This week, I'm excited to share my interview with Samoa Blanchet, the Founder/Consultant of Powerhouse’s Playground.
Powerhouse’s Playground is a consulting business focused on helping founders accelerate their goals to amplify growth and rapidly reach success. Samoa believes that play is the accelerant. Her method is to infuse play into everything her clients are doing. Play maximizes innovation, and creativity, and acts as a lubricant to make expansion effortless. Her job is to point out ways her clients can be more efficient, disrupt their industries, make more money, and do it without killing themselves in the process.
K: As an entrepreneur, I was ecstatic to sit down with Samoa. Ambition is a strong guiding force for me, but I don't condone “hustle culture” because it leads to burnout. I was quite intrigued when Samoa said she always leads with play. I strongly believe that passion and enjoyment for what you do are key to long-term success.
Were you always interested in starting your own company? What inspired you to start your own business?
“No, I had a ten-year career plan when I graduated high school that didn’t involve me owning a business until I was around 40. But I was working for someone else as a graphic designer, and I wasn’t happy. I kept trying to find another job and I wasn’t getting anywhere so one day I just said screw it, I’ll just start my own business now. I put up a website with my portfolio and started commenting on Facebook groups telling people about my business. That same day I got my first client and I’ve been in business ever since!”
K: There’s no better time than now!!! Sometimes we don’t realize that what we want is already within our reach. We just need to grab it and take hold.
What was the beginning of starting your business like? Did you have a hard time getting started, or did the pieces fall into place?
“Well, my business didn’t start as a business accelerator. At first, my clients were hiring me as a graphic designer. It all became the business that it is now when one day, my friend, who was also in the design industry, was telling me about a new business that she wanted to start. She was wary of whether or not it was a good idea. I told her I thought she has a multi-million dollar idea on her hands. She asked if I would consult on her business. I jumped at the opportunity. She closed a big deal three weeks later due to our work together and hit her revenue goal for the year with just that one deal.”
K: That’s incredible!! Samoa’s ability to see the big picture helped her gain the trust of her early clients.
Was it scary when you first went out on your own? How did you get started?
“Yes, the first fear I had was that this needs to be successful because I need to pay rent. I didn’t want it to flop because I didn’t want to have to move back in with my parents. I wanted to be independent.”
What is the biggest failure you've experienced in your business? What did you learn from it?
“The biggest failure I’ve experienced came after my divorce. The whole experience took a toll on me emotionally. I wasn’t showing up for my business in the way I wanted to. My business took a huge nosedive. I didn’t have clients for a few months. I felt like a failure. So I decided to use the downtime as a chance to heal and better myself. I reflected on what wasn’t working in my personal and professional life, and I started putting the pieces back together in a way that made more sense."
K: And she rose like a phoenix! Hardships can provide a miraculous opportunity to pivot and create something even better.
What's the best advice you've ever been given, life or business?
“Ahh, this came from my mentor. I struggle with anxiety, and so one day, she told me, “what’s yours is yours. There’s nothing you can do to mess it up.” It made me realize that beating myself up for not getting a client wasn’t going to help me. It just wasn’t meant to be. This has relieved so much stress for me. It’s helped me with overthinking and self-doubt. Now I just show up the way I want to show up. I trust myself more, and I trust that the right people will align with me.”
K: YESSS! The Universe always has your back.
What's the most recent lesson your business has taught you?
“To just chill out!! You’re always being supported. And to remember that you have amazing people around you.”
K: Great lesson! Living in a state of worry has never helped anyone. Trust and leaning on our circle will always yield better results.
What advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs?
“Do what feels the most fun to you!” There’s a lot of noise out there. There are many people out there telling you how you should build your business. And the thing is, they are all right. What they did, worked for them. But just because it worked for them doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. You need to build a business that works with your values, beliefs, learning style, etc. Nothing is one-size-fits all.”
What's your favorite part about being a business owner? What's the hardest part?
“My favorite part is freedom. I can set my own schedule. I don’t have to work 9-5. I can’t believe that people still do that. I can decide to take a day off and go to Miami with my girls. Also, financial freedom. I don’t have a salary cap. I can grow my business as much as I want to. My least favorite part is that it’s a roller coaster ride. You have to have the stomach for it.”
K: I know the roller coaster she is talking about!
What are the most important skills or traits you've found helpful in entrepreneurship? Are there any traits you've discovered that make it harder to succeed if you don't keep it in check?
“It’s helpful to be a risk-taker, but it’s important to know when to take risks and when not to. You’ll never achieve your potential if you don’t take risks and bet on yourself. You also need people skills. Money comes from people. You need to know how to connect. You’re not an island. You’re not going to grow by yourself."
"Overthinking makes it harder to succeed. If you’re always overthinking your next move, you’re going to move really slow."
What's your favorite 'game-changer' tool that you can share with everyone? (ie. hellobonsai, airtable, later, etc.).
“Dubsado. I use Dubsado for my client management. My clients get their own portal, and they’re able to access documents, contracts, and invoices. It also tracks my expenses and income. It’s an all-in-one service, and it’s only around $300 for the whole year."
Where can we find you if we'd like to learn more about you?
“You can go to my website, powerhousesplayground.com, or connect with me on LinkedIn."
Thank you, Samoa Blanchet, for sharing your founding story! Stick around for more Lemons Into Lemonades with new and amazing founders!! See you soon!
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