#FollowAmpliStory
Meet Grace Windsor, AwakenClub member and the dynamic founder of AmpliStory, a cutting-edge agency dedicated to providing brand strategy and product marketing services to Ireland's startup and scale-up community. Based in Galway, Grace combines her rich academic background and extensive marketing experience to offer innovative solutions that help businesses accelerate their growth and strengthen their market position. Passionate about collaboration, continuous learning, and supporting female-founded brands, Grace is on a mission to build a business that reflects her values of work-life balance, inclusion, and flexibility.
To get us started - how would you describe yourself in 6 words or less?
Collaborative, organised, empathic, curious, determined, open
Tell us about your business and what inspired you to start it:
About AmpliStory: AmpliStory is a new agency offering brand strategy and product marketing services to Ireland's startup and scale-up community. I provide brand strategy, customer and competitive research, persona development, product roadmap planning, pricing, positioning and messaging, go-to-market strategies, and sales enablement. By partnering with AmpliStory, startups and scale-ups gain access to strategic marketing expertise without the challenges of hiring in-house. This allows internal teams to focus on critical day-to-day responsibilities while accelerating growth and improving market positioning.
The backstory: I'd been mulling over starting my own business for about two years before taking the plunge. I couldn't quite settle on what I wanted to focus on and how I could create a differentiated business around my skills. Towards the end of 2023, I spent some time reflecting on what I love doing, what makes my offering unique, and where I felt I could add value to my clients. The answer was brand and product marketing, and here we are!
Why now? I work in the tech sector, which has faced significant turbulence over the past 18 months. From widespread layoffs to budget cuts and increasing stress and burnout, it's become a challenging environment with less job security than before. I want to take charge of my career and future. I also want to build a business that reflects my values, prioritising work-life balance, fairness, inclusion, and flexibility.
Tell us a little bit more about you?
Personal: I'm a Meath native who's called Galway home since 2007. I moved to Galway with my now-husband to complete a doctorate in English at NUIG. When I'm not working, you'll find me on a yoga mat, with my dog and my husband, or lost in a good book.
Career: My career is the perfect example of a squiggly journey. I completed my English doctorate in 2010, right as the financial crisis hit Ireland hard. With academic positions scarce, I found myself pivoting into the world of marketing.
Since then, I've worn many hats in both in-house and agency roles, building skills in content marketing, SEO, website management, events, branding, and product marketing - you name it, I've probably tackled it! Along the way, I've had the privilege of leading fantastic teams and mentoring up-and-coming marketers, experiences that have been incredibly rewarding.
Fill us in on your female founder journey.
We are lucky to have lots of great supports in Ireland, from the New Frontiers programme to AwakenClub, Network Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, and The EMPOWER Cumasú Programme.
I make a point of supporting Irish female-founded brands, like FemFuelz, Sisterly, Nibbed Cacao, Grá Chocolates, and Sculpted by Aimee, and follow as many female creators on social media as I can.
That said, it's been eye-opening to realise how male-dominated many sectors are, from founders to social media influencers. This goes beyond mere representation; it's about the values we bring to the workplace and how we approach everything from benefits and flexibility to client relationships.
For me, being a female founder means bringing a unique perspective to the business world. It's about fostering collaboration, thoughtful planning, striving for balance, and always seeking ways to support others. 'Work Like a Woman: A Manifesto For Change' by Mary Portas is my favourite book on this topic. She champions traditionally 'feminine' traits like empathy and collaboration as powerful business assets, challenging the idea that women must adopt 'masculine' behaviours to succeed.
Why have you joined AwakenHub?
I am a relatively new member, but I have followed AwakenHub on social media for some time. I wanted to join a female-focused community with a presence in my area so I can learn from and collaborate with other founders. I've enjoyed the community interactions and the various online events that I've attended so far.
We want to foster collaboration and support within our community. If you have a specific need or request, let us know so we can help each other out! Have you an ‘ask’ which we can share with fellow #AwakenHubbers?
I'm seeking new clients with a focus on Irish startups and scale-ups with 10-50 employees looking to accelerate growth.
If anyone within the group would like to chat about working together, I'd love to! Likewise, if anyone has a connection that could benefit from my services, I'd be grateful for an introduction. In return, I'm happy to offer a free 45-minute brand strategy consultation to members of this community. Please feel free to connect potential leads with me on LinkedIn or via email at grace.windsor@amplistory.com.
I'm also open to exploring potential collaborations with other marketing professionals or agencies on larger projects. If you think there might be an opportunity to partner up, let's chat!
As a founder, what are your non-negotiables? What values or principles do you live by?
Good, shipped, and learning beats waiting for perfection. Progress over perfection.
Fall upwards from mistakes. Every setback is a chance to grow.
Be confident in your ability to make decisions. Trust your gut.
Never stop learning and adapting. The market evolves, so should we.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months and 5 years' time?
In 12 months: I'm aiming for a successful first year with AmpliStory. My goal is to have worked with at least 8-10 happy clients, building a solid foundation of case studies and testimonials. I also hope to expand the team, bringing on one more person to help manage our growing workload and bring fresh perspectives to our projects.
In 5 years: I envision AmpliStory as a thriving agency with a team of 7 people, each bringing unique skills and experiences to the table. We'll be working with a diverse portfolio of Irish companies, helping them build strong brands and successful products. Beyond that, I'm excited about the prospect of expanding into the US and UK markets. This international growth will allow us to bring our unique approach to brand and product marketing to a wider audience, while also learning from new markets and cultures.
What are your top three tips for other women founders? These could be favourite books, podcasts, lessons learned, time management strategies, tools you use, building resilience, or any other advice.
Start networking before you need it. People are incredibly generous and supportive - you just have to ask for help! Building connections early on can open doors and provide invaluable support when you need it most.
You don't have to do everything yourself. It's easy to get caught up trying to juggle your business with life and caregiving responsibilities. Don't hesitate to ask your partner, family, and friends for help. Set clear boundaries and say no when necessary.
Invest in your physical and mental well-being; make it non-negotiable. For me, that's yoga, prioritising sleep, daily walks, and taking Sunday afternoons off.
To finish up with, what are six words to live by?
Collaboration, honesty, curiosity, balance, pragmatism, determination
#FollowAmpliStory
Personal LinkedIn: Grace Windsor
Company LinkedIn: AmpliStory
Company Instagram: amplistory_
