Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Willis.
Hi Amber, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a wife and mom of two (three if you count our pup). Dan, Jack, Molly, Lulu, and I have built a life and home that I am proud of. I was a stay-at-home mom for ten years. Before that, I was a high school English teacher, which felt like a separate life. I never thought I would be a stay-at-home mom, yet I spent a decade as one. During that time, I had stretches of great joy, happiness, and belonging, but I also had periods of isolation and desperation. I explored many outlets to help me feel more grounded and fulfilled: childcare, homeschooling, and book studies. But none satisfied my craving for connection and purpose.
In April 2020, just a few weeks after the world locked down because of Covid, my two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. This shifted my reality in ways I am still uncovering and processing. The grief and emotional trauma are ongoing, and yet I am continuing to find ways to take the next step and do the next right thing. My daughter is now cancer-free and thriving! That entire experience led me back to writing and, ultimately, to my business. I will never be someone who tells you everything happens for a reason, especially when it comes to my daughter’s diagnosis. But I believe it is possible for good to come out of terrible circumstances. My blog and my reignited passion for writing are some of the good things that came out of this difficult time. When my daughter started kindergarten, I started offering my services as a freelance writer, and as I worked with other female entrepreneurs, I felt little parts of myself waking up. I never expected to use my English degree this way, but the work fulfilled that need for connection and purpose I mentioned before in ways I could have never predicted. And yet, I found myself pausing and thinking bigger.
As I met with clients about their copy needs, the same trends were showing up repeatedly. Women kept saying, “My copy doesn’t feel or sound like me,” “I don’t have a story to tell,” “I know what I want to say, but I don’t know how to say it,” “My story isn’t as good or dramatic or intense or happy so nobody will want to hear it,” or “I was told to keep personal and business separate, so I cut out all the ‘fluff’.” It quickly became apparent that there was a straight line between what these female entrepreneurs wanted, what they were missing, what they needed, and what was holding them back from getting there. That led me to expand my freelance services to include coaching/consulting and online course creation.
Somehow, being in the storytelling-writing-coaching-course creation space makes so much sense, yet I could have never predicted this for myself. Every chapter in my life allowed me to acquire the skills to lead me here. I am so proud of the life and business I have built. I am living my dream. I want to encourage and empower women to connect with their voices, own their experiences, and share their stories with the world to expand their reach and boost their business. But most importantly, they need to reconnect with and heal themselves. Nothing makes me happier than seeing other women put their stories out into the world because I truly believe we are all the better for it—every single time.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No. My business only really exists because of the hardship. When my daughter was at the height of her chemo treatments, we were forced to shift. We re-evaluated who we were, our priorities, where we were spending time, with whom we were pouring our energy, etc. We all knew if we were going to make it to the other side, we wanted it to be different, and we committed to that.
That looked like constantly striving to live my biggest, bravest life. I wasn’t content to settle and continue working or being in places that didn’t fill me up or provide value to me and my family. I started writing again, a practice I hadn’t used in many years. Writing became my safe place and my saving grace. Writing to-do lists was an act of gratitude; journaling cleared my head and helped me process, writing notes allowed me to connect with friends, and writing Caring Bridge posts made me feel less isolated. Writing gave me purpose back outside of just protecting my daughter.
Once my daughter was healthy and returning to school, I knew I wanted to rejoin the workforce after a decade as a stay-at-home mom. But I knew if I was going to do that, I could not abandon myself and all the things I had worked so hard to prioritize in the last few years. I was getting little nudges to find a way to write to make an income. Writing was a cornerstone of my biggest, bravest life. On top of that, I experienced firsthand the beauty and the healing that came from putting my story out into the world and sharing it with people. I want that for more people, especially female entrepreneurs. I began offering my services as a freelance writer and content creator, but I quickly realized my heart was more specifically in storytelling.
In a world where you are constantly creating, searching, and one-upping, always looking for the next tactic or marketing tool to set you apart, I want to show women their best marketing tool is their story. It changes the game for all of us when we use our voices and let our stories and presence take up space. My business is built on this philosophy. It has transformed my life and business, and it continues to transform the lives and businesses of my clients. Despite being so deeply committed to my mission, goals, and purpose, I still struggle with all the things female entrepreneurs face daily. Imposter syndrome is real (and loud). Self-doubt gets in the way too often. I talk myself out of big ideas all the time. But every single time, I can return to why this business started and how I want to show up for myself and my daughter.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us more about your work. next
The title that best sums up my work is Storytelling Coach. Most importantly, I help other female entrepreneurs find their voices and share their stories to expand their reach and boost their businesses. Through my online course and coaching, I give female entrepreneurs the tools to connect with themselves, claim their authentic voice, and then use that to show up in their copy and content. Whether in their mission statement, on social media, on their website, or through email marketing, we strategize and create together so that all content and copy feels and sounds like them. This allows them to show up within their business in honest and genuine ways. That builds more profound connections with their potential clients, leading to increased sales and revenue. On top of my coaching services, I am a freelance writer. My course and coaching cover the do-it-yourself writing support, but I also offer done-for-you writing services. I can do it if you need more desire, time, or capacity to create copy and content for your business. I specialize in content audits, website copy, and brand messaging. I could not have predicted that my business would take this direction when I started it less than a year ago, but it feels exactly where I’m supposed to be. I am so proud of the work I have created. But nothing is better than watching another female business owner feel empowered to take on her copy and content creation herself and put it out in the world, knowing it is so authentically her.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
Do you know the quotes about how behind every woman, a group of other successful women have had her back, wiped her tears, and straightened her crown? It’s all over the internet, but I don’t know where it originated. Anyway, that about sums up my business. I would not and could not be here if it wasn’t for all the women who have supported me. My best friends have listened to my ideas, proofed my pitches, and pumped me up when I was drowning in self-doubts. The women in my local mastermind group, The Women’s Core Collective, have been some of my biggest cheerleaders and inspiration. They have brainstormed and problem-solved with me, tested my course, and shared my services with their networks. My coaches and instructors, too- Micala Quinn with The Live Free Academy, Jess Stalker, and Morgan Butler with JM Business Coaching- have taught me so much and given me the confidence to follow my gut. Finally, I have to give a shout-out to my husband Dan. He is always the first to support my big ideas. He listens to me ramble constantly; he’s the one helping me figure out technology when it gets the best of me, lets me think out loud when I’m working through a plan, and helps me prioritize time to focus on my business and goals. I don’t know what I did to deserve his support, but I am grateful for it every day.
Pricing:
- My online course- The Storytelling Advantage- $349.50 (Launching January 30)
- Done-For-You Writing Services- Vary- Contact Directly for Pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.abigbravelife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigbravelife/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550852670291
Image Credits
Black and White Images- Emily Gargus @the.momographer, All other images- Ali Brassel Photography @ali_brasselphotography
