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Meet Jacqueline Destremps of Another Hand Advantage in Tempe

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Destremps.

Jacqueline, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my journey as a business owner when I was 18, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I founded Another Hand Advantage. My main purpose behind starting Another Hand Advantage was to help small businesses and nonprofits with their website needs.

Prior to that I had been working for a foster care and adoption agency and when it was time for a refresh of their website I was tasked with contacting the company who had originally created the site to get an estimate. They wanted $10,000! I was blown away, especially when I realized they were going to use a template and not create the site from scratch. I was able to convince the owner to save that $10k and let me create the website myself.

When it came time to move on from my marketing career in the foster care and adoption field I reflected back on that day and knew I wanted to offer an affordable alternative for small business owners and nonprofits doing great things in their communities.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If it’s a smooth road then you’re not challenging yourself to be better than the day before.

Making the decision to leave the world of foster care and adoption was extremely difficult. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t tears involved. I loved my job and I loved being a part of creating safe families for abused and neglected children. But I knew I could do so much more for my community if I struck out on my own and created a career I loved that allowed me the opportunity to be creative, help fellow entrepreneurs and support nonprofits in my community.

Before I left my marketing position I saved up a few paychecks and told my husband that’s all the money I’d use to start my business. If after that money was gone I had nothing to show for it, then I’d start looking for another job. Thankfully my early years of networking at Chamber of Commerce events paid off and I quickly switched into relationship building mode when I joined Local First Arizona and began making connections with other local businesses.

The next challenge was right around the bend, though, when I committed the same error that so many entrepreneurs do; I took on every client who needed my services. By the end of my first year I was burnt out on creating websites. The hobby that I had loved when I started my first web design business at 18, had turned into something I loathed because I hadn’t found the right clients who were as passionate about owning their own business as I was about mine.

Another Hand Advantage – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
In order to overcome those struggles I faced after my first year in business I decided to diversify my services and add in social media management and email marketing. I found that this approach gave me a break from just working on websites and got me back to using the marketing skills I had been cultivating for 10+ years.

In 2015 I started to shift my own marketing to highlight my new services, but quickly felt like I was being pulled in too many directions. I also hadn’t resolved the issue of not attracting the type of clients who were as good a fit for me as I was for them.

In 2016, I hired a business coach, not really knowing what to expect, but also not really sure where else to turn to either. She reinforced the idea that I wasn’t going to be the right fit for everyone (and that’s okay!) and helped me put into place my signature service, the Marketing Systems Review.

The common theme I had heard from clients was they tried Facebook or Twitter and it didn’t work, they gave up and tried another platform, or they moved on to try sending out a few email newsletters. I knew to look at business marketing as a system, but they didn’t. They’d hire me for just one “problem” and be disappointed when that didn’t fix everything else. In working with Coach Erin I realized that I wasn’t educating my clients enough from the start and I needed to offer a starting point in order to help me learn more about them and their business goals and for the client to learn more about me, my business style and marketing approach before jumping into long term marketing services. I also realized how much I truly love to educate people about marketing strategy!

My Marketing Systems Review starts with a marketing survey completed by the client with background information about their business, their previous and current marketing efforts and the specific marketing goals they want to achieve. I take that information and get started reviewing their current marketing channels (social media, website, online advertising, email), compare them to current best practices and provide an assessment for how these channels are working to create an effective marketing system. Right out of the gate this made a difference in how well I was able to serve my clients and their satisfaction with the services they received. From that review process I’m able to layout tasks the client can do on their own (if they like to DIY) or create a comprehensive plan for moving forward and utilizing my services or those from other businesses I collaborate with.

After completing the Marketing Systems Review many of my clients go on to schedule Marketing Strategy Sessions, which offer them 60 minute chunks of time with me to build on what they learned in their Marketing Systems Review, discuss their current goals or progress, or learn how to better use social media or update their website on their own.

I also wanted to better tie in my passion for giving back in the community to my business. I started volunteering at an early age and again, one of my goals for starting my own business was to have more time for volunteering in the community. So in addition to starting a networking group, Arizona Business and Community Connect that focused on connecting business owners and nonprofit leaders I started formally offering Cause Marketing services. I have worked for nonprofits, been a volunteer and held Board positions and the one thing that always struck me was how much they struggled with creating constructive and reciprocal relationships with local businesses. In 2018 I’ll be focusing even more on ways to bring the two together to strengthen our communities, so stay tuned!

My sense of community and how I’m able to build a business around that is what makes me most proud. At the same time that I was starting my business in 2014 I also cofounded 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun. I had been volunteering with the Super Bowl Host Committee and met a woman who said she was starting a local chapter of 100+ Women Who Care. I was intrigued by the concept of 100 women meeting quarterly and raising $10,000 for a local charity! When she asked if I’d be willing to do some pro-bono work and create the website I jumped at the chance. But as I started working on it more and more and learning about the concept and the astounding amount of money raised by Chapters worldwide (millions of dollars!) for their communities, I knew I wanted to play a bigger part in its success. As a business I’m a sponsor of our chapter, but as a person I’m also a member and leader and I’ve had the opportunity to educate other Chapter leaders around the US and Canada at the 100+ who Care Alliance conferences. We’re currently in the process of planning and hosting the 3rd conference here in Phoenix, 2019!

Being able to give money back to the community as a business is always a plus, but being able to create a business that is able to give more than just money is so much more fulfilling.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
No single moment jumps out for me, but anytime I hear a client say to someone else “she really helped me get my business back on track” or “I learned more from working an hour with you than I had reading 20 articles about the same topic” I quickly forget any of the struggles or obstacles that got me to this point. I want to know that they can love their business again once we put into place a marketing strategy that fits with their time commitment and budget.

Being a part of the 100+ Who Care movement, having over 300 members and starting our 4th group under 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun brings me great pride as well. Our chapter has raised over $220,000 for local Arizona charities since our first donation meeting in 2015. I don’t get paid to be a part of 100+ Women Who Care, but I still consider it very much a part of my career because I try to look at everything I do to give back in my lifetime as my job and my career.

Pricing:

  • Marketing Systems Review $246
  • Marketing Strategy Sessions start at $146

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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