Each month, Built in Los Angeles features some of the key players in Los Angeles' burgeoning tech space and the women who are making it all happen. We'll ask these founders, strategists, developers and innovators what drives them forward, their secrets to success, and what advice they have for the next generation of female entrepreneurs.
Amanda MacNaughton
After spending over a decade cultivating her professional experience in PR for an impressive roster of hotels, resorts, and beauty clients, Amanda MacNaughton felt ready to strike out on her own, co-founding PromoJam Social Marketing Platform, drawing on her entrepreneurial spirit (and a few good secret weapons).
[ibimage==27429==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-left]WHAT DO YOU DO?I am the Co-Founder and CMO of PromoJam Social Marketing Platform - a groundbreaking social dashboard for building and tracking campaigns and promotions across Facebook, Twitter Instagram and Pinterest. I oversee the company's operations, marketing and sales teams, and work with the dev team to build a top notch social marketing product.
HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR?
I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. My mom jokes that when I was seven years old, I used to set up a folding table in front of the TV and pretend I was selling diamonds to the viewers of the Home Shopping Network. She said I was destined to be an entrepreneur when I said, "So Mrs. Williams, how many diamonds do you want to buy?" - not - "do you want to buy a diamond?" I've always known that I wanted to start my own company, so I strategically started my career working for others until I felt that I had enough experience to venture out on my own. Prior to starting PromoJam, I worked in PR and Marketing for over a decade running Public Relations for W Hotels' entire west coast operations, and a top notch PR firm in NYC and LA called THINK PR. At THINK PR I ran their beauty department in NYC, and then opened, ran and managed their LA office. I got experience working with entrepreneurs during my agency days, helping companies expand their businesses globally and reach millions in revenue. At W, I got incredible experience working inside a global brand and huge conglomerate - Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Once we felt ready, my brother and I wrote a business plan, raised an angel round of funding, left our jobs and started PromoJam to help solve the social marketing problem for businesses of all sizes.
WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
Everything is negotiable, so don't take no for an answer. Where there is will, there is usually a way.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ON A DAILY BASIS?
Customer acquisition. Our goal at PromoJam is to get our technology in the hands of as many marketers as possible, so my daily challenge is doing just that.
WHAT'S YOUR SECRET WEAPON?
Yoga. Feeling stressed, tired and in need of some answers? Hit the mat. It does wonders. As an entrepreneur, you will find yourself pulled in a million directions at once. It is important to stay focused and centered so you can effectively lead a team and make smart decisions to further your business. Oh, and hire someone who is awesome at SEO. We just hired a killer SEO expert and are thrilled with the results.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE?
Time well spent. I like to work hard and play hard. When I have time off, I like to spend it with friends traveling, dining, exploring new hot spots, going to concerts, museums and more. I try to give my all on and off the job, so I like to indulge in good friends, food and memories.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
In high school I loved working retail jobs all summer for the fashion, employee discount and experience. I first started at Wet Seal (the "it" store back in the 90s!) and then went on to Nordstrom. I was their top sales associate multiple months in a row at both stores. I received incredible experience during these jobs that helped my entire career and fueled my desire to work hard towards success.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR YOUNGER WOMEN?
Believe in yourself, stay focussed, when you get knocked down get up again and have FUN! If you wake up everyday and love what you do, you're doing the right thing. If you are not, it might be time to change course.
Connect with Amanda on Twitter at @AmandaMalia.
