Rising Stars: Meet Cecilia Fay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecilia Fay.

Hi Cecilia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My name is Cecilia Fay and I am a social media strategist, communications pro, and brand consultant who believes in the power of creative storytelling. I am a born and raised Memphian who attended St. Agnes Academy for high school and went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude at the University of Memphis. I was raised on Huey’s burgers, Tiger Football, and the I Love Memphis Blog.

I love my job and enjoy celebrating my city every day. I create media content, social media, and communication plans for local businesses, restaurants, new brands, and individuals. My communications career began in 2018 when I became Frank Grisanti’s first social media director. Since then, I’ve expanded my portfolio with a local online store, an author, and most recently a podcast.

I graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021 with a degree in public relations. After completing multiple internships and on-campus leadership roles, I began the job search that many college graduates endure. I always knew I wanted my own side business and my own creative outlet.

I soon realized the corporate lifestyle wasn’t for me, because unfortunately, a lot of corporate-based jobs do not allow a lot of room for personal creativity. This is how I discovered freelance PR and consulting. Freelancing allows me to work for another place or place while also having my own business.

I am fortunate enough to work for a local social media and marketing agency in town that not only allows me to work for myself, but also celebrates it. Campfire Collective is a dream come true and I really have the best boss, Shannon, who is also a young woman entrepreneur who started her own business. She has helped me get started and given me advice on everything from taxes to Memphis industry tips.

Once I was able to get settled with my new job, I also began taking on more clients personally. Because I was working with additional clients, I decided to officially start my own business. In May of 2022, Cecilia Fay Communications was born.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Starting and operating your own business is not easy. Starting one at 22 in an uncertain economy is not easy. Starting one as a woman is not easy.

There are a lot of steps and boxes you have to check to make sure you are doing all the right things not only legally, but brand-wise. I think the hardest part was making sure I had all the steps done. I had to figure out how to properly file my taxes and the proper financial information necessary.

That is still something I am learning to this day and probably won’t know everything for a few years. Whatever everything means. I feel like knowing everything is a dumb concept. You are always learning and something is always new and you have to stay open-minded.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
To put it simply, I help small businesses, individuals, and new brands with their digital presence. I am a social media manager, content strategist, communications consultant, and brand specialist. I am specifically for the small business and individual entrepreneur market because I believe no matter who you are, your story matters.

In today’s society, we do not celebrate locals enough. I also came from small businesses. My family always celebrated the local mom-and-pop shops and almost never ate out at chains. My first job ever was as a hostess at a small and family-owned Italian restaurant. I learned the basics of communication skills there and it also helped me pay my way through school.

Because I come from a small business, I know what it looks like to run one. Most local places here in Memphis cannot afford a large PR or Marketing firm, so I provide affordable services and help clients understand what those will look like super specifically.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Oh lord yes. Probably too much advice. Go with your gut and really listen to yourself. I feel like that piece of advice applies to any young person looking to establish their career.

I think I always knew deep down that I wanted to have my own business instead of working for large cooperation and just sitting in a cubicle all day. I just did not know it would be this attainable, I guess. I think if I was taught a little more business education or financial education during my undergrad, this is something I would have gotten rolling before graduating.

That leads me to my second piece of advice, educate yourself financially, the best you can. It’s very frustrating that in our education systems and even in higher education systems, there really is no formal instruction on finances. Financial literacy is so important, not just when you are wanting to be a business owner, but as an adult working in society.

I am fortunate enough to have parents who helped me learn the basics of money and taught me how to save early on. They have been supportive through this whole process and have given me financial help when I needed it, but not every person has a good support system and there are some things my parents did not even have a lot of knowledge on. So it really is completely up to us as young individuals to learn everything from basic budgeting plans to understanding 401ks and more.

Give yourself some grace and know that everything happens for a reason. This is honestly a piece of advice I need to tell myself more often. Back in December of 2021, when I was applying for jobs, (before I decided I did not want to work in corporate) I was not hearing back from employers as fast as I wanted to. For the next month or so I felt pretty discouraged and wondered what I did wrong. I had a GPA.

I was a leader on campus. I had good stuff on my resume. I did all the ‘right things’ and sacrificed a lot to be able to be a successful student and I was not getting hired. It didn’t make sense. My dad would remind me that it takes 4-6 months to find a good job and he called me almost every day to see if I had any updates. Even knowing that statistically, it takes almost half a year to find a job, here I was literally a month after getting my diploma, depressed and feeling that I wasn’t good enough.

I am obviously a very impatient person. I was officially hired in a role that I think is the best job in the world in February of 2022, just two months after graduation. Which statistically is way better than most and this is not me bragging or tooting my own horn. This goes to show that I needed to not be so hard on myself and that I was doing well. If you are reading this, trust that everything happens for a reason, whatever that thing is.

F.Y.I- It Turns out the email I was sending most of my resumes from, was not working. Now, about 6 months later, I have a brand new email address with my business’s name attached to it and I am very happy I did not end up in a cubicle somewhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ceciliafaycomm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceciliafaycomm
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceciliafaycomm/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ceciliafcomm

Image Credits
Faith Waggener https://www.faithmomentsphotography.com/
Remember Media and NLA Weddings