Hidden Gems: Meet Holly Wentworth of Hapacity Marketing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Wentworth. 

Hi Holly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi there! Thanks so much for including me in this article. 

My company, Hapacity Marketing, was created to achieve more freedom and say in my career— how much money I wanted to make, what I wanted to specialize in, when and where I wanted to work, etc. 

I believe that timing was everything for me. I started Hapacity in July 2021, exactly when I needed to. 

I had gained previous experience at a marketing agency as a social media manager and then grew into a marketing strategist, which meant leading my team to produce great work and keeping our clients happy. 

And right before going freelance, I had a brief stint at a financial firm in St. Louis and gained broader skills in long-form content creation, such as blogging, writing landing pages, and creating emails. 

I’m super grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met along the way because it’s made me a more well-rounded individual– both professionally and personally. 

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so owning my own business was always a future plan. But I never believed it was actually obtainable until I took the leap. I’m grateful every day that I did! 🙂

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been relatively lucky in my business ownership journey so far because I’ve picked the brains of a ton of others in the STL area who have done this already (and done it well!). 

There are so many supportive and giving entrepreneurs in the community, who are super willing to share their struggles and offer advice on better ways to do things. 

More specifically, the women entrepreneurs in this community are top-tier. I can’t emphasize enough how much they truly want to see you win, and they’ll help you get there– whether that’s connecting you to the right person, sending you work, or shouting you out online. It’s incredible. 

Of course, there are days when imposter syndrome can eat me up. I may feel like I don’t deserve this career, or that I’m not worth what I’m charging my clients, or there’s someone out there that could do what I do better. 

And other times, I may feel intimidated by the more “businessy” parts of my job— the stuff they don’t teach you in school, like paying taxes, project management, responding to difficult emails, etc. It can feel like a big learning curve.

I know I’m not alone in these feelings– many other women, in particular, can feel this way, too, at times.

So, when I face struggles, I try to change the narrative and remind myself that I am worthy and don’t need to be an expert in every aspect of my life– no matter how hard I try. Or I’ll tell myself a little joke, like “Imagine how enormous your head would look if you DID know everything about anything.” Haha!

Negativity doesn’t get you anywhere in life, but optimism will. That’s how I keep going every day. And if I feel like I’m starting to slip, I schedule a coffee date or happy hour with a trusted friend or mentor to gain some perspective. 

I think it’s super important to have a high EQ (emotional intelligence) in business so you don’t take everything personally and you can grow into a better human as a whole— at work and at home. Being good at business is being good with people, and I’m always working on that.

You will find that a lot of people in business speak solely in jargon to seem smarter. Years ago, those people would terrify me. But, what I’ve learned over time is that the people who are the most knowledgeable speak the most authentically, like real people! Those are the ones who have become my mentors.

I also have the always learning mentality. If there’s a problem that needs to be solved, I’m obsessed with finding the answer myself or tapping in an expert. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it! 

Speaking of that, I’m a big believer in delegating tasks whenever necessary, which is why I have a few amazing subcontractors on my team. That process can be a challenge at first— coming to terms with what you’re good at or desire to be doing, and where you could use some extra help. But, once you figure it out, it’s seriously LIFECHANGING! 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Hapacity Marketing?
My business is called Hapacity Marketing, which is located in St. Louis, Missouri. The name comes from the word Hap, which stands for fortune, luck, and chance, and the word Capacity, which stands for potential, ability, and skill. Together, it equals Hapacity. 

My company offers 5 core services: Marketing Strategy, Branding Strategy, Social Media Management, Content Marketing, and Videography/Photography. 

I think what makes my company different is that I’m an extroverted, relationships-first kind of person, so my brand reflects that. I deeply care about people. Many of my clients are entrepreneurs themselves, and like me, I know they lose sleep over things happening with their businesses. It’s so important to me that they feel happy about the work we’re doing and excited for the future. 

I also want them to hold me accountable, which is why I schedule monthly meetings with each of them to talk about our marketing performance, even when it’s not in the green. And we’re always open to trying new things. That’s how we learn and do better and better. 

Additionally, we don’t do work just for the sake of someone paying us. We want our clients to see tangible success. So, if we don’t think their desired marketing tactic or channel is a good idea, we will be transparent about that and offer better alternatives. 

Furthermore, if we don’t believe we’re the right fit for that client, we’re happy to direct them elsewhere. It should be a beneficial relationship on both sides. 

We take our client work seriously. But we also know that these partnerships should be fun. We’re here for the laughs! 

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I love this question. 

Let’s start with Katie Silversmith, Founder of ThriveCo (https://www.thrive-coworking.com/). She connected me to two amazing women entrepreneurs (Melissa Weber and Nicole Krupela) who are both ThriveCo members and pushed me into this career. 

Melissa Weber, entrepreneur and Founder of Teddy Media (https://melissakayweber.com/). So many coffee dates, happy hours, phone calls, and texts with this lady. She has provided me invaluable support and advice in launching my business– just like she did with hers at the start of the pandemic. She’s become such a close friend of mine that she’s a bridesmaid at my wedding. 

Nicole Krupela, copywriter, content strategist, entrepreneur (https://www.nicolekrupela.com/). Same thing as above with Mel. I cannot say enough about how amazing her support and advice have been before I launched my business and now. She’s also now a bridesmaid at my wedding. 

Robin Haugen, entrepreneur, designer, and artist (https://neonrobin.com/). I met her years ago at an interview for a job I didn’t get, and we’ve stayed connected. She also pushed me into freelance and has been the “wise owl,” as we like to say. 

Catherine Kolbeck, entrepreneur and Founder of Red Whisk Creative (https://redwhiskcreative.com/). She’s not only given me a ton of work opportunities throughout my freelancing journey but she’s also been a great listening ear. So grateful for her leadership! 

There are so many more…  

Contact Info:

• Email: holly@hapacity.com
• Website: https://hapacity.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hapacitymarketing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hapacity/

 

Image Credits
Maddy Bandowski
Wild Leaf Films