Hera Hub is excited to share Startup Stories from our members in honor of National Entrepreneurship Week. Each day this week we will interview incredible business women from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Our goal is to share our members’ wonderful stories with the public.
April Harter Enriquez is the founder of WordPop Public Relations. WordPop is a Southern California-based public relations agency helping organizations share their stories with the media, their customers and customers-to-be. We craft everything from compelling news releases, pitches, award applications and blog posts to bite-sized emails, tweets and ‘grams.
April has been a member of our Mission Valley, California location for more than three years. Here is April’s Startup Story:
What was the inspiration behind your business?
Making PR accessible. Once you fold PR into your marketing plan, you get it. Until then, you’re probably only investing your dollars into advertising. I wanted to create a firm that would make PR accessible to organizations of various sizes and backgrounds. I work with large organizations that are experienced believers of PR, and other businesses that are new to PR. PR shouldn’t be the mystery arm of marketing. It’s not all glitz, glamour and publicity stunts – it’s powerful stories that propel an organization’s brand. PR and social media leverage the power of third-party validation, which means more now than ever.
Who are your clients and what do you do for them?
At WordPop, we love helping organizations that are champions of happy, healthy and smart living. Our current and past clients include homebuilders, architects, medical doctors and wellness experts, insurers, an environmental science nonprofit, various women-led startups, and one organization you’re all familiar with – Hera Labs. We help organizations from San Diego to Santa Barbara with PR and media relations, email marketing, blogging, social media, and award applications. We’re available for 90-minute consultations for those new to PR or those hoping to reactivate their PR efforts.
What are your business’ values? How do they align with your personal values?
I’m slowly learning that success is truly a journey, not a diamond or a billion bucks or even a one-hit headline. If success is simply a destination, you’ll either get there too early and get bored, or worse, not get there at all, clawing at it and driving yourself crazy. This is something I have to remind myself of every day. I take the same approach with business. What does the journey look like? Am I taking the best route for myself and my clients? Am I pitching the best possible story ideas? Am I working with the right people? Am I forming relationships that are honest, fair, committed and am I activating enthusiasm and passion? If so, go!
How/Why did you choose your business name?
Sounds silly, but it “popped” into my head while I was driving on the freeway. People told me to choose a name that started with an “A” so my business would be listed first in a program or on signage, but I stuck with WordPop. To me, the name and logo convey enthusiasm, warmth, wit and connection. These are qualities that are important to me in a person. (The Los Angeles Lakers may have influenced my logo colors, too).
What do you love most about your work?
Sharing success with people. As a publicist, you’re the middleman. You help clients identify story ideas and help reporters, who are extremely busy, save time by providing them with story suggestions, quotes and data. You rarely get a byline, but you know that you brought that story to life. You’re helping the client, the media, the consumer, and yourself. It’s a process, though. Every story doesn’t fly. You have to be persistent in this business and get over rejection quickly. When a story hits, I definitely do a happy dance. Every time.
What is the biggest challenge in running your own business?
Thinking you have to master it all. I’ve been working in PR since I was 20 years old, but I’ve never been in charge of negotiating contracts, hiring, running profit and loss reports…the list goes on. I’ve learned to surround myself with trusted professionals that can take on or assist me with these tasks. You must have a firm grasp on your finances, for example, but you don’t have to become an accountant. You must focus your time on your craft, and for me, that’s PR and client relations. It pays to pay people.
What are your/your business’ goals for the future?
Full steam ahead – growth mode! I spent the first two and a half years working on my own. I was nervous to expand my team. Now, I greatly value my team and am positioned to take on more business. In the past year, I’ve expanded my client base up the California coast. I want to double my business in 2016, and give others the opportunity to grow.
What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur?
Again – don’t feel like you have to master it all. This is true from an internal and external standpoint. Internally, you may be overwhelmed with filing for a business name for the first time, taking on your retirement, paying for your healthcare, learning to invoice, and so on. Externally, you may be tempted to say “yes” to every job — even jobs you don’t specialize in. I’m not completely out of “yes” land, but I’m learning to focus on what I’m good at and let others do what they’re good at.
Secondly, set squad goals. I’m surrounded by brilliant mentors that keep me sane and on track. It’s okay to keep asking questions after you’re in business for yourself. It’s also okay to help others. Before you know it, you’ll be a mentor to a young women or recent graduate. It’s important to be generous and encourage those around you.
