How Sandra Acham Is Redefining Small Business Marketing with Ulumous

After two decades in corporate marketing, Sandra Acham knew it was time to return to her roots. Raised by two thriving small business owners in her hometown, she grew up immersed in the values that fuel local success—exceptional service, genuine professionalism, and a deep respect for both employees and community.

In the fall of 2024, she launched Ulumous LLC, a concierge-style marketing service built to meet small businesses where they are. With flexible, time-saving strategies tailored for growth, Ulumous is Sandra’s way of coming full circle, channeling the lessons of her early years through the lens of hard-earned expertise.

As founder and CEO, she brings not only heart, but also the wisdom and clarity of her experience to Ulumous LLC. Here, Sandra reflects on the personal influences that drive her work today—and the legacy she hopes to build for the future.

Have you ever felt like you’re “different”? If yes, in what ways has this contributed to your journey as an entrepreneur? 

Absolutely! I felt different growing up, but not always in a bad way. I grew up on the west coast of Canada in a province that was primarily white. Being from a Caribbean family, I was one of only a handful of children at school who had brown skin. Our town was also quite conservative.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to make an impact through my work, and I was fortunate to have parents who instilled in me that there are no limits. My heart was set on working for big companies recognized for doing amazing things in the world—and I made that a reality. I felt that if I could be successful in the global corporate world, I could run my own business one day and go even further. Seeing my parents do so well—and having their encouragement along the way—played an integral part in taking my career higher and higher.

What’s been the most unexpected part of your professional journey? 

The sense of freedom and empowerment. For a few years, I’d played around with the idea of starting my own company, but I felt secure being employed and thought it would be hard to do something on my own. I’m not going to lie: there are challenges that come with having your own business, but what’s been liberating is that they are my challenges, and I can decide how I want to approach each one based 100% on what I feel is the best course of action.

I also didn’t expect to have such a broad and deep community of professional supporters who want to help me be and do my best—or, in turn, to have such a variety of opportunities to lift others up along my journey. It’s a profound feeling.

What’s the biggest misconception others have around entrepreneurship? 

That it’s lonely and isolating. I realize I’m in the early days of entrepreneurship, but I’m experiencing an abundance of energy, collaboration, opportunities, and future possibilities. Perhaps I feel this way because it’s always been my nature to encourage and embrace collaboration—I believe that treating your business journey like a community will spark more than we can imagine, and I’m all about that! 

“Treating your business journey like a community will spark more than we can imagine, and I’m all about that!”

How do you celebrate successes along the way? 

I remind myself every day how brave I am and how lucky I am to have this opportunity. I show appreciation for the people in my personal and professional networks for their support and encouragement. I lift others up with me, always looking for opportunities to collaborate and share their inner light with others.

What have you learned about building a team and a support network around yourself? 

I’ve learned that if you’re genuine at heart, the right people will gravitate toward you and you in turn will be presented with support that feels good for you. I believed this before, but it’s been reinforced! I also learned that at the end of the day, the energy you exude is the energy you’ll receive. Lastly, there will always be haters and people who want to bring you down. People with that energy don’t deserve any time or space in my orbit. 

What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your professional journey all over again? 

Don’t overthink things. Yes, it’s important to do research, talk to multiple people, and be strategic about your approach—but once you know you’ve got something worth pursuing, go for it and have fun. It’s easy to get caught up in a ping pong cycle of should I, can I, maybe I’ll plan more. Just do it! You can refine along the way.

What’s next for you and your company? 

What’s next is right now! Exploring partnerships where our collective missions can bring diverse perspectives and expertise; connecting the best of the best in brand marketing with business owners to share and learn from each other; and—honestly—whatever the universe presents to my open mind, heart, and purpose.