Exploring Life & Business with Eartha A. Hopkins of The Literary House

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eartha A. Hopkins. 

Hi Eartha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.

My love for writing started early. My second-grade teacher saw my passion for writing and honed my skills early. She told my mother, “One day, your daughter will be a writer.” And, it’s almost like my life was a prophecy fulfilled. I’ve always been confident in writing, but as a teen, I downplayed my abilities throughout high school: The need to fit in and assimilate made me a bit more reserved and less driven. 

Attending The Ohio State University as an undergrad made my love for it all enlivened. It’s where I had the opportunity to go to New York and interview the late Dr. Maya Angelou. I spent those four years feeding my passion, driven by the idea that I could become something greater than what I could even imagine for myself. 

But I would face economic challenges my entire life in an inner-city with little access to resources. After graduation, I spent years in multiple roles in communications and writing. After building a solid network, being mentored, and believing in myself, I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own company. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

I grew up in a single-parent home in a city unofficially nicknamed “The Murder Capital of Ohio.’ Violence was omnipresent, and losing my peers to gun tragedy was not uncommon. Drug abuse was rampant in my community and my own family, but I also learned how to survive and overcome because of those challenges. I knew that if I wanted to achieve the goals I set for myself, I would have to apply these life skills and my education to push my ideas to fruition. 

Specifically, when starting my business, I didn’t have anyone showing me the way. I learned so much from trial and error. I also didn’t have the financial resources that could’ve significantly helped, so I worked hard to build a network first. Leaning on my previous professional experience, I wasn’t afraid to circle back and ask questions or ask to be introduced to someone who could help me. I worked very hard to establish myself, even doing projects for free to build rapport within the industry I sought to be part of. 

I pay attention to the details. I constantly watched digital media transform and immersed myself in it, which allowed me the opportunity to recognize shifts others miss. This has been the cornerstone of my company. Aside from customer service, my work ethic has proven to be my most significant resource to help me overcome obstacles. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Literary House?

The Literary House is an African-American woman-owned copywriting and strategic communication marketing agency. Its team provides strategic communication support and copywriting execution across multiple mediums for mid-to-large companies and organizations. Our expertise helps businesses engage with existing customers, drive new consumer acquisition, and position themselves in their respective fields. 

Located in Youngstown, Ohio, the company benefits from the state of Ohio’s position as the seventh largest employer of copywriters in the nation. The Literary House is owned and managed by Eartha Hopkins, who boasts a decade of experience in digital and print journalism, social media management, public relations, advertising, and editorial planning. It is supported by a think tank of strategic and creative writers and marketing professionals. The company delivers on a promise to provide transformative branded messaging guided by research. 

I oversee the business direction and handle the day-to-day client relationships within my role. I also support research, editing, writing, and strategy. 

What sets my company apart from others is our cultural lens. As the world begins to recognize how Black and multicultural identities influence the business sector, my company offers the insights and skills to help them communicate in more informed ways that impact sales. Additionally, writing is a vital tool in business and even more crucial in a digital era; that’s where my company fills the gap. 

What’s next?

Historically, The Literary House has operated as a small boutique agency centrally focused on editorial strategies and execution. Now, we are expanding our capacity to better serve our customers. This includes User Experience (UX) design and content, multi-dimensional storytelling options across social media, and branding. 

While we understand compelling storytelling undergirds our customers’ business objectives, the way we tell those stories is always evolving and we’re always seeking new opportunities to explore those to meet our customer’s bottom line and make an impact. 

Article originally published via VoyageOhio.