Meet Amber Romero | CEO of A Creative Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Romero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I am an entrepreneur at heart. I have more failed “businesses” than successful ones. Ever since I can remember, even as a child, I was figuring out ways to make money. I was the kid with a lemonade stand on the weekends, selling toys at garage sales, or figuring out how to do more chores than my siblings to get extra chore money. In middle school, I would always be the one to win the contest for fundraising because I sold the most chocolate bars. In high school and college, I literally tried my hand at every business… jewelry making, selling advertisements, working in an MLM (I don’t recommend this one), and even a photography business. So I have seen my fair share of “giving up” to reach for something better.

My photography business propelled me into the world of being a creative entrepreneur and ultimately led me to where I am today. But ultimately, I even gave that up to grow an even more successful social media agency. You see, the way to know when to give up comes down to two very important things: (1) is it making you happy and (2) is it bringing you income. If you answer “YES” to both of those questions, in my opinion, I think you should keep going in your business! Even if the income isn’t everything you need. No shame in working a full-time or part-time job on the side. If you answer “NO” to one or both questions, I think it might be time to make it a hobby or time to find something new.

My photography business is a prime example. To this day I still absolutely LOVE photography and it is something I still do in my everyday life. In my business, I would go back and forth between cycles of making money and happiness. When I was making a ton of money with photography, I was VERY unhappy. When I was really happy doing photography, those clients or jobs did not pay as well. Ultimately, I knew it was time to take my passion for photography and turn it into an EXPENSIVE hobby.

So ask yourself those two very important questions to help you focus in on whether to keep going or to throw in the towel.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been on quite a journey to get to where I am today in my marketing career. I went from internships in college, to working on a corporate marketing team for a Fortune 500 company, through working as the solo-marketer for a small business, freelancing, and now running my own agency. I have done just about anything and everything in the marketing world, and as a Content Strategist, I have really found my passion that combines creativity, analytics, and working with others.

The road to get here was a long and windy one, and I feel like, after 10 years as an entrepreneur, I have finally found my niche and I have paved my own way to do something I love. I have put in the long hours, the side hustles, no time off, working way too much, and having no work-life balance. While I don’t recommend that to anyone, I know it was a necessary part of the process that led me to where I am today!

I have said yes to opportunities when I should have said no. I have failed more times than I have succeeded. I have put myself out into the world, only to trip along the way. And while my journey might be unique, it is one that I hope others can resonate with and learn from!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, since it is Florida, we are first going to the beach for an afternoon with our toes in the sand to watch the beautiful sunset on Siesta Key. I would then take my friends to all of my favorite food spots in Tampa Bay, to enjoy beverages and some of the best tapas and appetizers. Some other nights we will head to a brewery to play trivia, and then head to a museum for a little bit of creative entertainment!
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The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In all honesty, there are so many people that have attributed to my success, but I have to dedicate this shout-out to The Rising Tide Society. I wouldn’t be the business owner I am today if I didn’t join this networking group back in 2016. I was one of the founding members of the Jacksonville chapter, and eventually, I became a leader in the group. This networking group was the gateway to meeting so many amazing entrepreneurs and was the foundation for my business to grow exponentially!

Website: www.acreativeco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_creativeco/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ACreativeCo

Other: TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@acreativeco

Image Credits
Christina Jones Photography https://www.christinajonesphoto.com/