When you look up AMSE Premium Member Candra Burns and her company, Talking Forests, you are immediately drawn in by her mission: to be the social media solution for your company, organization, business, or non-profit. As it states, "Whether your goal is to increase social media engagement, increase traffic to your website, or to build brand awareness, we can assure success through integrity in your business campaign goals."
But within five minutes of talking to her, I was drawn to Candra's passion - for her business, supporting others, and in how she is helping to elevate the voice of forestry.
You might be thinking - forestry and social media? How do those go together?
It's all part of her story, and she graciously shared it with me.
Candra is from Washington, where she started volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, 4-H, and Future Farmers of America in high school to learn more about national resources and nurseries. She attended Grays Harbor College and joined the Society of American Foresters in WA State (WSSAF). After earning a scholarship from the society, Candra worked with them on creative social media content to raise awareness of the society itself and forestry. She interned at the Seattle Audubon and attended Evergreen State College in Olympia. She worked a little bit everywhere but credited her mentors and advisors for pointing her in the right direction and helping her find opportunities to expand her interest in forestry and business.
While she is very talented as a marketing consultant and has earned accolades for this part of her career, she is most passionate about forestry. "It needed a voice," Candra told me. She wanted to find a way to speak about this field and educate all people. "I wanted to bridge any age, gender, or diversity gaps and bring it to anyone."
With Talking Forests, Candra combined her passions into a successful career as a marketing specialist, podcaster, speaker, and voice for forestry.
She started her company in 2016 with a full array of marketing opportunities. From social media management to engagement and community support, Talking Forests does it all. She also offers speaking services in her field. As a speaker well versed in the language of forestry, science, and the outdoors, Candra is a professional and engaging expert that can deliver speeches and presentations in-person or virtually.
She also hosts a podcast of the same name, where she talks specifically about forestry, specific topics concerning outdoor conservation, and more. She hosts expert guests who share their knowledge and break down information into easy-to-understand components. With an audience of over 7,000, she is definitely bringing a voice to forestry!
Finally, Candra has spoken internationally about both areas of her career. In 2018, she talked about the #forestproud movement in Atlanta and gave speeches about social media in Poland and Germany. With the pandemic's beginning in 2020, she did what many milspouse entrepreneurs did and pivoted to a virtual business - and she's growing and thriving.
When I asked Candra what advice she would give to anyone starting their entrepreneurial journey, she strongly encouraged them to find an objective person to help them.
It does not matter whether this is a mentor, career coach, school counselor, or another person. Find someone who will encourage you, look out for your best interests, and give you quality and objective feedback.
Luckily, AMSE has all of the above for our members. We offer monthly Group Coaching and Virtual Coworking sessions to help you find people to support you and answer your questions. You can also find your tribe in our community Slack channel or our Member Dashboard!
If Candra is as passionate and persuasive in her work as she was in my interview, I understand how she can break down stereotypes, operate a successful virtual business, and elevate the voice of forestry. Whether looking for a speaker for your next workshop or marketing support with a highly trained professional, look no further than Talking Forests.
To learn even more about Candra Burns, please visit her LinkedIn page or her website!
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Rachel is the co-owner and editor of The Military Mom Collective. She has been an Air Force spouse for 18 years and is a mother of four children. She holds a BA in English and a MA in Management. When not busy with work or her family, she enjoys reading as many books as possible and drinking all the coffee.
Rachel is also the Copy Editor at AMSE and a freelance writer. She has been featured on We Are The Mighty, Her View From Home, AMSE, The Beautifull Project, Hand-in-Hand QC, and other publications. She has been blogging for herself and other organizations for over 10 years. She is always trying to stay on top of SEO practices and loves using the power of experiences and storytelling to empower businesses and individuals.
