Many of us might find our passion in a field in which we don’t hold a college degree.
Entrepreneurs worldwide have faced similar situations while choosing their heart’s true calling.
Are you having second thoughts to become an entrepreneur?
What sets you apart is your level of commitment to your passion.
Read about the life of a woman entrepreneur who influenced the future of the global media publishing industry.
The Journey of an Art History Graduate To A Media Entrepreneur
A Multitalented Arts Graduate
The journey of a reporter to become one of the 25 smartest women in twitter is nothing short of wonder and amazement.
The life of Amy Cosper is a testimony to the power of passion-driven purpose.
She majored in Art History at college but little did she know what destiny had in store for her.
She donned several roles as a journalist, writer, speaker, editor-in-chief and Vice President of the globally reputed online magazine, Entrepreneur.com
Adding to it, Amy is also a serial entrepreneur with a track record of incredible resilience and integrity to her credit.
She has faced several ups and downs in her entrepreneurial journey before she founded RadicalUpstarts.
The secret of her success is her talent to turn her trials into triumphs.
Making The Right Career Choices Matters
Amy made a huge leap of faith when she received an offer in 2008 to join Entrepreneur.com as its Editor-in-Chief. She was also the VP of the parent company, Entrepreneur Media Inc.
The single mother of twin daughters had to relocate herself to Los Angeles from Denver to run one of the world’s most famous magazine, Entrepreneur.com.
It was one of the life-changing decision in her life to either score big in life or simply, stay in her own comfort zone.
To start with, Amy’s career choice to join Entrepreneur.com didn’t turn out as she expected.
A Change maker in every sense
In the beginning, she had to face countless challenges and setbacks to establish herself as the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur.com.
Amy envisioned Entrpreneur.com to create meaningful stories that could impact the everyday lives of readers and entrepreneurs worldwide.
It took a lot of effort and perseverance for her to connect and collaborate with the employees to realize her vision for the magazine.
Clarity of mind and laser-sharp focus are the greatest assets to win all odds in your entrepreneurial journey.
Amy openly embraced her blind passion to change the world of entrepreneurship for better. She distanced herself from all the judgments and criticisms that distracted her from her goals and vision.
The Face & Voice of Entrepreneur.com
It wasn’t an easy choice for an Editor-in-Chief to trust her own intuition rather than following the corporate rulebook. Amy focused more on the outcomes and the positive impact that they create.
Entrepreneur.com witnessed a major transformation under the leadership of Amy Cosper. She had to restructure the company from the ground up in order to rebuild the brand.
Cutting down millions off the operating budget resulted in adopting modern business techniques such as technology, outsourcing, communicating and a virtual workforce.
Q&A with Former Entrepreneur Magazine Editor-in-Chief Amy Cosper
An Optimistic Beginner
Amy inherited her entrepreneurial drive from her parents who were entrepreneurs themselves.
Though she completed Masters in Art History and Italian language she always welcomed change and growth both in her personal and professional life.
Her education in Liberal Arts at the University of Colorado didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in Journalism and Business Management.
Failures Are Only The Beginning
So, what did Amy Cosper do before she became the reputed Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur.com?
In 1995 she started her career as a tech reporter. She later became the editorial chief/publisher of Satellite Broadband magazine and managed five ASBPE award-winning financial magazines owned by WiesnerMedia.
Amy traveled far and wide to several countries in the Middle East and Europe as a reporter. It was a great learning opportunity for her at the beginning of her career.
In the late ’90s, Amy started her own media company, Avvio Media. She quit a high paying job in a renowned media company to become an entrepreneur.
Little did she expect that her business would fail within a period of two years. It was a catastrophic financial downturn for her.
When Her House Burned Down
In 2010, Amy’s house was burned down in a fire accident. She and her family lived in a trailer until her house was reconstructed. She recounts, “We didn’t crack. We became stronger, better. We proved that we would survive. Yes, rising from the ashes is a cliche, but I happen to know that it’s also literally true. There was life before the fire and life after, and the two couldn’t be more different.”
Fast forward to today, Amy is one of the most influential women voice in the world of entrepreneurship. She never let her failure define her.
On the contrary, she became a world-famous advocate and evangelist for entrepreneurs promoting innovation and disruption.
In 2016, the influential writer and editor quit her job as Editor-in-Chief/VP with Entrepreneur.com.
She pursued to explore new opportunities in the field of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The Mediapreneur Of The Future
Amy never failed to learn from her business failure which she faced quite early in her career.
The founder and CEO of Radical Upstarts, Amy is now all set on a mission to deep dive on the entrepreneurial campaigns, personalities, and ideas on U.S. and European crowdfunding platforms. She has about 12 years of experience in reporting A to Z of entrepreneurship for global readers.
Amy has also previously worked as Entrepreneur-In-Residence for WeisnerMedia with a incredible track record of building successful media properties. She effortlessly materialized new business plans, ventures, and partnerships specific to the insurance and financial markets
The magazine publishing industry skyrocketed Amy to fame. She diligently proved that an entrepreneurial mindset is crucial to the success of a company; whether you own it or run it.
Her Work of Passion
In 2016, Amy founded RadicalUpstarts in pursuit of her passion to become a media entrepreneur. She has more than a decade of experience in the field of building businesses and promoting entrepreneurs globally.
Amy is also the Producer of the Creative Business Cup—Adventure Zone which features a business pitch challenge primarily focused on human performance entrepreneurs.
She currently hosts worldwide startup conferences and participates in several global events as a keynote speaker. She is working on a book and documentary to highlight the trends and impact of the global entrepreneurship movement.
Amy Cosper’s Words of Wisdom
Amy shares a few wise words for young entrepreneurs:
- Know what your business and company stand for
- Be able to describe what you do in 3 sentences or less
- Do not focus on the obstacles, focus on the vision
A Ducatista and sportswoman at heart and soul, Amy Cosper said, “I strongly believe that on the other side of your fear, is your success.”
In her opinion, there is only one thing that separates the good from failed are vision, passion, and execution.
Her Secret to Success
“Chase your dreams, change the world and make an impact,” while “creating something new, or innovative or disruptive, where nothing was before.” – Amy Cosper
Amy Cosper explains ‘How To Win Fear As An Entrepreneur’
Feel The Fear
I’ve succeeded and I’ve failed as a leader.
And the lesson is this: When you lead with purpose and vision, you will succeed. When you lead out of fear, you will fail.
Simply put: Leading is the most important responsibility you will ever have as an entrepreneur.
Own Up To Yourself
Leadership is your contribution and your service to your company. It’s your survival and that of those you lead.
It will be your legacy and your company’s legacy. It is what makes you great vs. what lets you fail or, worse, be average.
Tackle Fear Like A Pro
This is easier said than done, but I’m going to say it anyway: Stop being scared. Right now. It is the single most important thing you can do — and you can do it.
No leader has gotten to where they are without slaying demons. A leader goes forward because they know there’s no going back. They embrace that visceral moment — the one we’ve all felt at some point — when they have to step on a stage and get it done.
Global women entrepreneurs like Amy Cosper are changing the dynamics of the entrepreneurial world as we see it.
Redefining boundaries and reinventing herself every single day. Amy continues her journey as a founder, sportswoman and keynote speaker participating in leading international conferences.
Are you an entrepreneur who wants to take over the media world by storm?
Or, do you want to make your mark as a media entrepreneur?
Start now, make a difference!