Taking care of mental health is an important part of life as a business owner. But sometimes, issues arise that may impact your business journey. In fact, the founder of Just Jai Wear understands how mental health can impact entrepreneurship. Read more about her journey in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Providing stylish tummy control and heated fitness apparel.

Business Niche

Supporting an important cause.

Founder Jai-Leta Colvard told Small Business Trends, “Through our apparel, we empower the community to support mental health.”

How the Business Got Started

To support a personal health journey.

Colvard says, “I was diagnosed with hypertension in 2014 and I wanted to start a workout regimen that empowers women. I wanted to feel good and look good for all women in a great effort to obtain positive results.”

Biggest Win

Scoring some big partnerships.

Colvard explains, “I was featured in Macy’s in Atlanta as a top Producer in 2019, and as a result, was afforded the opportunity to be featured in Macy’s in LA and San Francisco, which solidified my partnership with LPGA in 2023.”

Biggest Challenge

Overcoming mental health challenges.

Colvard says, “In 2020, I experienced the loss of my grandparents and a tragic loss of my best friend which resulted in my mental health crisis. I had to step away from my business. I was able to stay in business since my mom paid for my Shopify for a year.”

Biggest Risk

Re-launching the business after a year away.

Colvard adds, “I did not know how I was going to be received after graduating from a mental health facility. I discovered there were so many people suffering like me. I created a non-profit to provide financial support for mental health challenges.”

Lesson Learned

Don’t wait to address mental health challenges.

Colvard says, “[If I could do it over again,] I would have seen a therapist a week after dealing with depression and opposed to suffering for over a year. I could have avoided a lot of turmoil and could have saved my business earlier.”

Favorite Quote

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou.

*****

Images: Just Jai Wear

This article, "Spotlight: Just Jai Wear Founder Speaks on Importance of Mental Health in Business" was first published on Small Business Trends

Facebook ads provide a powerful option for marketing all types of businesses, including those offering coaching or consulting services. Not only does Sodini Marketing serve this niche. But the company also focuses solely on helping businesses leverage the power of Facebook ads. Learn more about the company below in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Provides Facebook ads support for coaches, consultants, and course creators.

The Facebook ad agency not only provides a solution that’s carefully tailored to this niche. But they also offer unique insights that are specific to the needs and goals of each client.

Business Niche

Offering full transparency throughout the process.

Founder Jodi Sodini told Small Business Trends, “We are known for our integrity, transparency and accountability. Not only are we achieving results, we do it with radical transparency!”

Business Origin Story

To explore entrepreneurial dreams.

Sodini says, “I relaunched my own business in August of 2022 after a year of being an employee at another big marketing firm. I knew the employee life was NOT for me.”

Biggest Win

Getting big results for a client.

Sodini adds, “We achieved a client’s 12 month goal in just 30 days with one well-executed launch!”

Business Philosophy

Take plenty of risks.

Sodini explains, “I take calculated risks all the time! It’s just my personality! As a former paramedic and firefighter, it’s really just who I am to do risky things, and I operate from my gut, and my gut really isn’t ever wrong.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Growing and supporting the team.

Sodini says, “I would use it to make sure I was growing my team and compensating them well, as well as putting it toward my marketing and advertising spend so I could keep growing!”

Company Culture

Treating everyone well.

Sodini explains, “Most of us are from the company I worked as an employee for… That owner treated everyone so terribly, but friendships and connections were formed.”

Favorite Quote

“Your business is broken, and if you’re lucky, it always will be.” – Alex Charfen.

*****

Images: Jodi Sodini

This article, "Spotlight: Sodini Marketing Helps Coaches and Consultants Make the Most of Facebook" was first published on Small Business Trends

Franchise ownership can provide many benefits, from a clearly defined path to profitability to the flexibility to spend more time with family. It was the latter point that originally enticed the owner of Restoration 1 of Birmingham, a former Secret Service agent, to franchise ownership. Learn about his unique journey and what sets his business apart in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Provides a variety of restoration services across the Birmingham, Alabama area.

