty brands/businesses level up not only their social media presence but also helped increase sales for each of my clients. Now THAT is a win, win.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been doing this social media thing for several years now. But, it was always something that I did on the side. I worked in logistics for MANY years. And although it paid the bills, it didn’t fulfill me. Not even a little. I never considered working in the social media realm as a career until I began getting inquires from others to assist them with their content, manage their social pages, and/or help with strategy. I always worked under the radar though. During my earlier years, I didn’t boost about my work much. I guess you could say that I didn’t see in myself what others saw in me.

Then came covid…
During this time I fell into a deep slump of burnout. Between working a job that brought me nothing but stress and finally starting to show up more for my own business, I realized that logistics wasn’t where I wanted to be. Where I needed to turn my focus to was my business. Helping others enhance their brands/businesses and better show up for themselves on social media really fueled me. That’s when I decided that my side hustle was no longer that. I was determined to make it my lifelong career.

Once I realized that, I got to work. I took myself and my brand more seriously. Invested much more into the backend of my business to make sure that not only my work experience but also my clients experience was better. I started collaborating with others in my field to get myself in front of an audience that may or may not know me. Showcased my work more to attract potential cliental and to show that I indeed am an expert in my field. But most importantly, I believed in myself and saw my own potential and was determined that no matter how “scared” I was of leaving the typical 9-5 world, I was capable of doing so.

Now, my journey from side-hustle to full-time business isn’t one I would necessarily suggest others follow. After working so hard for myself and experiencing countless moments of burnout and stress, I took a moment to really crunch the numbers. I put out on paper what I was bringing in, what my monthly expenses were, and what my 9-5 was bringing in. Once I realized that my own business was exceeding what I made at my 9-5, I decided then that my mental health was worth more than the burnout I was experiencing. I put my two weeks notice in the very next day. Again, I wouldn’t recommend others do follow this route. Looking back I do wish that I planned my exit strategy a little better. Had more of a financial “cushion” to fall back on for those rainy days. But, I don’t regret the fact that I did it scared and believed in myself.

To this day, I’ve now been a full time entrepreneur for over a year and although there have been some slow months, overall business has been amazing. I get to continue to show up as 100% Pamela Reneé. My work and personality have attracted the clients and audience that’s meant for me. And for that, I am forever thankful.

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

Word of mouth and social media have contributed tremendously to the amount of new clients I have received. Without those two, I’m not sure my business would be where it is today. It feels amazing to get a new inquiry and during the consult call hearing that “so and so told me you were the one to help me” or “I’ve been following you for so long and saving up because I knew that you were the one I wanted to work with.” Having your work speak for you. Having others believe in your work that they speak your name in rooms you’ve never been in. Having a client so satisfied that they rave about your works to others. THAT is priceless.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.socialprnt.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialprnt/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prgrant/

Image Credits
Chicago Bulls Shirt Justerica Angelic www.instagram.com/justericaangelic/ Laptop Shot Nazsare English www.instagram.com/itsnazsare/ Aesthetic Creator & Couch Shot Ronesha Sheree www.instagram.com/roneshasheree/