Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneur is Amanda Shuchat, PR and communications guru. The communications world is thrilling and exciting yet competitive and cutthroat. I love seeing driven millennials carve out a name for themselves and when they succeed, tremendous things happen as is the case with Amanda Shuchat, Managing Director of PR agency, the Colony Project. What I like about Amanda is that aside from her drive, perseverance, and passion, she truly cares about her team and the next generation of up-and-comers in the field.
We caught up with Amanda to find out what inspires her and what advice she would share with other young professionals…
– Julian Brass, founder, Notable
WORK
1. Describe what you do in less than 140 characters. Go.
I lead The Colony Project, a PR agency boasting some of the industry’s hungriest talent. Simply put, we help our clients do transformational work.
2. What was the inspiration for your career route?
I stumbled on PR while pursuing a journalism degree, something I pursued based on a love of writing. PR is the flip side of the coin: Still centered on storytelling, it’s a social industry that allows me to build relationships, flex my creative muscles and hone my interest in business. It’s also constantly evolving, which keeps us on our toes. Being on the cutting edge of consumer behavior and communications trends is what sets us apart.
3. What is the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
Being asked to lead The Colony Project is a dream I’ve been working toward since I wrote my first press release. I always knew I wanted to run an agency and was humbled to be asked to kick-start one for a parent company and sister-agency (Citizen Relations) whose success record would make any marketer blush. It was the opportunity to bring exceptional client service and a rich culture to new challenges. Having three of my previous clients make the move over to Colony gave us momentum for the growth we’ve seen in our first eight months.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years, 10 years, 20 years?
As with any agency, your product is your people. Cultivating a vibrant culture and motivating strong talent is what I’m most passionate about. In five, 10, 20 years I want to be leading an even larger team of superstars, doing great work for great clients we care about. It may sound cliché, but I want everyone on my team to want to come to work every day.
5. Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Two of the greatest assets, regardless of what you do, are adaptability and resourcefulness. You can plan every detail and think of every possibility, but challenges are still going pop up. That’s just life. If you can think on your toes, offer solutions and get creative, you’ll be successful at whatever you do. Common sense and hard work are the basics of what we learn, and somehow rare to find. Be willing to do whatever it takes, check your ego at the door and kill ‘em with kindness, even if they don’t deserve it.
6. Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is it (or they) important to you?
There are few things more important than giving back. I was a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada for a couple of years and forged a rewarding and hilariously fun relationship with a young girl. I’m also a big supporter of MATCH International Women’s Fund, a Canadian company that provides grants to grassroots organizations that support women in third-world countries. We’ve partnered with MATCH to raise awareness and donations through disruptive marketing. Women’s rights and children’s rights are human rights and to me, there’s nothing more important.
8. What does the word notable mean to you?
Being notable means being authentically you. It’s ignoring the haters, standing up for what you believe in and going for it.
PLAY
1. Where is your favourite place to wine/ dine in your city and why?
I may be biased (it’s my brother-in-law’s shop), but The Baro on Queen St. West serves the city’s best salads.
2. What’s the most visited website on your Internet browser? The most played song on your phone?
Toss up between OhSheGlows.com and SethGodin.com.
“Dancing On My Own” by Robyn.
3. Who’s one person you think everyone should be following on social media?
On social media and everywhere else, Amy Schumer. Oh, and my Dad on Instagram: @shuman_23.
4. What’s your favourite country to visit and why? And what’s the next one you plan on travelling to?
Greece definitely tops my list. My fiance’s family is from there and there’s something about the beaches and culture that make it unlike anything else. The gyros don’t hurt either. Next up is Bali and Tokyo for my honeymoon. The countdown is on.
5. What gives you the greatest FOMO?
There’s nothing that stings more than missing a girl’s weekend.
6. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
A bottle of rosé to wash down a High Priest from Burger’s Priest. Don’t judge.
7. What’s something you wish you didn’t spend so much money on? What’s something you wish you spent more on?
I often wish I spent less on material possessions and more on experiences. But my purse and shoe collection says otherwise…
8. And finally, what does success look like to you? Work, play, or otherwise…
The Colony Project. Mic drop.
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