Owner Chad Yeilding told Small Business Trends, “Restoration 1 is a trusted name in the property restoration industry, dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service during times of crisis. Franchise businesses across the U.S. – including Restoration 1 of Birmingham – offer a comprehensive range of restoration services tailored to meet the needs of home and business owners. Our team is equipped to handle any situation 24/7, from water damage to mold remediation, fire and smoke damage, and more. Whatever the challenge may be, Restoration 1 provides reliable and professional assistance every step of the way.”

Business Niche

Being part of the community.

Yeilding says, “While competitors may focus solely on the technical aspects of restoration, we prioritize being there for our community when they need us most. Our ability to respond swiftly and effectively in times of crisis sets us apart. We understand that disasters don’t adhere to a schedule, which is why we’re always on call, ready to assist at any hour of the day. Furthermore, the network of franchise owners is what truly makes Restoration 1 stand out. I can easily pick up the phone and call 15-20 trusted franchise owners in other markets if I have a question or come across something I haven’t dealt with before. This culture of care and support ensures that we have each other’s backs, enabling us to deliver exceptional service consistently.”

How the Business Got Started

As a way to prioritize family.

Yeilding explains, “I was previously a U.S. Secret Service agent, navigating the demands of a career that often required relocating at a moment’s notice. When an opportunity arose for a prestigious assignment in Washington, D.C., I had to decide between pursuing that position or prioritizing my family’s well-being. While many agents aspire to such roles, I couldn’t ignore the toll it would take on my family and made the decision to explore alternative career paths that afforded me more time with them.

“Through diligent research and the guidance of a consultant, I stumbled upon Restoration 1. Similar to buying your first home, I evaluated several franchise opportunities before realizing that Restoration 1 aligned perfectly with my values and aspirations. Much like my experiences in the Secret Service, it offered a chance to assist and uplift individuals during their most vulnerable moments. People don’t call you on their best days; they call you on their worst days. Being able to assist individuals during those critical moments – to restore their homes and their lives – has been incredibly fulfilling. It’s a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there’s an opportunity to make a meaningful difference and give back to the community that has given me so much.”

Biggest Win

Making it through six years in business.

Yeilding adds, “In an industry where many businesses falter within the first five years, each anniversary is a testament to our team’s resilience and dedication. We celebrate every milestone, recognizing the collective effort it takes to weather the storms that come our way. Our employees, who rely on us for their livelihoods, are a driving force behind our determination to succeed.

“Like any business, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges. Cash flow fluctuations, unforeseen obstacles, and the unprecedented impact of events like the COVID-19 pandemic have tested us. However, it’s during these trying times that we pull together, adapt, and innovate to overcome whatever obstacles lie in our path. We’ve had our share of triumphs and setbacks, but through it all, we remain committed to serving our community with integrity and dedication. Each day, we strive to make a difference in the lives of those we serve, and our continued success is a reflection of that commitment.”

Biggest Risk

Stepping away from a successful career to invest in a new business.

Yeilding says, “At the outset, there was a palpable sense of confidence in my abilities and the venture’s potential. However, making the decision to invest all of my savings into this endeavor proved to be a leap of faith into the unknown. By believing in myself and the Restoration 1 franchise model – as well as leaning into the network of franchise owners and the valuable resources they had to offer – I poured my heart, passion, and determination into building something meaningful.

“Had things gone awry, the consequences could have been dire, as I risked losing my financial security and job stability. Despite the uncertainty, taking that first step toward franchise ownership ultimately defined my journey. Sometimes the greatest risks yield the greatest rewards, offering us the opportunity to make our mark as a successful business within our community. My decision to start a franchise may have been risky, but it was also the catalyst for our team’s most significant accomplishments.”

Lesson Learned

Keep moving forward.

Yeilding explains, “I firmly believe in the power of learning through experience, and I often remind my employees that wisdom is cultivated through both triumphs and failures. By embracing the concept of “failing forward,” we’ve fostered a culture of resilience and innovation. Instead of fearing mistakes, we view them as opportunities for growth and refinement. As long as we all keep moving forward, solutions will present themselves, and success will follow suit.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Various strategic growth initiatives.

