We recently connected with Annie O’Malley and have shared our conversation below.
Annie, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I spent a very long time trying to learn everything I possibly could about a subject, thinking that there would at some point be an “aha moment” where I would suddenly feel equipped to call myself an expert. Spoiler alert, there was no “aha moment”. I eventually realized that even people that I consider to be experts don’t know everything, and I started getting comfortable with saying, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”. If you spend enough time in a field, you start to realize that everyone is just figuring it out as they go in some regard. Find yourself a few people who are willing to share what they know, and make sure you do the same, and you will all be better for it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As the owner + CEO of Central Mass Mom, a hyperlocal digital media company, my priority is to create a platform where moms can share their experiences without judgement, find support and friendship through our in-person events, and learn about the best local businesses and resources in our area. We are a team of over 20 women writing about motherhood, our most useful tips and tricks, and our favorite local spots. We also have a full schedule of events, aimed at gathering moms for a chance to chat and make new friends. Motherhood can often feel lonely, and we’re on a mission to change that.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In my line of work, becoming a mom was a major factor for me in building this business. Becoming a mom changed me in ways I could never have expected, and I quickly decided I wanted to do something that would help support other moms the way I wanted to be supported.
One quality that has helped me to succeed in this work is having an intense sense of curiosity. I am always asking questions and chatting with people to learn more about their businesses and life experiences. Even if it doesn’t seem like there is a direct connection, there is always something you can learn, and being well rounded never hurt anyone. Also, having a solid list of contacts can be really helpful when something comes up later on.
Another quality that has helped me get my business off the ground is being comfortable with figuring things out as I go. Trying something one way, learning from it, and assessing how I would do it differently the next time. Running a business is a constantly evolving process of learning how you could do things better the next time, and you have to get used to making peace with the things that flopped, learning from them, and leaving them behind.
My advice would be to start wherever you are. Learn as you go. Do things that feel scary, and be kind to yourself when the first try isn’t the final version.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
This is a tough question. In the beginning phases, you may need to dabble in everything, because you may not have the funds to hire out the areas you aren’t as strong in. My advice would be to do the best you can to learn enough to get by, and then hire out as soon as you can. Finding someone who is an expert in something you are not will do a better job than you would, and they’ll do it faster too. Be honest with yourself on your own strengths and interests, and find incredible people to do the rest. If you aren’t ready to hire a team of your own, you can start with contractors, or websites like fiverr to hire people for individual tasks or projects.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://centralmassmom.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/centralmassmom
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/centralmassmom
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/central-mass-mom
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/centralmassmom
Image Credits
Annie O’Malley’s headshot was taken by Julia Krupp Photography
