We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alex Morehouse Herman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alex, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I was raised by entrepreneurs; I quite honesty think that hard work and starting something from the ground up runs through my veins. My mom and stepdad have been realtors for 30+ years, have owned countless businesses and also have been a part of networking marketing for over a decade. My dad is a paramedic, firefighter, and has also owned a handful of businesses or had side projects and side hustles for as long as I can remember; a window cleaning business, buying and flipping cars/ boats / computers, working on cars… and there’s probably a handful of other things I’m leaving off. I grew up helping my mom and step dad at their holistic wellness center, doing pop ups, leading presentations – there was never a question of what I wanted to do when I was older, but rather what I wanted to start and create. I was always an overachiever Type A personality. Taking AP classes in high school, was the senior class president, involved in ASB, while working nearly 40 hours a week. When I was 16 I started my first online boutique and also popped up in a handful of boutiques throughout town, later selling this business to my employers at the time as a Sophomore in college when I was working in retail. I had a job from the time I could drive (on my 16th birthday), was a babysitter before that, had an Etsy shop (that I don’t think made a single sale), and of course sold jewelry and lemonade on the side of the road in our neighborhood… which maybe had 15 houses total, so really not a bustling and high foot traffic area! HA! But I had this energy, this drive, this intensity that I channeled into projects, and work, and building things. I was raise by people who told me that anything was possible, and I grew up SEEING that in action. I know that’s such a blessing and it truly built a foundation of “if you want it, you can create it, but you gotta work for it.”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
The Groovy Shack just celebrated 7 years in business (WOW!) and over the years we’ve gone through many a rebrand, many a pivot, and many a shift as I personally have grown and evolved. Over the last year we’ve really zeroed in and focused on culminating all the skills and networks that have been built over the last 7 years and have stepped into the realm of supporting small businesses through social media management, photo/video production, website builds, logo/brand creations, consultations and more! We essentially are a hub to help amplify small businesses, no matter the size or how fresh and new they may be to the scene. We specifically love helping people who have just started, step out on a solid foundation with a well cultivated and purposeful brand. We have a small but mighty team of women who each are an integral part of caring for clients and running different accounts and projects. We are a place of collaboration, a support line for people and businesses who need it, and we also just launched a podcast “The Groovy Shack” on Spotify where we interview incredible humans, business owners, creatives, and where we offer free social media trainings for people to utilize and learn from. We LOVE coming alongside and welcoming others on our journey of growth and expansion, as we simultaneously help them with theirs!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Social Media – I was encouraged in college and through different jobs to lean into social media, run their accounts, and I took off and ran with those jobs which led to me learning so much and becoming an expert in the space, later turning that skillset in to a pillar and offering of my business. It’s also one of the strongest legs of marketing so truly every business needs to have a handle on social media, or needs to hire someone who does! 2. Networking – I went to every event I could, every party, every coffee date, every business opportunity to meet ANYONE I could to build my network. Beyond that I looked to create relationships and friendships with people who were aligned and who vibe with me /what I stood for. Having a network of epic people who all wanted the same (or sometimes different things) led to my businesses success, my growth, my community booming something that I could lean on and that others could lean on.
3. Growth Mindset – I went to any workshop, class, read all the books, took the free trainings – was a SPONGE taking in all the information. We all start off knowing next to nothing, so having a hunger for growth was key in me expanding my skillsets (and my network), and taking away key points that I could utilize in my personal life and business life. I STILL read constantly and am always looking for cool classes or courses that I could benefit from!
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Oof there are honestly so many! A new one that I’m reading right now (it just was released) is Excessively Obsessed by Tash Oakley – an amazing read for people who are wanting to start a business, have an idea, or even have a business already and want to refresh, learn more, and see where they can optimize. It’s a “how to” for business. Atomic Habits by James Clear is amazing for hacking your own habits and time management. Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley truly opened my eyes and heart to all that we are capable of being. It was a really important read for me and still one that I refer to anyone who will listen!
Contact Info:
- Website: tgscollective.com
- Instagram: @tgscollective | @thealexmorehouse
Image Credits
Alex Morehouse Herman Larissa Raquel
