I was raised by an entrepreneur and a crafter.
My dad has owned his home improvement business, Hudson Exteriors, since 1995. Though his business focuses on vinyl siding and replacement windows, my dad can fix anything—and he literally built our house. In the eighteen years I lived at home, I don’t think I remember him calling a repair person once. Whether a pipe was clogged or I’d blown the transmission in my truck, my dad fixed it. And often, I was there to “help,” which usually equated to holding a flashlight, while he reminded me to point it in the right direction.
Jokes aside, I inherited from him the invaluable ability to “figure it out.”
My mom is a crafter of all things. Knitting, crocheting, quilting, scrapbooking, cross-stitching—you name it, she does it. She has a craft room that could put some craft stores to shame, and anyone who’s been lucky enough to receive a handmade quilt, crocheted blanket, or knitted socks from her understands the love and care she puts into every project. She began teaching me these crafting skills at an early age, many of them taught to her by her mother.
From her, I learned how to create something from nothing.
Early Attempts at Entrepreneurship
My first attempt at entrepreneurship came around age twelve. The school year had just started, and it became clear very quickly that skinny jeans were all the rage. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been ahead of a fashion trend in my life, and my town was an hour from the nearest shopping mall. So, I took a pair of my bootcut jeans and sewed new seams into them using my mom’s sewing machine and some spare thread, effectively transforming them into skinny jeans for approximately $0.
My similarly late-to-the-trend friends wanted in. They started sending their old jeans home with me from school, and I’d bring them back as skinny jeans for the low, low price of $1. I don’t think I made much more than $50 all in all, but this taught me a valuable lesson: When you see a need, fill it.
In the years following, I made a few more feeble attempts at entrepreneurship that admittedly lacked inspiration and focus. Eventually, after a brief career as an English teacher, I became an editor. Still, I lacked focus. I edited anything I could get my hands on. I knew I loved the written word, especially books. I knew I loved education and valued sharing knowledge. I also knew that I didn’t like working for someone else.
Starting Aha! Editorial
The idea for Aha! Editorial didn’t come to me overnight. It grew slowly over the course of a year as I worked on a potpourri of editing projects. I found that I most enjoyed editing manuscripts, and I especially liked working with entrepreneurs.
I also found that “imposter syndrome” didn’t creep in when I worked with entrepreneurs. Though I’ll never claim to be an expert in business, I understood many of the challenges they faced. Their desires to share their stories and lessons learned resonated with me. And I knew I had the editorial skills to help them share their stories more effectively.
So, I started Aha! Editorial, LLC.
Our Mission
To put it plainly, Aha!’s mission is to help entrepreneurs help other entrepreneurs. You’ve learned valuable lessons over the course of your career, and we want to help you share those lessons clearly and concisely. We want to help you grow your platform and brand, so more people hear your story and have the opportunity to follow your path.
Thank you for taking the time to read our brief story. When you’re ready to tell yours, let’s connect.
PS: Why the name, Aha! Editorial? Aha comes from my name, Ashlyn Anderson, and my maiden name, Hudson. 🙂
Owner of Aha! Editorial
Let’s talk about your writing project: https://calendly.com/ashlyn-ahaeditorial
