Today on the blog we have entrepreneur and business woman Maguire Amundsen.
You may have heard of her agency, The Gracefull Project or her crisp, refreshing rosé @socialbirdrose. She’s here to tell us about both, but also her journey in getting there.
From small town living, to big city university, learning to become a doctor, then changing her mind, working at Country Music TV and then becoming Kylie Jenner’s Assistant, she knows a thing or two about embracing change and following your gut.
In this post Maguire shares her tips on how to see every single job you have as a positive and what you can take from it. From doing your very best even if it’s getting your boss to coffee, to networking, to the company you keep, she is letting us in on the things she’s learned along the way.
With that, let’s welcome Maguire to the blog
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I was asked to introduce myself and talk a bit about my journey so let’s see – if we want to start from the beginning, I was born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK and went to the same grade school and high school that my grandparents and mom went to. Not one, but two of my oldest, bestest friends relationships were formed long before any of us were even born. Our grandfathers were best friends – since 2nd grade!
I say this all to paint a picture of the kind of community I grew up in. Tight knit, Friday Night Lights, generational friendships. To say I loved where I grew up is an understatement. It’s funny what you appreciate as you get older. I’m so thankful for my experience growing up with all my friends living right around the corner. Whenever I tell someone I am from Oklahoma I usually get the same look – confused – or maybe not confused but a little like “oh I’ve never met anyone from Oklahoma.” I often say Oklahoma City is the best kept secret. No one on the outside knows how great it is until you’re in it. I cherish all the memories I’ve made, lessons I’ve learned and friends that are family in Oklahoma. They are my people.
Ok fast forward through grade school and high school, I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Longing to explore outside of Oklahoma, Vanderbilt was the perfect place for me… well at least it turned out to be. I attended Vandy my freshman year with the intention of becoming a doctor. My grandmother and some close people in my life had suffered from cancer and I had spent years in high school shadowing an oncologist and truly believed that was the path for me. Long story short, I did a lot of soul searching my freshman year. Realized the path I had set forth for myself for as long as I can remember was NOT it. I was scared as hell and it showed. My freshman year of college was the hardest year I’ve ever had in my life but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. It taught me who I am, who I want to be and what I want to do.
Through tears, a strong support system and faith, I realized it was ok to change my mind. I decided I wanted to work in the media/entertainment industry, on the business side and so I graduated with a degree in Human and Organizational Development with a focus on Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness. Wow that’s a mouthful. Every person with that degree has their own version of what it is exactly but my take on it is problem solving, business building, relationship building through understanding how people work and honestly just understanding people in general.
While at Vanderbilt I worked for Country Music Television. What started as an internship grew into a part-time job and more lessons than I could ever dream of learning. I worked on various productions such as the CMT Awards, Artists of the Year and Crossroads. I fell in love the rush of producing something – putting in everything you had to a launch and then watching it thrive. My senior year of college I also flew to LA and worked on the 59th Grammy Awards – that solidified what I thought I already knew – I had to move to LA.
Within 12 days of graduating Vanderbilt, I moved to LA, set up my first one-bedroom garage apartment in Pico-Robertson and started as an assistant at WME – I think it’s called Endeavor now – in the music department.
They say working at a talent agency is like grad school – you get paid barely anything, you work long hours and you’re at the bottom of the food chain doing the work no one else wants to. What they say is right. When you start at any talent agency, you start in the mailroom delivering mail. In the music department specifically, you collect ticket counts for how the agency’s artists’ shows are selling. That was me. Emailing and calling venues across American daily to get updated counts. I’ll be honest – two weeks in and I thought I had to quit. Luckily, I stuck it out and it was the single best thing I could have done for my career. I did move up to be an actual assistant to two different agents during my time there. I learned so much, cried a little and met so many people. It truly shaped me into how to put your head down and work hard.
From there I was hired by Brent Bolthouse who was just the boss I needed coming from such a corporate world. He was full of energy, willing to teach me and genuinely an incredible person. My work with him didn’t last as long as I thought it would because when I wasn’t expecting it, I came across an opportunity to interview for a job that would completely change the trajectory of my career.
