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Top 10 Most Inspiring Women 2016

Anne Green

Our Newark Delaware / 1st State Marketing | Owner | Visit Website

Jane Clark, Co-Founder & Creative Director of Brandswan, a Delaware web design agency

Why We Chose Anne Green

“What impresses me most about Anne is that she moved from Canada to Delaware and totally started what no one else has here in Newark: a very popular, resident-owned news page. With over 7,000 likes on Our Newark Delaware’s super active Facebook page, Anne has quickly become known for knowing what’s going on in our local hood. I first met her at a Wonder Women Tea event at the Blue Hen Bed and Breakfast, so we already had something in common. What I love most about her is that she builds people up. Always supportive of local businesses and meeting new people, she is a genuine joy to be around and I’m proud to know her. As a client, she is absolutely delightful to work with. Read on…”

Jane Clark, Co-Founder of BrandSwan

Anne Green

Our Newark Delaware / 1st State Marketing | Owner | Visit Website

 

The Story

Tell us how it all started. Why? What’s the story?

It all started in fifth-grade writing for the monthly school newsletter. Later I was the editor in chief of my college’s monthly newspaper “The Whirlwind.” Interesting isn’t it how we can trace the roots of our interests back to our childhood?

I noticed that in correlation in early 2008 when I started a business in Onratio called Mississauga Kids. I often described that advertising guide as a “color yellow pages for kids and families.” I printed over 123,000 copies and distributed them my Canada post to homes in the city. Naturally, I created social media pages for Mississauga Kids since it was an excellent way to keep in touch with the young mothers who followed me.

When I moved here to Delaware, I started a Facebook page and called it “Our Newark Delaware” to keep lists of businesses, clubs and organizations in the area that interested me. Pretty much everything interested me! So I started sharing and connecting and now that Facebook page has over 7,000 followers, and it just keeps growing!

Biggest Success

What is your biggest success so far?

I think my biggest success with the “Our Newark Delaware” facebook page is how civil it is. That’s not always easy on a social media platform these days. I try to keep the page light and friendly, but there are times when tough topics come up, school budget issues for instance. I never mind if followers post polite discourse.

There have been a few times I’ve had to call someone who posted out. I usually delete their post and message them saying that they are welcome to re-post their opinion in a more polite respectful way. What I find interesting is that they are often very nice about it. They usually acknowledge that they went too far and tell me how much they enjoy having the page as a resource.

Biggest Challenge

What is the biggest challenge in your industry? What are you doing to deal with that?

The biggest challenge I have with “Our Newark Delaware” is creating an environment where local businesses on social media actually “get social.” I like to connect people and businesses. So I do a lot of tagging and cross posting. Everyone should be doing that.

If you run a restaurant on Main Street, and you know the shop down the way just put up an excellent display of fall fashion items in their window take a picture of it! Share it and tag them! I’d even go so far as to suggest if you run a restaurant and the restaurant down the street is promoting a fundraising event share that! Yes! I did just say promote your competition! Why? Because as much as your customers love you, they are not going to eat every meal out at your restaurant. So why not share some of the love?

I’d love to create that kind of environment on local social media platforms.

Advice

What advice would you give to a business owner starting out in your industry that you wish you would have known going in?

The advice I give business owners, and human beings in general, is to be kind. There’s enough negative, aggressive karma in the world. Let’s not create more. Cooperation and collaboration will go a long way towards building a successful business.

Also, ask for what you need or what. So often people think the answer will be “No.” so they don’t ask for what they want or need. Ask! You might be surprised by how often people say yes because they want to work with you. Especially if, as I mentioned earlier, you’re kind and fun to collaborate with on projects!

Surprise Tidbit

What don’t most people realize about you or your company?

Most people don’t realize that everything I do with “Our Newark Delaware” is free, for now. It’s a hobby. I also own Commercial Marine Expo, and I have a few small clients who pay me to do some social media work for them.

It’s a labor of love, and while I do try to post things in a timely matter if I’m on vacation at the beach, or busy with my real job it has to wait.

I’m hoping that I will be able to evolve “Our Newark Delaware” into an actual business so I can hire some writers and photographers and make the website more of a destination. My goal? I want to make “Our Newark Delaware” so wonderful everyone in Newark will want it to be the home page on their browser. If you’re going to dream, dream big!

Stay tuned for the next glorious gal…

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