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

Samantha , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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 get this question at least once a week and every time I explain it, I uncover new layers of meaning. I own and operate a firm of women that craft strategies, cast partners, and make magic for social enterprises, social movements, and nonprofit organizations. We’re Witchcraft Creative, and we’re committed to helping change-makers bring engagement and resources to transform burning injustices. On the night that I named my business, I was conversing with a dear friend about all of the times we had each been underestimated by others, particularly cis-gendered men. We recounted story after story of times that we’d surprised (maybe, shocked?) our male co-workers with our “good ideas and power moves” (wink, wink, Swifties). Their reactions were always the same, looking at us as if we’d just performed some kind of voodoo magic. At the exact same time, my friend and I made a sarcastic attempt to pantomime their reactions by pointing fingers at each other exclaiming with an accusing gasp, “it must be witchcraft!”.

And that was it. Witchcraft Creative- a poetic nod to the intelligent, curious, talented, and brave women who were unjustly burned for being exactly who they were. Witchcraft doesn’t mean that we claim to perform sorcery, it’s a way to acknowledge the injustices of the past while embracing what our “wicked” ancestors couldn’t; their power as women.
We use that power to organize, strategize, and mobilize for misunderstood, underrepresented, marginalized communities. My work is inspired by activists, movements, and social leaders and infused with marketing and story-based strategies. Maybe it sounds like I’m casting spells…. or maybe I’m just a Woman Into Transformation, Change, Healing.

…….get it? ;)

Samantha , 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 came to social impact work in 2010 when I learned about the horrors of animal agriculture through a documentary binge that eventually led to me quitting my job, booking a ticket to India, and studying the treatment of animals, workers, and the planet while sleeping in an ashram in New Delhi. I learned quickly that to make an impact, I’d need to know how to communicate effectively through digital media. I began working in marketing at a small but powerful firm and I soaked up as much as I could about storytelling and how to craft narratives that would inspire action. I wanted to find a way in which I could combine my love of storytelling with my passion for social impact and the result is Witchcraft Creative. It needs to be stated that I’m obsessed with my job. And my team. And my clients. We’re a business, sure. But it’s so much more than that. My job is to support and cheer for the people on the frontlines of social change and I do that by finding creative ways to save those change-makers time, money, and energy by leveraging our shared networks and pooled resources. And then my team finds ways to make them time, money, and energy so they can go forth and conquer.

Every day is a wild adventure at Witchcraft. There have been days when we’re helping to walk paralyzed dogs, and days when we’re raging with 93-year-old women (who were the leaders of the second wave of feminism and the civil rights movement!), and sometimes we’re developing stories with youth-led grassroots organizations. I love being IN the work with our clients, and that’s what sets us apart. We aren’t just another company using social good as a marketing buzzword, we’re a social good company using marketing strategies to inspire change.

To any nonprofit Executive Director, social entrepreneur, or impact leader out there that might read this, here’s what I’d like you to know: We got you. You’re doing it all- fundraising, generating revenue, marketing, networking, campaigning, assembling, and administrating. I understand that your work is urgent and critical and you can’t afford to slow down. I understand that the weight of the world and the future of humanity and the planet is on your shoulders. I understand that you work 60-80 hours a week and you’re freaking tired. I want you to know that you don’t need extra hours in the day, or to work harder, or to push yourself further. You just need a coven.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I have so much to say when it comes to managing a team and maintaining high morale- especially in the social justice world. I always share that for us there is no such thing as work/life balance because social issues don’t end when we close our computers for the day. Instead, we regularly explore, reflect, and practice work/life integration. That can look like scheduling doctor appointments, self-care practices, or rest in the middle of the day, or sometimes it looks like a monthly group call to talk about the state of the world and how we’re dealing with it emotionally and mentally. We also have rituals every Monday morning where team members have the option to join a call in which we journal on a prompt, share our personal goals, or reflect on a topic around personal growth. Additionally, we have optional guided meditation breaks scheduled into our week so that anyone can decompress when needed.

I’m also very cognisant of my team’s capacity and I make sure that as creatives they always have time to develop ideas and projects that inspire them. The worst thing you can do as an employer is to hire creatives and then tell them what to do. Recognize that the team you hire should be smarter than you in their fields- you have to be open, trusting, and endlessly curious with them to create an environment where they can safely explore their biggest ideas.

Lastly (for the sake of this question- but there’s so much more), understand that if one of your employees quits, it means that they’ve fired you. You have to be the kind of person that you want to work for and treat your team with the highest regard and respect. One way to do that is by investing in them. This could be facilitating job crafting, offering education opportunities, or encouraging them to take time off and see the world.

It comes down to loving your people. If you’re a small business owner, the phrase “it’s not personal, it’s just business” should never apply to you. Your business is personal, don’t be afraid to embrace that. Your team will respect you for that.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I have started and stopped around ten different businesses over the last decade. At one point, I stopped telling people what I was trying to build because I had an overwhelming fear that they thought of me as a massive failure. Honestly, I felt like an embarrassment to myself and I fell into a deep depression every time I’d start something new and then not feel pulled towards the execution of it, so I’d stop until I found another dream to chase. I knew so solidly that I was born to be an entrepreneur (or a pop star but still waiting on that) and that use my business to make an impact for social good. I felt desperate for this dream. I didn’t have money, resources, or any particular special talent to leverage but I’ve always had determination. There are a lot of things that I missed out on and sacrificed because of that determination, and I’m not sure that I’d do it again the same way, but I’d still do it again if it led me back to Witchcraft. I finally realized that I had to take the things that excited me about all those other businesses and build them into one thing that was compelling enough to pull me forward when I felt like giving up. There are still waves of challenge, of course. But I’ve learned to stop trying to swim against them and just grab a surfboard.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heywitchcraft.com
• Instagram: heywitchcraft
• Linkedin: Witchcraft Creative: https://www.linkedin.com/company/89310548

Image Credits
Samantha Dietz Maggie Menendez