Amanda Perry

I am a firm believer in putting one foot in front of the other, as long as you know the direction you are going, I promise you will get there.

 

Amanda Perry is a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing agency owner.

Having built up a $1m turnover brick and mortar brand and a subscription box business and sold them both, Amanda now runs e-commerce digital marketing agency SOUP Social helping fellow entrepreneurs do the same thing through the power of Facebook advertising.

Amanda is based in Yorkshire UK, but often travels for work.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Having built up and sold my own companies, I know the exact problems that entrepreneurs face when trying to build a product business. Digital marketing is a non negotiable in any business these days, and the satisfaction I get from being able to help entrepreneurs scale profitably to either build their company for an exit, or to allow them to step away is incredible.

The idea actually didn’t come to me, the clients did! Due to my own success with digital marketing, a few people approached me to help them, and the agency grew from there!

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I would love to be one of those people who gets up at 5am to do yoga, but I’m not!
I try and have systems in place to batch my work – emails/ client calls etc, but it’s not always possible, for example, I am currently in New Zealand and so i’m 13 hours ahead of the UK, and 21 ahead of the US, which means I have to fit in calls where I can!

I use apps like Slack and Asana to keep on top of comms and projects and automate as much as possible. It’s constantly evolving!

How do you bring ideas to life?

The creative process is such an exiting part of our work. When a client comes to us, they will generally we looking to scale from $10/£20k months to $50 – $100k months… that takes creative in put from the whole team.

The great thing about the platforms we work on (Facebook and Instagram) is that we can test quickly and make changes based on the data we see – we move fast in our agency, find what works and invest in that.

We do a lot of video work for our clients, which I love as it is something the whole team can have an input in – it really is a team effort.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I am really excited about the phenomenal rise in entrepreneurship. As we say a fond farewell to the notion of a ‘job’ being the stable option, we see more and more creative ways for people to make their own path to success.

We love working with young, hungry entrepreneurs who are doing things right and making a difference.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I am a firm believer in imperfect action. I am the kind of person who goes ahead with an idea and then thinks it through later… jump, then learn how to fly!

I think that really helps with productivity, if I really considered every move, I would find a reason not to make it!

What advice would you give your younger self?

It will all come, stop rushing.

I see so many young entrepreneurs looking for a quick buck, I was the same… there is no short cut to success.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

That beetroot is evil.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I am a firm believer in putting one foot in front of the other, as long as you know the direction you are going, I promise you will get there.

Other than that, reach out to people you admire, most will reply and be happy to help you.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Apart from Facebook ads…. giving value first, help people as much as you can. If you provide value, it fosters a great working relationship. Never go for the quick sale

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I became bankrupt 5 years ago, I lost everything. I’m not going to tell you it was easy to get through or overcome but by putting one foot in front of the other I did it, and I live to tell the tale.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

People are sick of ‘stuff’, find an experience and make it amazing! People are paying good money to make memories (and have the snap for Insta, of course!)

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I recently gifted ‘Work Like a Woman’ by Mary Portas to 8 friends and colleagues – that was a great $100 spent. The book is all about how we can re address the male/ female balance, not just in the work place but in life. A great read and highly recommended!

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

It’s a toss up between Slack and Asana, I would have to go with Asana, because as much as I couldn’t run my business without Slack, it can be a time suck!

Asana helps my whole team stay across projects and means I don’t ever become the bottleneck, which can easily happen in agencies.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The E-myth by Michael Gerber is a brilliant book. It’s all about systems and how they are the foundations of any successful business – a must read for any entrepreneur.

What is your favorite quote?

“Run your own race”. My Dad said it to me many years ago and it has helped me through many a dark time during my businesses.

Key Learnings:

• Move fast and break things. A saying coined by Facebook, but so relevant to how we should all work.
• Run your own race. Never compare your behind the scenes to anyone else’s highlight reel.
• Failure isn’t final. Get back up, dust yourself off, and get back out there.

Connect:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wearesoupsocial
Website: www.soup.social
Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandaperry