Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Meginnes, Board Chair at Pangea Educational Development, located in Wheaton, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am deeply involved with two organizations, and being an entrepreneur is what allows me to pursue both. Pangea is a nonprofit and social enterprise that creates culturally relevant children's books and programs to help kids learn to read and inspire them to read more often. Our books have been sold in more than 54 countries and 15 languages. Our customers range from individual families purchasing on Amazon or our website to schools to global NGOs purchasing to share our stories throughout refugee settlements where children lack access to learning materials. I also started an independent consulting business, Serviceberry, where I work with a range of clients on strategic innovation projects.
Tell us about yourself
I first got involved with Pangea in 2011. I have always loved to read. My stress levels and ability to find daily joy increase significantly when I have a good book going. I believe that the ability to read opens every door in life, and improved health, opportunities, and even simple navigation is changed when you can read. I had been working with Pangea nights and weekends for almost a decade, and then in 2018, I gave birth to my first son. That was really a tipping point for me, leaving my ten-year career in corporate consulting. I wanted more flexibility for my family and my social passions. Serviceberry has given me the opportunity to do both. I became Pangea's Executive Board Chair in January 2020 and had been successfully running Serviceberry since November 2019. Seeing the progress that both have made over the last three years is what motivates me every day. More than 6 million children have read a Pangea Publishing book, and my clients have grown from start-ups with three founders and no office to 40-person teams; they've taken new products from ideation sessions to the manufacturing floor and started new nonprofit programs that will help patients and providers develop more meaningful relationships.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
2022 was the first year that I made more than my last year of corporate consulting. That was a big milestone for me because the first year I got started, I made about 20% of my previous salary. It was the pandemic, and I took maternity leave with my second son. No one pays you for maternity leave when you work for yourself. Seeing that number at the end of the year was hard on my ego, but we knew it would take time, and we had planned for it. Now I can give significantly more time to Pangea without sacrificing savings for my family.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Finding the balance. Serviceberry is a strategic services company, I am only making money when I am actively working, but one of the key reasons I left corporate consulting was for more balance. So it's been a challenge to keep a business pipeline steady while not over-committing to projects that are going to have me working late hours instead of doing bedtimes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Go in, realizing that there are a lot of additional tasks that come with running a business, and in the beginning, that's all you (i.e., Accounting / HR / Legal).
- Find strong partners - both personally and with your business. My husband was such an amazing support for me throughout this journey, and I have found some amazing entrepreneur partners who refer work and partner together on large projects, and that has been huge - it doesn't have to be all on you.
- When you hire - be take your time and hire right. Pangea would not have achieved the growth and success it has if we didn't have such an amazing team.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website(Org): https://www.pangeaeducation.org/
Website(Consult): https://www.serviceberryconsulting.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PangeaEducation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pangeaeducation/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3wHHK48
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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