Personal Branding Portrait Series || Hope, Founder Unicorn Marketing Co.

2020 threw most of us out of our comfort zones and some of us right into new ventures. Hope was one of the people who embraced the year of change and started her own creative marketing company, Unicorn Marketing Co. Hope is a wonderfully creative person and we connected instantly on Instagram. So it’s time to sit down with her and learn more about starting your own business in the midst of a crisis.

Hope, tell us first a bit about yourself – where are you from? What’s your professional background? And most importantly, what do you do now?

Hey! My name is Hope and I’m originally from a small town on Vancouver Island. I’ve bopped around the province a little bit in other small towns, and spent some time living abroad. Now you can find me sitting on a beach, sipping a pint of craft beer at a brewery, or working from home in my cute, little Lower Lonsdale apartment. Professionally, I have over seven years of experience working in creative industries, such as a virtual assistant company, a film production company, event management firms, non-profits, art galleries, and festivals. My educational background holds two Bachelor degrees, one in international tourism management and consulting, and another in business management, as well as a diploma in events and convention management.

Right now, my day job is working for a professional conference management firm where I assist in the production of virtual events and implement marketing plans. That’s the reason why I moved to the big, beautiful city of Vancouver.

Not only that, but I’m officially a business owner, WOOT WOOT, of a creative marketing agency called Unicorn Marketing Co. We are a small but mighty team of marketing and branding specialists and we’re passionate about content creation, branding, and social media management. We do all of the thiiiings, like Pinterest management, creating Instagram stories, and writing blog copy for your brand new website! Not to mention, designing your new website! high five I absolutely loooove working with creative entrepreneurs like photographers, wedding planners, counselors, illustrators and artists, and small boutique shop owners. Honestly, the way I look at it is if I use a business’s product or service, hang their art on my walls in my home, or shop at their brick and mortar store, it means I am putting my money where my mouth is. I hope to work with those small businesses that I feel good about supporting both as a consumer and as a fellow business owner. So many business owners don’t have the time for marketing and branding. Let alone just finding the time to post on social media.

Creative businesses need to spend more time being creative. They are also working and hustling HARD to run a business, and managing two kids, or trying to plan their next cross-country tour. Unicorn Marketing Co. is here to create some business magic, to give you a pep talk when you need it, and help you feel like you’re strutting down a red carpet at the Emmys – because YEAH GIRL, YOU CAN.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

You started your own business in the middle of a pandemic. How did you start your business (journey)? What was the decisive moment, the light bulb moment, that made you want to start your own business?

Such a great question! I have felt that Unicorn Marketing Co. has been percolating for a few years. It has always been there, something I daydreamed about, something I couldn’t quite name or put a finger on. I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. My mother says I’m bossy. I call that being assertive and utilizing leadership skills. winky face.

What stopped me from starting my own business, well, it was not seed money or finding a bank loan. It was myself. I somehow kept telling myself all the time that I wasn’t good enough, that I’d fail if even tried. That I’d have zero dollars in my bank account and no new leads for clients. 2020 helped me rip off the bandaid when a loooot more free time suddenly opened up. And now here I am! Seriously, all of my incredible, supportive friends have asked me what took me so long to get started! I still have moments where it doesn’t feel real.

What were some of the challenges along the way, pandemic related and in general?

As my business manages gigs online, once the pandemic is over, I’ll still be running things in a similar way. The bonus will be that for my local creatives, I’ll be visiting them in coffee shops for a face-to-face meeting when its allowed.

The biggest challenge that I find right now is finding time to manage my personal life, my day job, and time for building my business. I’ve hired an AWESOME assistant, and so far, she is a life saver! I haven’t tried going on a vacation yet this year, because you know… 2020, but when I do, I’ll need to set a reminder to turn off my phone.

Sources of inspiration: TED Talks! I have worked on a couple of the TED Talks conferences in Vancouver. Each time, it was the most amazing, inspirational few days of no sleep EVER. Whether it was setting up a gorgeous table setting for an intimate lunch with Chris Hadfield, or watching DJs duel in a dark exhibition hall lit up by Louie Schwartzberg’s jaw dropping films on floor to ceiling screens. I mean, just listen to the TED Talks podcast, or jump on Netflix. Mind-blowing inspiration jam packed into fifteen minutes.

The marketing and social media industry is highly competitive, how do you stand out? How have you built your personal brand?

I hope that I’ll stand out by staying true to my business’s brand and by being a genuine, open, caring face for Unicorn. Its my goal that everyone who comes in contact with Unicorn, from current and future clients, to my next Instagram like, to a friend of a friend of a friend is picking up what I’m putting down! I believe in lifting up others around me, because when one woman/person/human rises, we all rise. Yeah, it really is a competitive world out there, but there’s more than enough room for all of us. Take up space. We all deserve to be here. I can tell you all about how I’ve built my personal brand by volunteering more hours than there are in a day or that I’ve networked here, there, and everywhere, but instead… I’ll tell you about how important it is to treat others the way you want to be treated and to be authentic. The true definition of authenticity is having the courage to REALLY be yourself.

My favourite book in 2020 was “A House In The Sky” by Amanda Lindhout. In 2021 – yes, I know it’s only January – its “The Night Portrait: A Novel of World War 2 and Da Vinci’s Italy” by Laura Morelli.

Do you have any recommendations on how to establish your own brand?

Well, as this is a series about personal branding, let’s talk about it! First step is to find out who you are and determine what you want to be known for. And who needs to know about it? That’s your target audience. Research your dream company that you’d like to work for and ask the CEO for an interview. Go to ALLLLL of the networking shindigs. Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn, and when you receive one, share the love! Grow your online presence on social media and with an online portfolio. If you’re an aspiring photographer, create an Instagram account dedicated to your #sidehustle. That’s just the beginning of a very exciting adventure! Show up everyday as your best self, and when you wake up in the morning know that there’s 365 days of opportunity in a year.

Instagram inspirations: @hanune_poetry @morganharpernichols @shoptwentyseven @msjulianaj @elysedodge @vanmuralfest

What are some of the professional goals you set for this year?

In a few months, I hope I will find the time to finish Unicorn’s website. I’ve been so busy working on a client’s website and other projects that I’ll get there one day soon – haha. I’m excited to plan out more super special touchpoints with local creatives for my clients. Supporting locally is important for me!! By the summer, I’m probably going to activate some really fun paid retargeting and social media campaigns for Unicorn.

Creating a strong, fun working relationship with my team is really important to me – especially as my assistant is half a world away. It’s imperative that she feels that shes getting the support she needs, the training she deserves, and she’s enjoying her job. The virtual world makes this way easier!!

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Thank you Hope for this beautiful and insightful interview! I love your advice of asking the CEO of your dream company for an interview. Let’s see, maybe one of my next posts is an interview with a CEO! 😉

You can find Unicorn Marketing Co. on the following platforms: Website – Instagram – Facebook – Pinterest

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For my new Personal Branding Portraits Series, I’m talking to female entrepreneurs and business owners about their journey, their goals and challenges, and how they built their personal brand.

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