Twenty years in business… without a business degree.
That is the story of Anne Deeter Gallaher, owner and CEO of the Deeter Gallaher Group, a creative services firm in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
As Anne herself would say, she’s taken a nontraditional path to entrepreneurship. Before having her first son, Anne worked at a publishing house for five years which opened the door to the first of many challenges she’s overcome…
As a new mother, Anne wanted to work from home, but no one had ever done that at the publishing house before. However, that didn’t hold her back, and she pitched this new arrangement to her boss, who LOVED it! For the next 15 years, she worked from home while taking care of her three more sons. Every day was a learning experience, but she practiced transferring her home skills (like negotiating with three boys to get them to bed on time) to her workplace.
Despite her lack of business experience, In May 2000, Anne decided to start her own business! (Proof that YOU cannot hold yourself back just because you don’t feel prepared!)
However, she did have to hustle in order to grow her business. She contacted executive after executive (most of them male) and asked to sit down with them for 15 minutes to learn how they got to the top. Anne did this because she knew that she couldn’t wait for someone to knock on her door; she had to knock the door down HERSELF.
This kick-the-door-down approach, however, didn’t save her from facing rejection.
Quickly, Anne learned the importance of resilience and how to stop wasting time and energy obsessing over one “no.” She surrounded herself with positive, strong people that valued honesty and provided constructive criticism. Looking back, she encourages women to stay curious, bring their best self to work everyday, and know their true value.
Through the ups and downs of her career, Anne finds herself constantly inspired by others. When she hears stories of successful people, she wants to share those stories with the world. Always on the lookout for more knowledge and tools, Anne discovered that hearing from other successful people was the best way to do that. Post pandemic, Anne cannot wait to connect with more women forging new paths!.
The best advice Anne can give is this:
Don’t take yourself out of the race before you start. Your struggle does not define you. And if you can remember not to wait for the knock on the door, but to knock the door down yourself, then… the opportunities for success are LIMITLESS.
Wanting to hear from MORE successful women who inspire and empower YOU to go after your dream? Check out Ditch the Clique COMMUNITY for connective conversation, empowering resources, one on one accountability chats, and so much more!
Listen to Anne’s FULL story by streaming our FREE podcast “The REAL Women of 20(20) Podcast” HERE and on ALL podcast streaming platforms!
Anne Deeter Gallaher, Owner and CEO of the Deeter Gallaher Group Learn more about Anne: @deeter_gallaher_group
You Should Tell Them – Ditch the Clique's REAL women podcast
who is the author, April?
April Hooper is a public relations student at Messiah University, minoring in marketing and gender studies. She always has a coffee in hand and is rocking a thrifted outfit with handmade accessories. When she graduates, she dreams of living abroad, owning as many cats as possible, and writing for a living.
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