Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Foster.
Hi Michelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
This might sound funny, but I can trace “how I got here” so distinctly in my mind. Every decision, every role, every bad boss, every rejection has a clear path to where I am today.
And it all started when I was in high school. Way back in the late 1900s, there was a group called *NSYNC. To say I was obsessed would be an understatement. I had just gotten my first computer and for some reason, I was drawn to creating websites. I taught myself HTML and created my first site, Don’t Blink, It’s *NSYNC! Through this obsession, dozens of other websites and my new coding skills, my initial desire was to have a career as a web developer. I applied to one college, Eastern Illinois University (because I went there on a field trip once), and on one fateful day, my entire future was secured.
I was attending an open house at EIU, and I walked up to one of the faculty that was staffing the event. I asked him where I would go if I want to be a web developer and he said, “I think Speech Communication will be the closest you’ll get.” I’m sure this guy has no idea how much he impacted my entire life, but at the time, that was good enough for me. I basically chose that as my major right then and never looked back.
Six years, a bachelor’s and master’s in Communication Studies later, I began my career as a corporate communications coordinator at a family of regional airlines. There, as the only communicator, I learned how to wear all the hats and work with executives. I had a brief stint at a box manufacturer, but left after they announced they were to be acquired when I was about three months in. I ended up at a global networking and connectivity manufacturer, going through several communications roles reporting to marketing, investor relations and human resources. It’s important to note that I was the candidate selected for all three of these roles because of my website and technical experience, not because of my MA in communication.
I tried very hard to leave this company during my nearly nine years there. I was actively and aggressively looking for at least three of the years, but nothing ever came to be. Which, as one might imagine, was incredibly frustrating and disheartening.
And then, the moment came where everything made sense. The communications function was eliminated at my company a couple weeks before Christmas in 2019, which was jarring. A wonderful contact I had made during my time there immediately was on the lookout for me, and he introduced me to the most consequential person I had met in my 12-year career, Beth Clauss.
Beth owned Small Potatoes Communications and was looking for someone with internal communications expertise to help an organization communicate their new mission and values. I had my easiest “interview” ever. We talked for about fifteen minutes before jumping straight into strategy, and that was my first taste of consulting. I was a 1099 contractor with no idea how to work remotely, but I was ready to go.
From there, I helped grow Small Potatoes Communications into a small, but mighty agency. We had brilliant employees and fantastic clients. Then we hit an unexpected downturn, and Beth chose to pursue a passion outside of communications. I wasn’t ready to let the work or the brand go.
I became the owner of the brand in September 2024. Fortunately, I still have fantastic clients, and I’m genuinely excited about the future. My dream is to grow Small Potatoes back into a small, mighty agency that creates meaningful work with clarity, creativity and heart.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When you are in hard seasons, everything feels cloudy and it is almost impossible to see a path out. Looking back now, I can finally see my early career with clarity, and I can recognize how much those experiences shaped me. I had a few really difficult bosses along the way. The kind who teach you everything about who you do not want to be, but nothing about who you do want to be. Those experiences were painful at the time, but they shaped me into a more thoughtful, empathetic leader.
Learning how to be an hourly consultant was another challenge. Corporate life trains you to sit at a computer during very specific hours, and when you step into consulting, that structure disappears. I had to learn how to manage my own daily experience. Honestly, I still struggle with that sometimes. When I am not working in the middle of the day, even though I’ve done work around this, I still sense some guilt or judgment coming from inside the house, even though I’m the only one who would judge myself!
And then there was the transformation of Small Potatoes 1.0. I loved that organization and the people in it. We had something special. Everyone worked so hard and cared so deeply. When that version of the company changed, it meant saying goodbye to a team and a rhythm I had known for nearly five years. It was devastating. Even though we are still friends, I miss them every single day.
Those experiences were heavy, but they also gave me wisdom I did not have at the time. They taught me resilience, clarity and the kind of leader I want to be. I am grateful for how they shaped the person and the owner I am now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m so proud of what we bring to the table. Small Potatoes Communications is a people-first creative agency that helps leaders and organizations tell clear, engaging stories about the value they bring to the world. We specialize in internal and executive communications, franchise development and investor communications.
What sets us apart is the blend of strategy and creativity. We’ll sit with executives to shape a companywide narrative, create the communications plan, then turn around and build the presentation, leader playbook, video content, social posts and anything else that brings it to life. Everything we make feels professional, but human because that’s what good storytelling requires.
Our mission is to bring bold visions to life through communications that are authentic, clear, and built to drive real results. People are always at the center of what we do, because the best communications don’t just inform, they make people feel connected to something bigger, and move them to act.
Bottom line: We truly care about the people we work with. We want our clients (friends) to have fun working with us, and the people who experience our work to walk away informed and inspired.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck is an interesting concept. I’m not sure I believe in good or bad luck. Life is just a series of events – some amazing, some catastrophically bad.
Thirteen years ago, I gave birth to my twin boys at 24 weeks. My first-born, Chase, passed away in my arms at one month old. My second-born, Evan, has significant disabilities that impact our lives every day. Is that bad luck?
Then again, Evan is the most incredible boy I’ve ever met. He’s smart and silly. He’s loving and empathetic. He is a brilliant shining light in this world. I’m so fortunate to be his mother. Is that good luck?
My husband is phenomenal, the absolute pinnacle of a partner in life. My daughter is smart, beautiful and funny. I would consider myself incredibly fortunate to have these people as my family.
I absolutely love my career. I work with great people and get to do fun, meaningful work. It took me a while to get here and it was a difficult road. It’s taken a lot of work to see the good in much of this experience, but I’ve finally gotten there.
So when I think about luck, I think about contrast. I think about the fact that some of the most amazing parts of my life coexist with the heaviest loss I have ever experienced. The shadow of losing my son will always be there, but so will the light. My life is not defined by luck. It is defined by resilience, love and the people who make everything worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.smallpotatoes.co
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallpotatoescommunications
