Welcome to Illuminate Me!

What’s this newsletter about?

If you’re looking for illuminating insights on communicating and connecting better to grow your reach, impact, and career, you’re in the right place.

Bonus: I deliver them in a fun, easy-to-read style with immediately actionable takeaways.

I regularly share nuggets of wisdom drawn from my three-plus decades of real-world experience of being a professional communicator, leader, and pretty decent human being.

I’ll cover those areas most near and dear to me—communication, storytelling, writing, creativity, emotional intelligence, soft skills, leadership, and human behavior—through articles, videos, audio, and infographics, all infused with my own brand of “Amy-ness.” Most will be my original stuff, and some will be content I curate from those I admire, inspire me, or make me think.

If it’s illuminated me, chances are, it’ll enlighten you as well.

And who couldn’t use a glow-up?

Think of Illuminate Me as not only a newsletter but also as my personal call to action, challenging me to deliver knowledge to those seeking it. (And if you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure that applies to you, my friend.)

When you subscribe, you’ll get full access to the newsletter and website delivered directly to your inbox on Sunday mornings at 7:00 am Pacific Time (perfect for enjoying with your favorite latte!), so you’ll never miss an update. Ready for the shiny (see what I did there?) good stuff? Hit that button below.

Who’s it for?

Hopefully, you! My clients and social media followers are industry leaders—founders, entrepreneurs, and CXOs (and those aspiring to be) who value clear, compelling communication to attract their intended audiences. If, like me, you:

• are a lifelong learner who allows curiosity to lead the way

• aspire to increase your emotional intelligence

• are looking for clarity among the chaos

• place relationships over transactions

• are a fan of clarity, consistency, and discipline

• believe in using the power of social media for good

• value your precious time and attention, reserving it for things that deliver actionable, real-world takeaways and inspiration

You’ll probably dig it. Why not subscribe and see for yourself? And better yet, tell a few of your friends!

And you are…?

Glad you asked, my coruscant* friend! I’m Amy Blaschka (pronounced BLASH-ka; just pretend the ‘c’ isn’t there), a former branding consultant, current social media ghostwriter, and longtime Forbes Leadership Contributor.

I’ve made a career offering “stories as a service.” From my degree in film and three decades spent branding products, places, and people, to founding my strategic writing practice, I’ve always understood the power of weaving a compelling tale.

I help leaders craft their stories to communicate and connect better through ghostwritten social media posts, magnifying their reach and impact. I also write engaging, original, and authentic career stories (not CVs or resumes) for my clients to position them for success and change how others perceive, pay, partner with, and promote them. Or, as my tagline long said, “People tell me things; I write their stories.”

And now, I’m the author of this fine publication.

(Psst… if you’re hankering to know more about me, you can follow my interweb musings on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Forbes, and check out my website at AmyBlaschka.com.)

*Isn’t that a cool word? It’s one of my favorites. It means “sparkling” or “glittering,” which I believe we all are when we’re putting our talents to their highest and best use.

So, why “Illuminate Me” and not “Amy’s Newsletter”?

As tempting as it was to go for the default {FIRST NAME} ’s NEWSLETTER format, the creative in me needed to have something a little more meaningful, something that resonated with me personally and professionally that could serve as an umbrella for the helpful content I share.

Cue my word* for 2021: ILLUMINATE.

I love** that this word is multi-layered in its meaning: to shine a light on something, clarify or make something understandable, make spectacular, and glow or light up.

It’s about taking helpful, positive action by seeking knowledge and sharing wisdom, and highlighting the brilliance in others. It also refers to someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment. 

And then I thought, How cool would it be if someone said, “I wish there was someone who could illuminate me about how to make my content and communications clear and compelling,” and then BAM! that person was me?

At that moment, the Illuminate Me newsletter was born.

*I love words, as one might expect from a writer, but I also believe they have tremendous power, which is why every year, I select a word to guide me and my efforts.

**I use the word “love” a lot. I can’t help it; I’m an expressive person, so when something really floats my boat, I say so (usually accompanied by wild hand gesturing).

Plot twist: I want to learn from you

Hey, this isn’t just a one-way thing.

I want YOU to illuminate me, too, so I’ll regularly pose queries and ask my readers to comment with their feedback. And if you have a question or want to share something, please reach out at amy@amyblaschka.com. As long as you’re not a bot or a creep, I promise that I’ll respond to you since 1) it matters to me that you took the time to send me a message, and 2) I don’t farm out engagement to a VA. It may not be immediate (see #2), but I will reply.

Thanks again for subscribing, and please tell a few friends who would appreciate some enlightenment!

Shine on,

Amy