My Journey

From Awesome to Broken and Back (no pun intended)

I started out as a punk kid in the dot-com era, where learning HTML early was like striking gold—and I struck it rich. Well, after a year of living on green beans, I finally turned a profit, but I call that a win. I kept learning, kept hustling, and nearly 30 years later, I’m still loving it.

I typically led teams of experts—copywriters, graphic designers, photographers, SEO firms, and even, at times, outside agencies. I also preferred to work with the sales teams early on to identify ways we could improve their results while maintaining the integrity of their brand.

Please note: the (literally) hundreds of websites I have worked on are not displayed as they’ve evolved over time.

Simply put, I was a visionary leader who aimed for the sky, but was easy to work with. I was the luckiest person I knew…I got paid to do what I loved.

Fun Fact:

I learned to read when I was 3. By 5, I was editing the books (without pictures) that I was reading. I knew then I wanted to be a writer. I’m so grateful for all of the writing projects I’ve worked on over the years, along with the short stories I write for fun. Everyone should love what they do. The world would be a happier place.

So Why the Past Tense?

Might as well own it!

One day, I woke up broken. My back just wouldn’t line up. It was like my spine was made of jelly, only the jelly felt like crowbars pulling my joints apart. A year and 19 doctors later, I received a nasty diagnosis and began treatment. Which gave me seizures.

At that point, I couldn’t take any of the meds available for my disease because they were just as likely to cause the same reaction. And I was in unbearable pain, 24/7. I worked as long as I could, but when I felt the quality of my work was being affected, I decided it was time to pass the torch and retire, partially, technically. So I handed the business off to my partner who carved it up into a web-design only firm (whatever he needed to do, I understood) and I spent my time looking for alternative treatments. You wouldn’t believe the crazy diets and whack-jobs I visited, all to no avail.

During this 10 year period, I offered brand strategy assistance, market research, competitive analysis and overall branding expertise to several clients. I assisted several SEO firms establish branded terms lists to complement their keyword strategies. So, while I wasn’t managing a team during that time, I was still working in the field, just on a much more limited basis.

I provided strategic consulting services to clients in various industries, so thankfully, there is no gap in my resume!

I worked hourly, spent some of my free time learning and staying relevant with continuing education, if you will, and the rest of my time trying every kind of diet or alternative therapy/treatment that I could find. Acupuncture is nothing – try cupping. It’s trippy!

I did this for 10 years while I waited for a new medication to come out that would help me. And finally, one did! And…more seizures. Yep. So I said goodbye forever to the Rheumatologist and got into Pain Management. My pain doc is awesome. She burns the nerves in the affected joints so that my brain doesn’t get the pain signal. So, I’m in massive pain, but I don’t feel it, so I’m able to WORK FULL-TIME again! Goal!

Just days after the 1st set of nerve burns, all of a sudden, I was physically able to do all kinds of things! The first thing I did was jump in the pool with my son. I hadn’t been in a pool in a decade! Then I took a long, hard look at the brand marketing industry to see where I could fit. I couldn’t go from an hourly strategic consultant back to a Creative Director overnight. I’d been working on branding projects for the 10 years I was down and out, but I focused on consulting. So no to a leadership position. A giant no to working for myself again, as that requires major hustling and I just wanted to get straight to work.

Thankfully, my two best skills have always been writing and project management. So, I created a resume, this online portfolio and started blasting my way through agencies, job boards, you name it. I even called every single SEO firm in the Houston area (they usually write a LOT). Along the way, I hung out a shingle to do freelance work. My resume, testimonials and that fun stuff is on the contact page.

Which brings us to today.

So far, since my return, I’ve written emails, articles for clients, articles for this portfolio (writers must show they can write in different tones to different audiences), blog posts, a script for a video, a whitepaper and content for an intranet that I can’t show you or they’ll stick bamboo shards under my fingernails. That’s code for, “I signed an NDA,” which is common in this industry. I’m also pre-contracted to ghostwrite an autobiography with a leading Publisher.

I also worked on a PPT-to-Video-Using-AI project that was a complete and utter bomb. It was chaos and I was lost in the swamp. BUT it ignited my newfound passion in working WITH AI instead of complaining about it taking over my job.

I plan on getting AI certified. If it can be used to enhance my work, then why fight it? Embrace it instead!

I’ve taken quite a few classes since the time of my first nerve burn. 15, I think. I’ve been trying to enhance my “psychologically based & action-oriented” writing skills. Trademark pending (I’m kidding). I’m also finding out ways that AI can assist me, without it doing the actual writing. I’ve already learned to use it to create YouTube videos and PowerPoint slides, along with scripts into videos.

I’m ready for 40 hour weeks. I can’t wait to yell to the other room where my son is, “you’re gonna have to make dinner because I’m rocking this project right now! Feet don’t fail me now!”

I love my work. I get to do what I love best and get paid for it. Everyone should be so lucky!

So interview me, please! See if I’m a good fit to help you with whatever it is you’re working on. If you read my Client Testimonials, you’ll see just how versatile I am, and how quickly I learn.

I can lead. I can follow.

I can research. I can create.

I can innovate and reiterate.

Whatever it is, try me…odds are, I can do it, or I will take accredited courses that teach me how, then do it. Either way, we’ll get it done. Together. On time. Within budget and achieving all of our goals.

"Working with Holly Sanders was a highlight of my professional career!"

She was intuitive and creative and knew the right questions to ask me to get me to think, analyze and assess my business and direction.

So very important to the process of recreating my visual presence is Holly's ability and commitment to LISTEN. She not only heard what I said and PAID ATTENTION....she "heard" what I didn't say. That skill was so integral to her creative process and the vision she had for me.

She not only "got" what I wanted, Holly expanded my vision and captured it in the most eye-catching design package.

That she generates so many ideas, concepts and process for execution is more than impressive.

Anyone who needs a truly creative person on the team who also has superb follow-through and perfect results...would do well for themselves and company and hire her.

I'm thrilled I did!"