Any good business owner knows that to be successful these days, you’ll need a top-notch social media and marketing strategy. Reena Goodwin created Facteur PR for exactly this reason. Her incredible company aims to help emerging and established business owners create a brand strategy that not only makes a meaningful impact, but authentically positions the brand for continued success. We recently took a moment to learn more about the amazing woman behind the incredibly impressive Facteur PR, and hear how she manages to stay inspired each and every day.
AdvisHer: Tell us about you – who is Facteur PR?
Reena: FACTEUR PR is a boutique integrated marketing and communications studio that serves emerging and established lifestyle brands. What that looks like in terms of capabilities is a hybrid that includes public and media relations, social media strategy and marketing, content creation and marketing, and web design and direction. Our clients are mostly based in Northeast Ohio and female business owners or women in leadership positions at the brands they represent, though we do work with brands across the country.
AdvisHer: What was your inspiration for starting FACTEUR? What influenced your decision?
R: I was inspired to start FACTEUR PR long before I ever did. I’ve always worked in marketing and PR, mostly for nationally-recognized companies, but the idea of leading my own really started at a young age. My father is a business-owner and still is, so I grew up seeing his struggles and successes. In terms of what led me to take the leap, the birth of my daughter was the biggest inspiration. FACTEUR started as a side-hustle of mine, but when I became pregnant in 2016, I really started taking steps to make it a full-fledged business. I wanted a flexible schedule, yes. But also I craved more creative freedom, and working side-by-side with business owners I learned gives me that opportunity.
AdvisHer: Take us through a day in the life!
R: My work days believe it or not often start at home. I get up around 4:30-5 a.m., meditate, and then sit down with a coffee for a little email catch-up before getting in a quick workout. After getting dressed, I get my daughter up at 7:30 a.m. and take her to daycare before getting to our office in Ohio City around 9 a.m. Depending on the day, most mornings start with a meeting with the team. We discuss client projects and plan for the day and rest of the week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are our primary media outreach days. You’ll also find us busy with client meetings, marketing planning, developing websites, social media photo shoots, etc. While we usually wrap the day around 5 p.m., this industry is one where you always have to be connected. When I get home from the day, I focus on spending time with my family, but closing in on bedtime I often spend a little time making sure all deadlines are being met and create my to-do list for the next day.
AdvisHer: What is your favorite type of project to work on or client to work with?
R: My favorite types of clients and projects to work on integrated marketing and communications engagements, which basically means we get to do a little bit of everything – PR, social media, marketing, blogging, etc. – and not just one or the other. This is exciting for us because we really get to lead and be creative, but also just in terms of results, integrated marketing and communications always makes the most impact on overall goals and bottom lines.
AdvisHer: How do you stay inspired?
R: The biggest source of inspiration for me is traveling! I love seeing other places, meeting new people, and getting a real-life perspective on how others live, work, and play. Especially traveling for pleasure, it also helps me create a little space in my mind for new ideas. More regularly, I love listening to podcasts, attending conferences, and just hearing the stories of other women digitally on blogs like this!
AdvisHer: If you could give your younger self some advice, what would it be?
R: I’ve learned over the years that sometimes hard work alone doesn’t get you to where you want to be. You have to have dreams, you have to prepare for risks, and you have to take action. I think I eventually did a nice job of making some of my dreams a reality, but sometimes I do look back and think to myself, “I should have advocated for myself more.” I believe as young women it can be intimidating to do that, but we have to remember at the end of the day, nobody has your best interest in mind more than you do.
AdvisHer: If you could build Facteur PR again, is there anything you would do differently?
R: This might sound crazy, but no, not really. Not because I haven’t made mistakes but those mistakes were important learning opportunities for me.
AdvisHer: How do you prioritize your financial health?
R: I spend time every week with the business finances and projections, but the first thing I outsourced when I started FACTEUR almost three years ago was accounting. I like to be in the loop and manage my finances but filing my taxes and the like I have completely handed over to him. My accountant is also my financial adviser, and collaborating together has been important for my personal financial wellbeing. One of the most illuminating things about being a business owner is that your financial destiny is really in your own hands, and it’s important to me to focus more on building wealth instead of relying only on a weekly paycheck.
AdvisHer: What are your financial goals for 2019?
R: Definitely saving and investing more savings, as well. I certainly have sales goals for FACTEUR to reach, and so far into 2019 we’re projecting we will reach those. This not only tells us that our business is healthy but also that we’re really doing our job by helping support the businesses that we serve. I’m super looking forward to this year and the growth that it will bring to all of us!
We would like to thank the wonderful Reena Goodwin for her time in helping create this post! For more on Reena and Facteur PR, check out her website or follow along on Instagram at @FacteurPR!
Note: All photos used with permission from @FacteurPR.
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