Samantha Hodgkins is Founder & Chief FireStarter of SparkFire Active, a new line of performance activewear clothing designed exclusively for teen girls in just-right styles, colors and custom-sizing to fit & flatter their developing bodies and to support life in motion. From working out to adventuring out, SparkFire Active helps girls move freely and feel strong so they’re always ready to step off the sidelines, get into the game, and PLAY HARD, DREAM BIG! There is a fire within every girl, ready to ignite with strength, confidence and passion. Let that light shine bright and BE THE SPARK!
Mission: Being the mom, Samantha has a front row seat to the challenges teen girls face and just how sensitive their self esteem can be at such a critical time. She also watched as her wardrobe of athletic wear was constantly disappearing into her teen daughter’s closet… It wasn’t long before she soon connected to the mission for SparkFire Active.
Mindset: As her idea began to grow, Samantha knew she needed a sounding board. She approached several people close to her and was encouraged by what she heard. The idea was resonating and that sparked the courage to begin taking real action.
Marketing: The ideal client for SparkFire Active is someone who is as inspired by the clothing as they are the social impact that this company is making. Listen as Samantha shares how she connected and aligned with to international organizations that are giving teenage girls the education that would otherwise be out of reach.
Masterminds: Samantha has quickly placed herself in the middle of the movers and shakers of Atlanta’s startup scene. SparkFire is one of only 15 companies selected to participate in the City of Atlanta’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. She is also a member of the consumer-focused Switchyards coworking place.
Mastermind Challenge: I loved Samantha’s story about connecting to the right manufactures and suppliers. She could have easily handed over the reigns to those who were more knowledgeable about the process, but she stayed close to the process and even educated them on what was possible. If you’ve started to let go or outsource part of your process, take some time to check in and make sure things are running as if you you intend them too. Getting help is wonderful, but not an excuse to take your eye off the ball.
Drew Massie is the founder of AttorneyFone, a service for generating new business for lawyers. He has been an entrepreneur for 17 years and is a graduate of the Chicago Booth School of Business. He currently lives in Denver with his wife and 3 children.
Mission: AttorneyFone is the result of an evolution of technology that Drew created many years ago. Seeing the opportunity and value for this new vertical, he launched the new platform.
Mindset: Keep it simple. After working with over 20 startups, Drew has been behind the scenes and had a front row seat to enough successes and failures to know that the biggest pitfall is trying to do too much. Listen as he shares his perspective on where people misinterpret the goal of the minimum viable product (MVP).
Marketing: Content marketing has been key for the growth of AttorneyFone. I love how Drew describes the shift in mindset that’s required here. Rather than keeping all of his experience and expertise hidden, Drew’s found that sharing what he’s learned and accomplished along the way to work in his favor for building relationships and growing the business.
Management: Being a tech guy a heart, it can be a challenge to master all of the aspects of running a business. Drew shares in detail his methods for staying connected to the bigger picture and staying on track execution.
Mastermind Challenge. Keep it SIMPLE. What big project are you working on right now? Take a second look and ask yourself if you’re overthinking it, or making it more complicated. How can it be refined down to it’s more powerful and concise form?...