SCORE Mentor Serves as ‘Reality Coach’ for LGBTQ+ Marketer

Mandi Hawke is a master of the pivot.

At the start of the pandemic, Hawke experienced the “worst best thing that ever happened” when she was laid off from a south Florida LGBTQ center.

The job loss forced her to reflect on the Japanese term ikigai - which means “life purpose” - to determine what she loves, what she’s good at, what the world needs, and what she could be paid for.

Time spent doing administrative work and social media for clients was unfulfilling for Hawke, who has a digital marketing background.

“I needed to shift on focusing on working on my community,” Hawke said of the LGBTQ community of which she is a part. “The community lights me up.”

In 2021, she founded Boynton Beach-based Proud Empowerment Business Solutions, which provides a variety of branding and digital marketing services for LGBTQ agencies and organizations. Given the divisive political climate, uncertainty about LGBTQ funding and support in the future, Hawke is contemplating a pivot to provide her services to mental health organizations, another cause she’s passionate about.

“So many of the centers can’t afford us right now,” Hawke said.

Even before she pivoted from employee to freelancer to entrepreneur, Hawke sought guidance from SCORE, a nationwide nonprofit supporting small businesses. SCORE mentor Tim Haider began mentoring her about six years ago, introducing her to “classic marketing.”

“He encouraged me to pick up the phone and call people, which I hate,” Hawke said. “He gave me the business owner truth serum that I needed to hear many times. He was like my reality coach.”

Haider, through his mentoring role with SCORE’s Palm Beach County Chapter, invited Hawke to present workshops for a women’s group.

“They said that was the best ever that they had seen in terms of usefulness. It reconfirms that she is good,” Haider said. “She’s one of my favorite clients. She’s very talented.”

Hawke took the insight gained from SCORE and her entrepreneurial journey and used it to participate in SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition. She was one of 45 finalists. More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders who presented their pitch live before panels of judges. Participants were matched with SCORE mentors to refine their pitches, strengthen their presentations, and hone their business plans. Hawke teamed with Elenor Denker of SCORE’s Broward Chapter.

“It was so nice to have guidance through it. I’m not sure I would have put myself out there without having some support,” Hawke said. “That was just a lot of fun, and I want to do it again.”

For now, Hawke is contemplating her next possible pivot. In addition to shifting her focus to mental health, she may look to impact-driven ecommerce businesses. She also plans to apply for grants which would enable her to offer pro bono services to LGBTQ centers.

“I’m always going to be here for the LGBT centers,” she said. “You need digital marketing to reach your folks. Digital marketing is incredibly important to reach folks who are housebound or not as easily accessed to the centers.”

To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor, or volunteer to be one, visit score.org.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE’s 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit score.org.