Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Baker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I used to work in the restaurant industry and started to feel the effects of working late nights and being generally unhealthy. I have always been passionate about health & wellness and big into cooking healthy foods and inspiring those around me to make healthy choices. I decided to totally revamp my life and finally get into the health and wellness world after finishing my Yoga Teacher Training. I quit my restaurant job & I started doing marketing for juice companies and eventually was in a Marketing Director role. Even working for healthier companies were taking a toll on my body & health (sitting at a desk for long periods of time, working crazy hours) and I wanted yet another change.
I branched out on my own and started freelancing as a Marketing Specialist for local, female-run companies. I have been so lucky to work closely with so many awesome strong female entrepreneurs! Its been extremely inspiring to help their businesses grow, expand and refine as well as to be able to see first hand how much heart & soul they pour into their business. Not a day goes by I don’t feel so deeply grateful to be a part of their amazing stories. Its really fulfilling to be able to curate content, events, articles & be able to be creative every day and connect with our strong female community here in San Diego.
Last summer, my husband and I decided to start our own online health & wellness shop and create our own line of products as well. We are finally getting close to opening and it’s been quite the journey! It’s a very new thing to be working with my husband (something we said we would never do) and navigating that. So far, we haven’t killed one another so that’s good!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I am so happy where I am now but there have for sure been struggles along the way & there still are. I am the kind of person who gives 120% no matter what. In the corporate world, not only was it incredibly demanding, but I didn’t know when to pump the breaks and take care of myself. It’s also really hard in a male-dominated world to make your voice heard and stand up for yourself. It can be really disheartening. This definitely affected my decision to leave the corporate world, take more responsibility for my own health & path.
In the freelance world, there are struggles as well. I am a “yes” person so, in the beginning, I said yes to too many people. I was overloaded and had a work/life imbalance. I stretched my “no” muscle and started to really pay even more attention to my health and create a schedule that maintained a better balance for myself and my family. Working from home has some struggles, too. It’s hard to know if you should work or pay attention to the laundry & dishes, so, balancing it all is key & having “office hours” helps so much.
Unfortunately, people will take advantage of you, so, it’s so important to have strong convictions and self-worth and not be afraid to say no or tell people what you need. My advice would be to check in with yourself FIRST before accepting any position, job, or offer. Is it in line with who you are, where you want to be? Will it be healthy for you? Will you be respected? Coming up with your pricing system and not undervaluing yourself is a struggle but also SO important! Know that you are capable, strong, creative and intelligent!
I also highly encourage young women in this age of social media to really be REAL. We live in a world of imitation, which isn’t always a bad thing but, it can be so hard to know who you are and what you are all about with everyone screaming ” be like this”. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, go against the grain or to really speak your truth. Know that being true to you is always a good idea and you can’t please everyone all the time. Not everyone will like you, and that is ok! By being yourself you will find your people, your tribe, and that is invaluable.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and says “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
Please tell us about Collective 108.
I am a creator & a connector! As an ex-Marketing Director turned freelance Marketing Specialist, I am kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to marketing.
I am known for working with healthy local businesses & female & run businesses. I specialize in Social Media Marketing & PR, curating events & photo shoots, connecting brands with influencers & other likeminded brands for collaborations.
I am most proud of my ability to understand others and really empathize with their story. I have lived many lives and been blessed with many different experiences, so I can easily put myself in other’s shoes and really feel what they feel. This helps me provide what my clients are looking for and really tell their authentic story. It also helps me connect with my local community & with people on a personal level.
I am biracial, multicultural & multi-faceted. I develop recipes, dabble in photography, am a copywriter, a Yoga Teacher, Massage Therapist, I am a mother, plant stylist, have been in sales, managed large teams and worked solo, work in PR & more! Having this wide range sets me apart and helps me relate to clients & people on different levels from all walks of life.
I love that I have a diverse set of skills + being able to represent and draw awareness to women of color in the health and wellness industry.
I am also very proud, and excited, to be launching our new online shop, Collective 108, soon!
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
Because of the time we are living in, I think there is a huge opportunity for women! More than ever women are looking for other women to connect to, to relate to and to find inspiration in.
I honestly think women can do anything! But particularly, I love seeing more women in Congress and changing laws for the better, women creating programs to give back to communities and groups in need, becoming entrepreneurs, getting into the clean beauty industry, the media, into renewable energy world. It’s so inspiring to see women stepping into these roles. It’s so great that this generation of little girls will grow up seeing these things as an option.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.collective108.com
- Email: amber@collective108.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amber108/. +. https://www.instagram.com/collective108/
Image Credit:
Amber Baker, @its_ajejandroalejandro, Bryce Vaugn
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