Write to Incite is a communications firm specializing digital marketing for HR and professional services.
Meet Michele Dortch
Hi, I’m Michele Dortch. People say I’m a cerebral person, and that’s mostly true. But I’m also a sucker for romantic comedies and inspirational sport films (think P.S. I Love You and Remember the Titans). So what happens when brains meet heart? You get me, a Web-savvy writer passionate about the power of words to create positive change.
Writing is my first love, but I put off the love affair for many years. Instead, I spent over a decade in the Human Resources/Organization Development (HR/OD) field, working in the high-tech industry. I got to wear high-heels and show off my intellectual prowess by throwing around fancy corporate-speak like: leadership, change management, employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.
It wasn’t until 2003, when I left corporate employment to start an HR/OD consulting practice, that my love for writing re-emerged. As an introvert (INFJ), I cringed at traditional marketing tactics that forced me to attend local networking events disguised as an extrovert. That’s when I realized the real power of the written word.
I began writing articles that appeared on the Web, in print and in my monthly email newsletter. Writing created buzz about my work and my practice steadily grew. Although I still went to networking events and participated on professional boards, writing gave me the freedom to market my business on my terms. I was a happy camper!
At the time, online marketing was fairly new and few professional service providers were using what we now know as “social media” to market their businesses. Always the early adopter, I started a blog (The Integrated Mother) to support an interest that grew from my work with female executives juggling work and family. Blogging opened new doors for my consulting practice as it expanded to support more clients, as well as some very cool social media projects.
Over time, my professional career experienced a welcome shift as I was hired to do more writing, blogging and social media strategy, and far less HR/OD consulting. So at the end of 2009, I decided to step out of HR/OD consulting for good and officially launched Write to Incite.
In case you need proof…
So the brainy part of me is dying to tell you about my accomplishments. She says that you want to know about it. I keep telling her it’s not necessary. You already like me. But just in case you need evidence of my brain power and super-power writing ability, here it is:
- I have a B.A. English from San Diego State University and a M.A. Organization Development from Fielding Graduate University.
- I’ve also completed professional coach training at The Coaches Institute (CTI) and graduated from the Management Development for Entrepreneurs (MDE) executive training program at UCLA.
- I’m an adjunct professor instructing undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in English, Entrepreneurship and Organizational Behavior.
- I’m the VP of Membership for the San Diego chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
- My written work has appeared in a variety of in-print and online publications including Redbook, SUCCESS magazine, Work It Mom!, Hybrid Mom, Divine Caroline and Examiner.com where I was the Phoenix Working Moms feature writer.
- I’ve contributed to two books, This Day in the Life: Diaries from Women Across America (Three Rivers Press, 2005) and The Business Mom Guide Book: More Life, Less Overwhelm for Mom Entrepreneurs (Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, 2006).
NEXT: Let’s get in touch! I’d love to get to know you.
photo credit: goforbokeh.com
