JENNY PHILLIPS
An Eye for Beauty
story by ERIN WALLACE
Beaufort is about as picturesque as it gets. In fact, Beaufort’s beauty was a claim to fame most recently by WorldAtlas as one of the 13 Prettiest Towns in the United States! Over 2 million people visit Beaufort each year to revel in its beauty. Though that number feels incomprehensible, somehow this darling place of a town draws so many people, and one cannot be surprised or argue with the plain old truth that Beaufort’s got some serious talent for showing off its natural beauty.
It’s no surprise that a place as unique and beautiful as Beaufort draws great talent to the area. There is one woman among us whose entrepreneurial spirit and overwhelmingly qualified work in photography stands apart in the industry: Jenny Phillips. For Jenny, her passion for photography started at a young age when she picked up a camera not even hesitating to take portraits of her friends and family, and soon she graduated to shooting sports games. It didn’t end there as she would share her pieces of work on the social media of her day (MySpace and Xanga) as any inspiring photographer would do. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough work, Jenny enjoyed creating websites too in her free time. Did I mention this was all before college?
photo by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
photo by PALMS AND PLACES IMAGERYFor college, Jenny went to a small liberal arts school called Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina. Jenny’s bachelor’s degree was in Communications, and while attending Coker, she worked in the marketing office on campus, which was a perfect fit for her, as she enjoyed all facets of marketing. After college wrapped up, Jenny worked as an associate producer at a locally owned media company in Florence, SC, and later moved to Charleston, SC, and worked as a photojournalist at WCIV. She was offered a marketing position in her hometown in the spring 2015 and has been back in Beaufort since that time. Jenny worked just shy of eight years for 303 Associates, a company stationed in the Lowcountry that specializes in developing and managing commercial, retail, office, multifamily, and hospitality properties. Jenny’s job description was expansive. She made videos, took photos, created websites, developed marketing campaigns, and much more. It was in this role that her dream to start her own company really began to take shape.
Thus, 1111 Marcom (Marketing Communication) was born! It is a boutique marketing agency that specializes in personalized services and a structured strategy for marketing small businesses. If you click on their website 1111marcom.com, you’ll read their mission statement: “Our mission is to be a trusted partner for our clients, delivering innovative and results-driven marketing solutions that drive growth and success.” If you have the privilege to talk to Jenny for even ten minutes, it is undeniably evident that her company and team members take the “trusted partner” part of their gig seriously, as their ultimate goal is for fruitful long-term relationships to come out of their short-term projects. This approach is refreshing in a world that is dominated with short-term consumeristic thinking. With content creation and marketing consulting being the two main components 1111 Marcom specializes in, they are open to chatting with business owners about their marketing needs─— big or small. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
This wide range of solutions truly echo the uniqueness of 1111 Marcom and the commitment Jenny and her team are ready to provide at any moment’s notice. Her team consists of four talented freelancers, including herself, and they are currently hiring to expand their growing company. If you have any experience as a Social Media Analyst or Technical Specialist, Jenny says to reach out via email at jenny@1111marcom.com
For such a go-getter of a woman, there has to be an incredible support system backing Jenny up, right? The answer: Of course! Jenny says that she wouldn’t have been able to do this without the encouragement and support from her husband, Kevin Phillips. Fun fact: The duo originally met in the nine-month Leadership Beaufort Class through the Beaufort Chamber back in 2017. Additionally, Jenny recommended that everyone should look into this program because after over 30 years of living in beautiful Beaufort, she learned more in the nine-month program than she had in decades as a Beaufortonian. That says a lot! Although not born in Beaufort, coastal living is all Jenny has ever known as she was born in her dad’s hometown of Kailua, Oahu. Her dad and mom opted to move to Beaufort when Jenny was one when her grandma offered to sell the home Jenny’s mother grew up in on Battery Creek Road. It was there that Jenny and her younger brother, Jesse, grew up.
Not far from her childhood home, Jenny and Kevin are now raising their daughter, Evelyn Makana (meaning gift from God), who also goes by the sweet nickname of Evie. When I asked Jenny how it’s been parenting a now 8-month-old, she said, “It’s amazing. She has been really good to us and our family, and the community has been a blessing of support.” When Jenny isn’t working as the head of her company, she can be found around town, enjoying and volunteering for the many festivals and events, attending Cross Community Church, and loving her role as a new mom. If you see Jenny around town, you won’t miss her as she’ll be shining bright like the light she is in this community, with all the genuine connections she’s formed through work/personal connections, as well as the pure dedication and admiration she has for every square inch of the Lowcountry.
