Lillian Smith, The Smith Agency

Please tell us a little about your company, how did you get started?

In 2006 I was asked to run the Gretchen Scott Design booth during the wholesale apparel & gift markets in Atlanta. During that first year, fellow exhibitors told me that they wished they had someone local like me because typical temps didn’t understand the wholesale industry and were not dependable or professional.  I saw a missing niche in the staffing industry and started Atlanta Mart Staffing which later became The Smith Agency. 

How many years have you been in business?

Since 2008, not a great time to start a business but it allowed me to grow slowly and learn along the way. Always look for the silver lining. 

Who is your customer and what service/good(s) do you provide?

Wholesale apparel and gift lines who exhibit in Atlanta, Dallas and NY. Premier temporary sales support. We are known for our engaging, educated, polished and knowledgeable salespeople. 

What do you love about your job?

Empowering, supporting and mentoring young women. 

Over the course of your career, what would you pick as your greatest failure?  Why?

Not embracing social media earlier! Especially Instagram, it’s been a game changer! I didn’t understand how I could use it for my business but it’s been a great recruiting tool. We have an active, engaging group of followers that includes boutiques, brands and salespeople of all ages from across the country. It’s exciting for me when a buyer picks up a line from one of our clients that they found highlighted on our page. 

What did you learn from this?

You have to stay current and connected with the way the consumer/customer receives their information. Know your brand and who you are and who you’re trying to attract. Stay true to your brand! 

How did you turn it into an opportunity for self-growth?

I took Instagram classes and had college interns teach me how to navigate the details. Since the company was 10 years old and we had an established reputation as the Premier staffing agency, we knew who we were so it was easy to find our brands voice.  It’s been fun and exciting to show who we are in a creative way via Instagram! 

Why do you think failure is so important?

The biggest lessons are learned from failures not successes. With successes you’re doing something right, hence the success but with failures, if you look at the cause, you can learn valuable information. 

What’s your favorite word as it relates to failure?

Resilience! It is the key to everything! Joy, career,  relationships, parenting.... If someone can bounce back, have mental toughness, and “buck up”, they tend to see failure as a learning tool and move on. 

What’s the best way to embrace failure?

1.    What did the failure teach you? Is this an opportunity for a new career path or a new direction? 

2.    Don’t be so picky! Cast a big net and see what you catch. Get out and take a chance! Work a side gig (like market!).  It might provide a new contact, career idea or direction that you didn’t think about or even knew existed. 

3.    Take the initiative! Go the extra mile, be prepared, ask questions, follow up, ask for feedback. Have someone with hiring experience review your resume (hint - most resumes are too long and too wordy). Stand out! 

See more by The Smith Agency by following them on Instagram @the_smithagency!

My name is Kirsten Böhme and I’m the VP of Digital for UWIB NYC, marrying my two great passions of storytelling and social media. 

I'm excited to have you join us each month as I highlight successful female founders, removing the stigma and shame associated with failure in the Failure is Fabulous series. 

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