Yeilding adds, “If an extra $100,000 found its way into the business, my primary focus would be on strategic growth initiatives. I would allocate a significant portion toward expanding our team and hiring additional skilled employees who can contribute to our operations and customer service. Investing in human capital is vital for maintaining high service standards and meeting growing demand.

“Additionally, I would earmark some funds for purchasing supplies and equipment that streamline workflows and enhance efficiency. By providing our employees with the tools they need to excel, we are improving productivity while cultivating a positive work environment.

“Lastly, I would set aside a portion as a rainy day fund to ensure we have a financial buffer to weather unforeseen challenges or capitalize on future opportunities. This cautious approach to financial planning will ensure our long-term sustainability and resilience in an ever-changing business landscape.”

Team Motto

Go the extra mile for the community.

Yeilding says, “I have a strong set of core values, emphasized by my time as a Secret Service agent and leader of a restoration franchise. My team embodies these values, especially when it comes to “second-mile service.” With a goal of outfitting every vehicle in our fleet with landscaping tools, heaters, and more, we can have the ability to assist a single mom who needs a quick lawn mow or elderly individuals who need extra heat in their home when it’s cold outside. We believe in extending kindness to those in need, even when there’s no immediate financial gain.

“We also celebrate our team’s dedication and accomplishments in a unique way, always mixing work and play. When they hit their goals, we take them out for a well-deserved treat, ensuring they clock in so they’re compensated for their time. Whether it’s a fun outing to Top Golf or another exciting activity, it’s our way of showing appreciation for their hard work while fostering a sense of camaraderie and team spirit.”

Favorite Quote

“The same wind blows on us all; the winds of disaster, opportunity, and change. Therefore, it is not the blowing of the wind, but the setting of the sails that will determine our direction in life.” – Jim Rohn.

*****

Images: Restoration 1 of Birmingham, Chad Yeilding

This article, "Spotlight: Restoration 1 of Birmingham Owner Went from Secret Service to Franchisee" was first published on Small Business Trends

Protecting kids is a worthy goal for any business. And that’s exactly what Life Saver Pool Fence aims to achieve with its line of protective pool equipment. Read more about the business and its mission in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Sells pool safety equipment.

President Eric Lupton told Small Business Trends, “We sell layers of protection against drowning, the #1 cause of death for American kids age 1-4. Our main product is a high-quality removable mesh pool fence that’s backed by a 100-year warranty. We also carry self-closing, self-locking gates, various types of alarms, pool safety covers, and an AI camera monitoring system.”

Business Niche

Taking concrete steps that help families prevent drowning.

Lupton says, “Our mesh is of the highest quality and the fence poles, proven to be the strongest on the market, are patented to Life Saver. And we don’t just install a fence and walk away; we educate families on layers of protection and all the extra things they can do to protect children and animals from their pool. Life Saver donates installed fencing to families who have experienced a fatal or non-fatal drowning, and contributes financial support to every water safety awareness event in the country that asks. Our CEO is a nationally known leader in the drowning prevention world; many of our employees, dealers, and franchisees either work with a water safety nonprofit or have started one of their one.”

How the Business Got Started

As a small, family business.

Lupton adds, “My parents started the business in 1987, out of our garage. My mom answered phones and took care of my brother and me during the day and sewed fencing at night. My dad did a paper route to get money for advertising, then sold and installed fences during the day. The business grew, and I took over the day-to-day operations when my dad retired in 2003. I was 21. I am CEO now, and my younger brother is VP of Research & Development.”

Biggest Win

Establishing an online presence early.

Lupton explains, “Life Saver’s biggest win is probably how early we established an online presence. When I was still in high school, my friend and I started a business building websites and writing marketing copy. One of our first clients was Life Saver; I secured a domain name and launched the Life Saver website in 1998 when the web was young. That early presence really helped to establish us as a leader in the industry — anyone could go online and see that we’d already been in business for more than a decade and had a nationwide network of authorized dealers that was still growing. Several customers became dealers themselves after finding us online and buying a fence.”

Biggest Risk

Investing in quality.

Lupton says, “In 2008, when the U.S. economy took a nosedive and our competitors began finding ways to cut costs, it became a race to see who could produce the most cheaply made pool fence — a race to the bottom. I did NOT want to win that race and find myself producing terrible fence that I didn’t trust, so I decided to do the opposite… spend money to produce the highest-quality pool fence on the market.

