CEO Megan Hodgkiss’ Interview with Bold Journey

We were lucky to catch up with Megan Hodgkiss recently and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
My business, Hodgkiss Consulting LLC, requires me to be in front of my computer. A lot. When I’m working with law firms, businesses, or non-profits across the US, I am usually positioned near my desktop, phone — or both. So for self-care, the first step for me is to pull myself away from the screens and blue light. Depending on the day and my mood, self-care might look like a long walk in my neighborhood, a trip to my favorite museum, a dance class with really good music, or a few hours with an engaging book. I know as a business owner, you feel like you *always* have to be on and available. You need to answer those emails ASAP! But, your brain also needs a break every now and again. Some of my best ideas have popped up when I’m away from my computer and just letting my mind work through things at its own pace.

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?
My company, Hodgkiss Consulting LLC, provides content marketing and copywriting services to law firms, businesses, and non-profit groups across the US. We create content that boosts your visibility and professional authority. We can help you plan your communication strategy and execute it with timely and engaging materials. Think of Hodgkiss Consulting if you need a content marketing plan, an audit of your existing materials, or fresh content for your website. We write blogs, articles, newsletters, social media posts, employee bios, press releases, award nominations, white papers, and other long-form content.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Taking a look at my professional journey so far, I think the three characteristics that have helped me the most are my curiosity, my ambition, and my drive. I love learning, and as it applies to communication, I am always looking for ways to better my skills or new technology to make the communication process more efficient and impactful. It’s important to me to create the best content possible for my company and my clients, and I think this drive and determination have helped my company succeed.

For those early in their journey, I would say start with a field that you’re passionate about. You don’t have to take the traditional path, but you do have to be professional and persistent. Find a mentor that can help you address the day-to-day issues and plan your next steps.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
When you work in the communications business, you very quickly realize that communication technology is always changing and evolving. That’s great in an overall sense, because that means we have new and better ways to connect with colleagues and potential clients. But in an operational sense, it can be a challenge. Just when you think you’ve mastered one platform, there’s a tech update or a new communication channel altogether. To stay ahead of the curve, I take as many classes and workshops as possible. There are free, online courses. Many trade or professional organizations offer their own educational programs. You can also subscribe to ListServs which will let you know about upcoming classes. It’s so important — and vital to your continued success — to educate yourself!

This interview was originally published here on the Bold Journey website.