Meet Amber: The Thank You Note Expert

I could not be more excited to interview my dear friend Amber of Sincerely Amber Notes. Amber and I met though my sister and have since been two peas in a pod! We both have a passion for clean beauty through our shared business with Beautycounter, and we also love to empower women. Her newest business Sincerely Amber Notes is a service you don’t want to miss out on! When I short on time and thank you notes had been on my to do list for forever, Amber had me covered! Read on to find out about how her service can save you time AND how she found the happy place she is in now with her business!

1. Tell us about who you are and your journey to where you are now!

I am a new mama who moved 8 months pregnant from New York City to South Florida to be closer to family. I spent 10 years living and working in fashion in NYC which was always my dream. I worked my butt off and grew from an assistant level to eventually a VP. My move coincided with the loss of my job (due to the company shutting down) so it was perfect timing for a fresh start - personally and career wise! After so many years in an industry that lacks values, I grew tired of it and knew I wanted to do something that helped people and had a bigger mission. I also realized quickly into my career that I wanted to own my own business. This was mostly because I loved taking ownership of my work and could always see myself in the shoes of my bosses (taking charge!) My original plan was to open a retail store, but after seeing Amazon take over the world, I knew I should come up with something different...

2. What is the mission of your brand? How does it empower women?

The mission of Sincerely Amber Notes is to help people and to make people smile. I can confidently say that everyone loves receiving snail mail still. Sending thank you cards is both an obligation and a nice thing to do. It accomplishes 2 things: confirming that the gift was received and brightening someone’s day. When I write my notes, I don’t only thank the person, I also use it as an opportunity to share a compliment or say an uplifting comment. I help my customers get through the ever tedious and time-consuming process of sending thank you notes out and also help them reconnect with family and friends.

3. How do you collaborate with women working towards a better world?

All of my clients thus far have been women and I know that my future is full of amazing women who need a hand writing their many thank you notes. Women are busy and have the longest to-do lists!!! Together we will deliver handwritten notes to their family and friends which will put a smile on their faces. Once one person feels something warm and friendly in a day, they are likely to pass that warmth onto another person later that day. Happiness is contagious.

4. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to press through as a female entrepreneur and what are the steps you’ve taken to overcome it?

My biggest challenge has definitely been being a new mom. It’s very difficult to find time to work on my business between the diaper changes and feedings (all which I LOVE doing too!) and, when I do have 30 minutes to myself, it’s tempting to just rest or finally eat lunch rather than hunker down and work. Making sure that all the info and docs I need are on my phone is a huge help so that I don’t need to be set up on my computer to work. Having a “mobile” office is a huge help...and not to mention a mother-in-law who is happily willing to babysit! My plan is to get an iPad (#goals) plus always keep a positive attitude - even if I only get 10 minutes dedicated to my business in one day, it’s a win!

5. What advice would you give to a female entrepreneurs in the beginning stages of launching her brand or business?

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Usually I hate cliches but this one is too true not live by. Businesses don’t grow overnight and without hard work so don’t let “nos” and zeros in your bank account deter you. I can’t tell you how excited I was when I made my first $15 with this business. I would also say share your business with EVERYONE. You never know who someone will know or advice that person could share with you that could help you in a big or small way.

6. What sets your brand apart from others?

My service is truly one-of-a-kind. I want to keep it focused and don't plan to expand to anything else like invitations or calligraphy. I think it’s important in this day and age when all businesses are accessible via the internet and there are so many businesses in general to find your niche and stick to it.