Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracee T. Holloway.
Hi Tracee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Simply put, I’m an entrepreneur. I have always known I wanted to have my own business. Although I’ve successfully worked in corporate America, I have been known to say that I’m allergic to working for someone else’s company. There’s this undeniable entrepreneurial blood running through my veins, and the dream of running my own business started when I was very young. My late Grandma Lillie owned a beauty salon and line of beauty products. Growing up, I watched her run the salon, manage her stylists and service her clients, and I gladly helped by sweeping the floors or refilling containers at the snack counter. I planned to take over her salon so she could retire, but she sold her business before my college graduation. I had to make a new plan.
Also, my mom has had a thriving literary arts business for 35 years which I have always helped with and now I serve as the chair of her nonprofit’s board. I love the nuance of using words as ART, and I truly value literary creativity. I’m also extremely passionate about creative consulting, whether business or personal. I’ve worked in many creative spaces from stage theatre actress and director to on-air radio talent, to print publishing and podcast production, to name a few. I go where the creativity leads me!
As a child, I was the one who loved to play pretend EVERYTHING—school teacher, famous singer, flight attendant, talk show host, you name it! As an adult, I’ve run hobby businesses for gift wrapping, résumé writing and home daycare. There’s nothing I can’t succeed in when I put my creative efforts toward it. I fully believe in that as a principle and operate according to three core values: Creativity, Excellence, and Success. Success looks different for everyone, but I seek it out for myself and my clients with a spirit of excellence and creativity.
I get excited helping my clients take their creative ideas from concept to reality. My client base includes authors, performers, producers, family businesses, nonprofit organizations, professionals, higher education leadership, former athletes, and public speakers. Over the last 20 years, I’ve worked in radio, TV, news media, journalism, theatre, music, podcasting, and streaming show production. In the past 17 or more years, I used my creativity for my first business in freelance writing and editorial public relations—and last year, in early 2021, I formed The Way Up Creative Group to offer integrated marketing communications support for small businesses.
From Alignable®, the largest online referral network with more than 7 million small businesses, I was recently awarded the 2022 Local Business Person of the Year Award for Mansfield, Texas, out of more than 2,400 nominees nationwide. I am now a co-Ambassador for the Arlington, TX and surrounding areas’ group. It has been a whirlwind of a year, and I am thankful.
I’m a big-time dreamer and my next creative venture is just a daydream away. I look forward to what my team and I do next with The Way Up Creative.
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?
Of course, it has not always been a smooth road, but it has been worth the effort. Owning your own business means you’re the one who makes things happen until the business is running well–you bring in business, you work with your team, you manage your clients, etc. Much of the success of your business is up to you and how well you navigate those responsibilities and the challenges they can present.
It is possible to feel like the weight of the Earth is resting on your shoulders some days, while others may seem like light work. I had to make some difficult decisions to alleviate undue stress when those heavy days seemed to outnumber the rest. I had to reprioritize. I had to learn how to balance my health, my household, my business, and my goals.
Years of trial and error led me to a work-life balance formula that works well for me now. However, it is always changing and being tweaked because life has so many twists and turns. I stay flexible and try to see the bright side of it all. And, I stay connected to God. There’s no me without Him. Making better choices for my business, family, and “me” time is easier when I allow my mind, body, and spirit to guide me.
Coaching and consulting work have taught me that many business owners feel unsupported and overwhelmed. To find support, it has been helpful for me to connect with others in business through networking and utilizing business resources from organizations such as SCORE and the SBDC. It’s also important to connect with family and friends, and I find that taking a random vacation or trying something new every now and then has been helpful for me to maintain balance.
We’ve been impressed with The Way Up Creative Group LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Way Up Creative is dedicated to helping small businesses, brands, and creatives elevate their brands by focusing on the messaging they use in the traditional and digital marketplace primarily via coaching, strategy, and content consulting. One of the keys to my success has been my diverse creative and professional background. I have worked in many fields of communication and entertainment over the last 20 years. With experience in several industries and positions, I can offer my clients a wide range of knowledge to help them succeed. I would never profess to know it all, yet I have gained well-rounded insight to help others elevate because of my own experiences as a multi-business owner and leader. I also have a trusted network of skilled professionals to assist with what I don’t specialize in. My goal is to help the whole client.
For a limited time, we offer free 15-minute brand introduction calls to discuss goals and challenges with potential clients. This introductory meeting allows us to determine whether our businesses are a good fit to work together.
In addition to the primary services I mentioned, we offer others such as media coaching, website architecture, and data management system creation. We also offer a paid coaching program called Elevate Your Brand (or EYB). The Elevate Your Brand program consists of one-on-one or small group content coaching to assist startups or rebranding businesses in developing foundational messaging and brand identity, identifying targets, setting goals, automating work, and devising actionable marketing, PR, or social media plans to implement on their own or with support. As a result of EYB’s personalized and hands-on nature, applicants must apply and interview for approval.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
I often work with startup business owners. One of the main tips I give them is to set a good foundation for growth in the beginning. Brand communications require a solid foundation in messaging used for marketing, public relations, and social media campaigns. You can communicate your message more clearly when you define your brand’s mission, vision, and values FIRST. When you write down a vision and make it plain, you can run with it because you have set the tone and pace from the start.
And, another thing I will add is that it’s okay to change your mind! As we get older and work in our careers, we may find out that we become either more or less passionate about something over time. It’s perfectly okay to pivot to a new or different path. You are not stuck just because you’ve “always” done something. No one can peg you into a hole unless you allow it. Break free. Think free. Be creative. Set your own pace. Consider what you want people to know about you and your brand, and be consistent.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thewayupcreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewayupcreative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewayupcreative
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thewayupceo
- Other: https://www.alignable.com/mansfield-tx/the-way-up-creative-group-llc
Image Credits
Red Angle Photography
The Way Up Creative Group