“We had to raise our prices to compensate, so we were risking turning customers away from Life Saver, but instead they responded really well. It turns out that high quality is something that people are willing to pay a little more for, especially when it comes to protecting their kids! Taking that risk made it clear that Life Saver is seriously dedicated to its mission of eradicating childhood drowning and that is what makes us stand apart from our competitors, to this day.”

Lesson Learned

Surround yourself with quality people.

Lupton adds, “Nearly all of the office employees were friends of mine before they became employees. I spend a lot of time at work, so why wouldn’t I surround myself with capable people that I already enjoy being around?”

Team Tradition

Daily lunch outings.

Lupton says, “We actually all have lunch together every day, and we take turns choosing the food. We’re in South Florida, so sushi and Cuban food are definite favorites!”

*****

Images: Life Saver Pool Fence

This article, "Spotlight: Life Saver Pool Fence Aims to Save Lives with Quality Pool Products" was first published on Small Business Trends

Home and office organizational products are incredibly in-demand, especially with the influx of people working from home. But many of the products on the market include the same few materials like simple plastic and wood. Tired of seeing the same items over and over again, the founder of Welaxy set out to create something different.

The brand eventually found its niche in the eco-friendly sector, making products from ocean waste. Learn about this unique brand and how it’s thriving in a competitive space in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Creates home and office organizational supplies.

Products include drawer organizers, shelving, closet bins, and even shower organizers.

Business Niche

Creating products that support clean oceans.

Managing Partner Grant Ritzwoller told Small Business Trends, “Our products are made from 100% ocean waste meaning they are 100% echo-friendly.”

Business Origin Story

A personal need for better solutions.

Ritzwoller says, “I was tired of looking at the plastic and wood drawer organizers and knew there had to be other options.”

Biggest Win

Becoming a white-label product that other companies buy and sell under their own branding.

This option allows companies to sell more products without going through the trouble of marketing or building a customer base. However, if Ritzwoller could do it over again, he said he would start a direct-to-consumer website earlier in the process, since this provides even more value. Now, the company utilizes both selling methods to make the most of the benefits of each approach.

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Improving the website and growing on social media.

Since the company is still growing, investing in these methods could make a major impact on the brand’s bottom line within different markets.

Company Namesake

A close family member.

Ritzwoller says, “Welaxy was a name we called my grandmother. So in a way, her legacy lives on.”

*****

Image: Welaxy

This article, "Spotlight: Welaxy Turns Ocean Waste into In-Demand Products" was first published on Small Business Trends

Major press features can make a huge impact on small businesses. But securing these features is often challenging. That’s where working with professionals, like the team at Everything Branding, can help.

Learn more about the company and what sets it apart in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Provides public relations services.

President and CEO Chelsea Gladden told Small Business Trends, “We secure consumer facing press for our clients with top national media outlets, including Today Show, Good Morning America, Forbes, CNN, BuzzFeed and many more.”

Business Niche

Delivering real results.

Gladden says, “Many Public Relations firms do not deliver on promises. Our firm is known for overdelivering! We also work with top notch commerce editors and are well versed in digital media that drives sales for our clients.”

Business Origin Story

By bringing together people from all corners of the media industry.

Gladden adds, “Everything Branding is a team of TV news anchors, journalists, and producers. Our cumulative experience presents a powerhouse public relations team that came together after Everything Branding was started back in 2018.”

Biggest Win

Making life-changing moves for clients.

Gladden explains, “Every day the Everything Branding team celebrates big wins of securing national media features for our clients. The biggest “win” is hard to identify but it’s definitely when we change a person’s life by having their product really take off in the press. The leap from traditional PR to consumer driven PR has seen our clients bottom line quadruple at a minimum in several cases and that’s always a win for everyone!”

Biggest Challenge

Helping clients navigate the pandemic.