Having the opportunity to work for Kylie Jenner as her Executive Assistant is one of the greatest experiences I will ever have. She not only taught me so much from a business perspective, but she also opened a new lens of my creativity and for that I’m forever grateful. I had the great honor to have had her as a mentor and feel even more honored to call her a close friend.
Covid was a wild ride and it taught me so much about who I am, what I want and where I want to be. It took me awhile but as soon as I decided I wanted to live closer to home, I knew it was the right choice. Leaving LA was one of the scarier decisions I made – feeling unsure of what my career would hold but very sure that I wanted to be near my family.
From LA I moved to Dallas, about 3 hours from my hometown, and started my own consulting company, The Gracefull Project. I want to say this was scary too but I feel like I keep using that word. It was though! I didn’t know if anyone would want to work with me or trust me with their business. What I did know is that I was good at getting shit done. Project managing, making things happen for people. Hiring help without having to hire in house. That’s where my consulting company was born and boy has is taken me to beautiful places.
I’ve worked with brands such as Knorts + Alexa Kelley Jewelry on new launches, packaging refreshes and events as well as smaller projects like operational streamlining and assistant training for Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland from Summer Fridays. One of my current projects is consulting on a brand named Bondell, a makeup brush subscription company that delivers new makeup brushes to your door every three months. Did you know even routinely cleaned makeup brushes can harvest skin-harming bacteria like e.coli and staph infection? For healthier, happier skin and optimal makeup application – you need Bondell. 5 brushes + a makeup sponge for $68. Delivered directly to your door. Don’t be dirty darling.
This agency also took me to become a Co-Founder of a rosé from Provence, named Social Bird. Teaming up with my business partner and friend, Anna Cameron, we sought to create a product that brought people together, cultivated a community and enriched the lives of those it touched. I will say the alcohol industry is not for the faint of heart, but it also makes it that much sweeter when you see your product in the market, knowing how hard you worked to get it there. We see ourselves standing out in the rosé category because we aren’t just a rosé. We are a lifestyle brand with a focus on the art of hosting, making memories and celebrating the beauty of life. This brand has taught us so much about ourselves and the kind of product we want to produce for our Social Birds. We worked hard on the blend, making sure every note was perfect, keeping the sugar low and the finish crisp.
We are so excited to finally share it with everyone. You can buy on our website and we ship to 48 states!!! So go have a glass of rosé and laugh with your friends, have a date night with your partner or run a bath and enjoy some alone time. Please note – this is just the beginning for our brand! What started as a love for wine has developed into a love of creating magical moments and all the special pieces that go into that.
Social Bird has allowed me to explore new avenues of business I never saw coming. It has taught me so much about the value of the product you put out there, especially when it has your name tied to it. I’m so proud of what Anna and I have created – I hope you love it as much as we do!
I will also say that I couldn’t have done any of this without the love and support of my friends and family, especially my mom and my life partner, Andrew. The support from the two of them these past couple of years has been everything I needed, especially while Andrew and I welcomed our greatest joy, our baby boy Woods (who is now 1)!
OK that was really long, but I wanted to show how long it can take to find or even change your passion or what you truly want to do. With that I want to share some things that I learned along the way. So no matter what job you’re in right NOW, or what job you’re trying to get or what venture you’re trying to start, here are some things to keep in mind:
TIPS FOR WORKING FOR THE JOB YOU WANT
There’s that saying “dress for the job you want” but I say work for the job you want.
No job is too big or too small when you are working for something you want. Have to pick up coffee? Make it the best coffee your boss has ever had. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t know your worth, but putting in the effort when you are building your career is of the utmost importance. I have dealt with people that won’t do a job because it’s not in their job title and that’s just not the game for me. No matter what team you are on or who you are working for, you’re all working for the same goal. Step up and get shit done
You can’t watch the clock when you are building your career
Please don’t come for me about work-life balance because I 100% believe in that. HOWEVER – you can’t watch the clock – and be ready to leave as soon as it strikes 5pm. There were days I didn’t get home until 11pm but I knew I stayed until the job was done. I never wanted my bosses to feel like I was rushing out the door. Your heart has to be in it – the hours add up – the commitment shows and that how you build the career you want.
