Freetide Creative | Belchertown, MA
Ally Montemagni is the founder of Freetide Creative, a social media management, content creation, and photography business based in Belchertown. Their mission is to help other businesses implement a creative strategy built on storytelling to realize the power social media has in inspiring genuine engagement, growth, and connection. Since working with Valley, Ally has gained instrumental support: including financial mentorship that became essential in navigating the stresses of her first tax season as a business owner.
Learn more about Ally, why she founded Freetide Creative, and how Valley supports her work in our interview below!
Ally Montemagni, Founder of Freetide Creative
Q: The team at Valley is already familiar with the great work you do, but this may be some folks’ first time hearing of you. Please give us a brief overview of your business: What do you do, and who do you serve?
A: “I am the founder of Free Tide Creative. After over ten years of experience I decided to take the leap and start my own business supporting other small businesses— specifically through strategic storytelling through social media, content creation, and photography.”
Q: What do you love most about the work you do?
A: “I adore being able to tell somebody’s story and help [their business] grow by bringing [that] story to life in a very real and authentic way. I love all the little moments I get [with my clients]. I work with a wide range of industries: from senior living to med spa, to health care, I get to meet a lot of different people. [I enjoy] being able to take their story and bring it to life to support their goals.”
Q: What do you hope people feel or experience when they interact with your business?
A: “I want [people] first and foremost to feel trust. Because they’re making an investment [in their business,] I want them to feel trusted in that investment. I want them to feel comfortable, seen, and excited. Social media can be really intimidating. [I enjoy being] that person to show them that they can tell their story online. I also want them to feel like they can breathe a little and do what they decided to do in their business, which isn’t social media typically. [I find it really empowering to] be able to take that off their plate and [turn it into something that will] make them feel excited and inspired to [start] their social media journey.”
Q: What part of Valley’s support has been the most helpful in how you manage and operate a small business (planning, finances, marketing, mentorship, etc.)?
A:”I definitely have a more creative mind, so even the smallest parts of finances can feel really intimidating to me.” “Eyad has helped me a lot with the financial end of things: learning about bookkeeping and getting me set up in WAVE.” “I always go into bookkeeping sessions feeling overwhelmed. When we finish [the advising session], I feel like I can finally exhale. It feels like this load [has been taken] off of me.”
Q: Has there been a moment where Valley’s support made a real difference for you or your business?
A: “The tax season was very intimidating to me: to take all of the different expenses and mileage, [wondering] what can I write off and how [to] put [everything together and make it clear] so I can give it to an accountant.. [After] meeting with Eyad multiple times, my accountant was really impressed [by how] everything was so organized.”
Q: What does growth look like for your business right now? What are you looking forward to next?
A: “I’m really excited to be on this strategic journey for [Freetide], doing business planning for how to scale and support more businesses. I’m a solo entrepreneur right now, but I’m looking to expand my team soon because I’m kind of maxed on work. There are a lot of businesses out there that need support with strategy and social media content. My goal is to expand my services and bring on some team members so that we can continue to service more of the community.”
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
A: “If there are any businesses out there who are struggling with finances or marketing, I highly recommend [Valley’s] services. I’ve shared posts about resources in the community, gems that can help businesses and Valley was absolutely on my list.”
“If anyone needs support with content and social media services, Freetide Creative can help you!”
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You can learn more about Ally and Freetide Creative on their website: freetidecreative.com
Find them on Instagram and Facebook @FreetideCreative
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