Meet The Team: Amy How

Who are The PopUp Team?
Amongst other things, they have been called Earth's Mightiest Heroes and A Ragtag Bunch of Misfits. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them... maybe you can hire The PopUp Team

We wanted to help you get to know the individual members that make up the PopUp Team so you can understand what makes us tick.

​This week we meet our fabulous project manager: Amy How

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Who are your biggest inspirations in life and business?

My Mum.
Having battled a lot throughout her life, she always maintained a happy-go-lucky attitude throughout any adversity thrown our way. I owe my work ethic to her. She has taught me that nothing is handed to you, you go out and get it. Working hard brings you satisfaction and opens you up to new opportunities and learning, and I am so grateful for this. She is also the most selfless person I know- which has sometimes been taken advantage of. This in turn has taught me the importance of boundaries. It is important to give to others, but just as important to protect your own peace, your morals and beliefs

The PopUp Business School - The team, the lessons and our inspiring participants.
My choice to leave a steady corporate job has been the best decision I ever made. Joining this team of misfits has been an incredible journey of learning, on a personal and career level. I always get asked what it’s like being one of the only female members of staff, and as a avid feminist I can safely say I have never been so supported and encouraged by the men I work with. I never feel like I am any less part of this team, we are simple one big family. I would list all the things I have learnt but I will leave some of the for the next section…to name a few…how to be more resilient, more adaptable, improve my money management, and to have a voice and not be afraid to share it

My cousin Miranda.
We grew up side by side, and we are so different, our bond amazes me, like ying and yang.. She is currently smashing cancer’s ass at the age of 30 and I have never seen someone take it so in their stride. A diagnosis like that would have knocked most people for six but she is a true fighter, hilarious and an inspiration. She is creating awareness around young people with cancer through social media and building a fantastic community. That no matter what life throws at you, you can handle it.

What song gets you motivated?

I now start my day by listening to 3 songs and dancing around like nobody's watching (I mean…they aren’t). I'll pretend I’m at a concert, in a music video or out and about dancing.
You feel a little silly at first but it is so liberating and gives you such an energy boost. These are a couple of songs from my ‘dance your ass off’ playlist:

Dance Your Ass Off
Basement Jaxx:
Do Your Thing

Katrina and The Waves:
Walking on Sunshine

The Pointer Sisters:
Jump (pretend you're Hugh Grant in love actually)

Busted:
Crashed the Wedding

Journey:
​Don’t Stop Believin’

What is your key piece of advice for small businesses at this time?

Be resilient!
​This is a time to get creative and adapt. In light of the tragedy of what is happening, we will never get a chance like this to step back, out of our day to day, to reflect and create something that is important to us and that people need. It would be so easy to give up, to let it all go and try and pick it up when we hit ‘the new normal’, but this is the time to power through adversity and do something amazing, whether this is adapting your current business or creating a new one. This is a huge opportunity. 

Who are three people dead or alive you would invite to dinner?

Michelle Obama (Barack can some too if he wants).
I have just finished reading Becoming Michelle Obama and she is inspirational. She has such an interesting journey; working hard to get into law school, working at a top law firm and packing it all in to follow her heart and shifting to a career in helping communities and implementing social change. She is just a hero amongst us in my eyes.

Kris Jenner.
This is probably a controversial one but love them or hate them, the Kardashian clan have built themselves a huge empire with ‘no talent’. I would love to meet the momager herself and pick her entrepreneurial brains and how she made all of her offspring rich and famous. Also she seems like a hoot, loves a wine and knows how to party, can’t go wrong.

Jonathan Van Ness (Who gave you permission to be so fabulous?)
He is hilarious, full of energy and instantly makes you feel like you can do anything. A true inspiration amongst us. Being completely open and vulnerable with who he is and encouraging other people to be the same. Speaking public about his HIV diagnosis was hugely powerful. Such a  taboo subject that he is facing head on. The world needs more JVN and more morning coffee dances (if you know you know.)

P.S. I would also have Brene Brown because her research is amazing but I can only have 3 and I wrote these questions and I am really regretting that choice.

What has been your biggest learning in the past year?

​ It is truly difficult to just name one. This has been a huge year of learning for me.

The one that has resonated the most, and is sometimes the most difficult to implement is leaning into uncertainty. I love structure, and I love a plan, ask anyone who knows me.
I tend to be a little worried when things don’t go to plan (down played this slightly). Travelling with PopUp has meant I have had to adapt to not having certainly in a routine - the strangest thing has been being part of a team that encourages failure - because there is always a lesson to learn right?
I am now trying to embrace the unknown, open myself up to vulnerability & failure and let uncertainty into my life. The need for certainty creeps in every so often, probably more often than I would like, but I remind myself that the only place I can truly find certainty in life is in myself, how I act and how I react to situations is all me, nothing else is certain.

What are some resources that have had the biggest impact on you?

​Becoming Michelle Obama -
A hugely inspirational book that I found myself relating too on so many levels. It’s also a great insight into the lives behind the people we admire on TV and in pictures.

The Subtle Art of not giving a F**k - Mark Manson
A no frills, straight talking book that packs a punch. It truly unravelled so many beliefs that I had and that were not serving me in anyway. I would highly recommend it. It’s not a heavy read at all and is full of humour, a bit of swearing…
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Brene Brown
Her Netflix special and her Ted talk on vulnerability really hit home for me. Everything from her research to the way she presents is awesome. She articulates a really complex topic really well. I love facts, figures and research, so if you have a brain like mine then Brene’s teaching is great, she gets straight to the point, which I didn’t think was possible when talking about complex emotions, she’s magic!

Come back every week as we introduce you to a new member of The PopUp Team!