Meet Amy Rees

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amy Rees. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy below.

Amy , 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.

Do we ever truly overcome imposter syndrome? I think no matter how far you and your business have come, you will find that there is always someone you are comparing yourself to and thinking “I’m not THAT big (or important, or successful, etc)”. I also feel like this is more common in women than men. Especially in my generation. GenX women were raised in an era with stay home mom’s, schools that urged us to take Home Ec classes instead of Wood Shop and when we DID graduate college and go on to work, we watched men get promoted over us. So maybe it’s natural that we tend to question our value and worth in business.

There are several things that I do to overcome this syndrome. For one, I surround myself with women (and men) who value me and my product. People who truly respect me and want to see me succeed. That way, when I start to doubt myself, I connect with my tribe and try to remember to believe in myself like they do. I also work hard to stay positive by focusing on the wins, no matter how small. I look at everything I HAVE accomplished, instead of focusing on where others are in their business. You also have to be very careful how you use social media. It’s a good idea to follow your competitors and your inspirations, but don’t spend too much time focusing on their accounts or once again, you will fall down a rabbit hole of comparison. Growing my social media presence beyond my personal network was key. Seeing my brand reach people I’ve never met, getting messages from strangers who love my products, and receiving orders from those who discovered me organically, all reinforces that what I’m building is real and meaningful. It’s one thing for friends and family to cheer you on, but when people who have no connection to you recognize and appreciate your work, it’s a real reminder that you belong in this space.

At the end of the day, imposter syndrome may never fully go away, but I’ve learned to quiet the doubts by focusing on what I’ve built, the people I’ve impacted, and the belief that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I started out with a career in communication and TV production. After being a stay at home mom for 12 years, I went back to work in corporate sales and marketing. All the while, my passion lied in my hobby – hand-built pottery. Covid basically ended my career at the time, and with my children finally grown, I had the time to commit to building my own business. Personality Plates® by AmyWynne Designs. My entire brand is a tribute to sisterhood. I created these plates, and eventually other products, in honor of all the women in my life who had supported me, mentored me and inspired me throughout lifes highs and lows. I wanted a functional product that would celebrate the story behind each woman’s journey and the bond between friends. And now, the vibrant energy of friendship, sisterhood, and shared experience is reflected in my unique and colorful designs made to celebrate our journeys and connections as women. Personality Plates® is about lifting up women and finding joy in the little moments. Currenlty, I am mass producing collectible sets of stoneware plates and other products that combine art with function, all while raising funds and awareness for organizations that help women and children in need.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

One experience I have that has helped me succeed on my entrepreneurial journey is my sales experience. I have over 15 years of corporate sales and marketing in a variety of industries including advertising. This has also helped me grow my network in person and on LinkedIn which gave me access to mentors and connections I may not have had otherwise.

A personal quality that has helped me in my journey is that I am an extrovert and a engager. This has helped me with self-promotion as well as being able to network easily. I am very comfortable speaking aface to face meetings and networking events. In a way, I have never met a stranger. This also makes it easy for me to reach out to accounts and retailers that I want to be working with.

Lastly, I’d say my education and first job at CNN have made me comfortable as a communicator. I am happy in front of a microphone or camera, which means I’m readily available for YouTube channels and podcasts. Because of this I have been able to appear in several video podcasts which has been helpful in promoting myself, my products and my brand.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am always looking to collaborate with other women owned business. As a product-based business, a big part of my success is based solely on imagery. My plates are very photogenic but I am look for lifestyle shots so that women can see themselves using them. Food and beverage products are a great partner for Personality Plates®. Anything that goes with tableware, picnics, etc. I’m also excited to find a big retailer or brand that wants me to design a custom set specifically for their customers. If anyone is interested, I can be reached via hello@personalityplates.com or our website personalityplates.com

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Sisters In Pink set of 4 – courtesy Albright Photography

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