Amanda Hodges has spent more than a decade working in the advertising and marketing industry for the one of world’s largest advertising agencies. She was working out of Denver, CO, but now she says she's ready to move back to her hometown area of Greensboro, NC.

Entrepreneurship grows in the family as Hodges said she has always wanted to own her own business like her two brothers that own companies as well in the Greensboro area. Now she has managed to make that dream a reality in buying a combined EmbroidMe & Signarama location in Greensboro, NC located on Wendover Avenue.

Hodges skipped the usual pitfalls involved in opening a new location by buying an existing EmbroidMe/Signarama location. Now she is "looking forward to solidifying our niche in the local marketplace and becoming the leader in providing signs and customized branded items to both large and small businesses, as well as individuals," said Hodges.

So far, the feedback Hodges has received from the community has been very positive. "As a woman business owner, I am positioned well to compete in the market," said Hodges. "There are lots of small mom and pop sign and embroidery shops in the area. However, with the strength of the organization behind me, our operation is well positioned to gain market share quickly while delivering very competitive pricing to the community."

Hodges is already active in the community. She currently volunteers at the Veterans Medical Center in Durham, NC is involved at Ruffin Stacey Baptist Church. She is also a new member of the Guilford Merchants Association.

Hodges also plans to leverage her own experience in advertising and marketing to help grow her new company.

"Both of these concepts fit perfectly with my existing experience," said Hodges. I am very excited to be a part of the local community and help small businesses here grow to their full potential through consulting with them in customized branding programs."