Every opportunity is a lesson learned
LISTEN AND LEARN to those around you. Sure, books teach us a lot but there is nothing like real life experience, learning from your peers, your bosses, someone you meet at a coffee shop. Whether you’re learning a new skill or learning what NOT to do, always soak up information.
Connect, Connect, Connect
No matter what industry you are in, connecting with people is a MUST. Whether you ask someone to go grab coffee or put it out there to acquaintances that you are looking for a new job, connecting with people is the most important thing you can do. Every person you meet is a new door opened. I also really believe in linked in connections. The amount of people you can connect with because of mutual connections – the number of doors that has opened for me! I swear by it.
Don’t take No for an answer.
One of the best things I’ve learned in my jobs so far is that if someone says no then you are talking to the wrong person. I whole-heartedly believe that. Never go to your boss with a problem unsolved or at least without options to solve it. Get creative, figure it out. I’m sure you know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone that can help – there I go with the connecting again!
Don’t be scared to try new things and change your mind
When I went to college and decided I wasn’t going to be a doctor I had a full freak out. I had been planning my whole life for that and all the sudden everything I planned had changed. But THAT’S OK! It was the same when I moved out of LA. I was scared as hell but I did it and look at me now. I have a successful consulting agency AND am the co-founder of Social Bird Rosé. Who knew!
Don’t feel like you have to always have everything figured out. Things change and so do you – it’s a normal part of life. Want to completely change your career path? Do it. The last thing you want to do is look back on your life and regret that you didn’t try something.
Learn who you are working for
I know I said listen and learn to everything around you earlier but I want to emphasize how important it is to learn the person you are working for. Know what’s important to them, know when they want to go over things, what kind of work they expect, how to organize their day to best serve them. Write down what they say! Sounds simple and I know you think you will remember it but WRITE IT DOWN you’ll thank me later.
Surround yourself with good people
They say you are a product of the 5 people you are around most and I believe that to my core. You are the company you keep. If you feel like you’re keeping bad company then cut the bad out of your life. In this day and age, when we are surrounded by so much negative, it’s so important to make sure your inner circle only brings positivity. Are you proud of who you are when you look at your 5 closest people? I know I am, and I hope you are too.
Create an inspo board + write things down
I know it sounds cheesy and very NYE of me but I truly believe in putting what you want on paper. Write things down. I swear by it. When it’s written on a page or represented in a picture, it becomes so much more than a thought that’s in your head. It becomes real. And that’s what we want right? For our inspirations to become our realites?
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you find some inspiration through it, as well as my tips.
You can definitely find me drinking a lot of Social Bird Rose as we embark on our first birthday for the brand. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last couple of years it’s that life truly is a celebration. It’s meant to be lived.
I promise, promise, promise (yes I felt the need to write that 3 times) you’ll love Social Bird and the atmosphere is creates. Like I said earlier, you can buy it online at our website: socialbirdrose.com – we also have a map to show where you can buy it in stores. Be on the look out for new products launching from us too. We have so much more instore for you. Also follow us on Instagram: @socialbirdrose
As for my agency, I hope to one day have a career that resembles Emma Grede – with hands in multiple companies – supporting them operationally and creatively. If you are interested or know someone interested in hiring my services, please email me at [email protected] – like I said, it’s hired help without hiring inhouse. Whether that’s operational streamlining, new launch, you name it and I can likely do it – or know someone that can! One of my favorite things to do is assistant / staff training and helping set a schedule for the team to work most efficiently. Whether that’s leading up to a launch or a general reset.
Feel free to connect with me on socials too! @maguireamundsen on IG and TikTok.
Again, thank you for reading!
xo
Maguire
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We love Maguire’s outlook on approaching everything as a learning opportunity no matter where you’re at. Also, it’s SO ok to change your mind, even though it can be scary. Have you ever gotten deep into school or a profession only to find out it wasn’t for you? Let us know your experience below.
x, The Skinny Confidential team
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