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Michelle Hill loves sports, even though she’s never excelled at them. What she is good at is writing. So she found a way to combine her love of sports with her writing skills in her business, Winning Proof.
To date, she’s helped sports and business professionals publish 21 books. And she’s written three herself. Read more about her story in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
What the Business Does
Offers book publishing services for sports and business professionals.
Business Niche
Providing personalized care and making clients feel valued.
Hill told Small Business Trends, “Each new client receives a personalized Welcome Box tailored to what they listed on the New Client Information Sheet, and I provide responsive, quick replies to their inquiries and challenges.”
How the Business Got Started
To marry two passions.
Hill explains, “When I unofficially started Winning Proof in the mid-2000’s, my intent was, and still is, to marry my love of sports with my love of writing. Now don’t think that I was any good at sports because I wasn’t. In fact, I was lousy at pretty much every sport during my school years except a semester of archery in high school. I was the one who excelled in cooking and typing class…and…well…writing.
“When my business was officially “born” I was standing in the middle of an aisle at an entrepreneurial expo in Southern California when the name Winning Proof hit me upside my head. It stuck.”
Biggest Win
Sticking with it.
Hill says, “The biggest win happens every single day because I’m still here, still in business, and still trying…and learning…and growing. The biggest win is that I didn’t quit. What perseverance and determination and tenacity mean to my business is that in the end I will have spent my time utterly fulfilled because I helped others realize their dream of becoming an author.”
Biggest Risk
Moving the business.
Hill adds, “With all the sports teams in Texas, I thought the Dallas area would be great for business. In 2019, I moved to Frisco, TX to be near the Cowboys, Mavericks, and Stars. Well, it did go wrong, I hated Texas, and the end result was that I saved every penny of my social security and hightailed it back to North Carolina exactly a year later. The lesson is that it’s okay if things don’t turn out the way you envisioned_make swift and hard decisions to plant yourself where you’re happiest overall.”
Lesson Learned
Create a large emergency fund.
Hill says, “I would work at a j-o-b longer while I was building my business so I’d have more of an emergency fund and working capital when everyone in the whole world forgets my name.”
Best Business Experience
Visiting professional venues.
Hill explains, “I’ve been on an NFL field 3x when I was meeting clients so that was super cool. The vantage point is way better FROM the field!”
Favorite Quote
??”You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” Maya Angelou.
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Image: Winning Proof, Michelle Hill
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