Erin Francis is the Owner of The Career Empress residing in Texas.
Your Title/Business Name
The Career Empress
Website:
www.thecareerempress.com
Instagram Handle:
www.instagram.com/thecareerempress
Describe what your hometown was like. Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. Beaumont early on became one of the major petrochemical refining areas in the country. Along with Port Arthur and Orange, Beaumont forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast. Beaumont’s population in 2016 was approximately 120,000. It’s known for the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, a recreated town showing life in the early 1900s, at the start of the Texas oil boom. Beaumont has one state university, Lamar University, of which I was graduate in 2002.
Where do you currently reside?
Pearland, Texas
What is your zodiac sign?
Aquarius
What is your favorite cereal?
Frosted Flakes
How did you get started on this road of business? What began it all, and what did the path look like along the way?
I established The Career Empress in 2014 after a passion and entrepreneurial mindset merged from several years of assisting individuals in taking their careers to the next level. Resume writing is its own creative medium and as an experienced entrepreneur, legal writer and graphic designer, I bring a unique marketing and information design perspective to The Career Empress that helps clients understand how to identify, appeal to and communicate with the right audience. I was always helping family and friends with writing or rewriting their resumes and I realized that I could reach and help many more people outside of my inner circle.
Give us some business advice or one success tip in your field.
Always give your clients the very best. They have to believe in not only your work product but in you. It’s important to connect with your client/customer/targeted audience and always remain personable yet maintaining your professionalism. Stand behind your product. Be confident in your work and what you have to offer. Continue to grow and not be stagnant in promoting your business.
What has been the hardest part of being a business owner?
The hardest part of being a business owner is learning to balance the business and the actual work product. Being able to deliver your best work at the while continuously marketing and branding and offering your services to the masses can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming. I am learning to outsource some of the administrative tasks.
What’s in store for you this year?
This year I plan to continue to reach more people and offer even more outstanding services. Continuous professional development in graphic design as an element of resumes as well as gain knowledge about electronic resumes.
What is one thing that you are proud of, in relation to your business or personally?
Despite medical ad personal setbacks back to back for 2-3 years of my life, I am proud of myself for never giving up and taking my passion to help others and put into fruition. I battled post-partum depression in 2009 after a difficult pregnancy, diagnosed with a malignant GastroInstestinal Tumor and underwent surgery in 2011. I am now 7 years cancer free. A year later I went through an amicable divorce. After all these challenges, I didn’t break. I rose above the seemingly endless storms and came out stronger, wiser and more determined to live my to the fullest. To manifest my dreams of helping others and be a part of others manifesting their dreams is therapeutic and rewarding.
What are some things you do to ensure work/life balance?
As a working mother, an entrepreneur a/k/a “mompreneur” I have had to learn to balance and separate my day job, my business, my mom time and my personal time. I have learned to stay on schedule and make time and focus on each aspect of my life in order to give each of these the very best of me. I make sure that I leave time for myself to unwind, to refresh and to zone out and make moments for myself. If I don’t have quiet “me” time I feel overwhelmed and I’m not giving the best of myself to those who depend on me daily.
If we took a look at your iPod, what songs would we most likely stumble across?
Pandora Stations:
- Love and War
- 80s R&B
- 90s Hip Hop
- Johnny Taylor
- Positive Hip Hop (when I’m riding with kiddos)
- Todays R&B and Hip Hop
- Leela James
- Michael Jackson
- Beyonce
- Yolanda Adams
What did you want to be as a child?
A teacher — after graduating college in 2002, I briefly taught 8th Grade Reading in Port Arthur Independent School District. After that year, I went back into the legal field.
What keeps you going no matter what obstacle come your way?
My mother, my children, personal goals I set for myself to get back up when I fall.