CLIENT NAME: Jennifer Haney, Founder/Publisher
BUSINESS NAME: Shut Up & Laugh Publishing
BUSINESS WEBSITE: shutupandlaughpublishing.com
As a serial entrepreneur since high school and career journalist, Jennifer Haney has always had a love for writing. After challenges in the publishing industry, she decided to start her own publishing company in 2009.
Shut Up & Laugh Publishing has had its ups and downs, but in 2018 it was revived through a grant from the Center for Transforming Lives, a program that provides anti-poverty programs for women and children in Tarrant County, Texas.
Since Shut Up & Laugh Publishing draws its inspiration from proven research that healing happens much better when smiling and laughing are part of the process.
Jennifer Haney offers products to help others smile. Her company focuses specifically on curating and publishing works by Texans.
As a business owner, COVID-19 really impacted Shut Up & Laugh Publishing’s revenue. So she joined the ‘How to Cope with COVID: Self-care and Wellbeing’ program by the Dallas/Ft. Worth Women’s Business Center successfully learned how to turn a zero revenue stream into any revenue.
Her open and honest relationship with her Women’s Business Center’s business advisor made all the difference. She was able to be candid and utilize resource recommendations to revive her monthly revenue stream.
“My favorite part of my experience with the Dallas/Ft. Worth Women’s Business Center is that I don’t feel lost in a large group of clients. They may have a ton of clients, but I don’t feel that way. I have worked with many agencies and haven’t felt like I have gotten this level of care. ” – Jennifer Haney
Even though this has been a hard time for her business, Jennifer Haney is inspired to continue on. One inspiration that keeps her determined is to not allow her company to die before it has even had the chance to live. The other primary inspiration that keeps her going is the writers, musicians, artists, poets, and other creative types.
“As a group, we have so much to offer that may not ever see proverbial daylight because traditional publishers don’t elevate voices of this type. We do,” Jennifer states.
In the coming years, Jennifer plans on certifying her business as an Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Business; bid on government contracts, reinvest revenue into the company and one day have global customers.
Through Shut Up & Laugh Publishing, Jennifer will also continue to nurture her Fort Worth, Texas community. Shut Up & Laugh Publishing has, through the years, donated proceeds of its book sales to vulnerable demographics in its community, such as domestic violence survivors. Their goal is, “to give back more than we take as a business.”
To aspiring entrepreneurs Jennifer shares, “If you need help getting your business off the ground, or [advice on] things you need to do to be successful with your company, the Dallas/Ft. Worth Women’s Business Center is a very, very good place to begin.”