Gladden says, “During the global pandemic, many of our brands lost all of their retail accounts in one fell swoop since stores were forced to close their doors. It was a very scary time. Pretty quickly, brands needed a new way to find their consumers and we strategically pivoted to benefit from the massive increase in online shopping. Media also understood that consumers were searching online for products even more while in their homes all day and the brands we work with started seeing far bigger profits than traditional retail.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Supporting employees.

Gladden adds, “I have a few projects in mind that ultimately would provide more jobs so I likely would use it toward that. And I would absolutely love to spend it on our employees! They are phenomenal and deserved to be treated.”

Working Environment

Both in-person and remote.

Gladden explains, “We have our local employees as well as employees who are spread across the United States! It’s fantastic to get different perspectives while also being able to meet regularly via today’s technology.”

Favorite Quote

“Pressure is a privilege.” – Billie Jean King.

*****

Images: Everything Branding

This article, "Spotlight: Everything Branding Transforms Businesses Through PR" was first published on Small Business Trends

There are many ways to start and grow an E-commerce company. Drups Ventures has chosen to grow quickly by acquiring marketing and E-commerce brands that cover a large spectrum of products and offerings. Learn more about this unique business model in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Managing marketing and E-commerce businesses.

Owner Joseph Drups told Small Business Trends, “We have many brands under our Drups Ventures umbrella. We really focus on providing quality lifestyle products. These range from seat cushions designed to ease muscle pain to gift boxes and jewelry.”

Business Niche

Growing quickly while maintaining excellence in E-commerce operations.

Drups says, “We have managed to purchase, merge, and scale our business through operational excellence across eight different businesses and over a dozen brands. In this process, we’ve made the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the U.S. multiple years.”

How the Business Got Started

As a digital marketing company.

Drups adds, “We began with digital marketing, and started buying smaller ecommerce brands. Then we continued to scale and went after larger and larger brands.”

Biggest Win

Closing a large deal.

Drups explains, “During COVID, we were working on our first deal above $2 million. Everything looked like it would be impossible to close the deal. We went through 8 banks to find funding and finally found a partner bank and closed the deal. That was a game changing acquisition for the business.”

Biggest Challenge

Navigating the pandemic with multiple brands.

Drups says, “COVID was a difficult 2 year period with some of our businesses spiking in sales and other businesses cratering. We didn’t almost go out of business, but we did have to take some of our sister businesses and put them on life support. In 2021, we went through a difficult transition with one of our businesses where we ended up having to replace 19 out of 22 employees. We made it through the storm, but it was a very difficult season.”

Lesson Learned

Go after companies that are already stable.

Drups explains, “Finding companies that were extremely stable requires less hustle, and could have taken a lot of stress out of five years of my life.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

A new venture.

Drups adds, “Launching new products, a new platform, or buying a new business. My favorite use of a growth budget is experimenting toward a moonshot project.”

Coolest Accomplishment

Being recognized by a major publication.

Drups says, “We made the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing businesses in the US two years in a row.”

Favorite Quote

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein.

*****

Image: Drups Ventures, Joseph Drups

This article, "Spotlight: Drups Ventures Takes a Unique Approach to Business Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends

You don’t need a super technical or complicated idea to start a successful business. For example, the founders of Twilla started with just a sewing machine and a desire to create more comfortable pillows. It doesn’t hurt to have an entrepreneurial sibling and a background in product design, either. Learn more about Twilla below in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Sells unique pillows.

Founders Mark and Peter Rane told Small Business Trends, “We sell adjustable sleeping pillows that are available in Queen, King, and Body sizes.”

Business Niche

Offering a simple and easy-to-use product.

Rane says, “There are other adjustable pillows on the market, but none of them adjust so quickly and cleanly or offer the versatility that we do.”

How the Business Got Started

To create a product for their own use.

Rane explains, “The idea for Twilla started several years ago when we were looking for a pillow for ourselves. It seemed like there were a lot of good pillows on the market, but when we tried them out, we were constantly disappointed. Being designers, we just naturally started evaluating all of the pillows and then making our own prototypes. We spent a lot of time behind the sewing machine before we thought about turning it into a brand.”

Biggest Win

Receiving endorsements from physical therapists and doctors.

Rane adds, “It was huge because we didn’t pay them to talk about our brand. We gave them a sample so that they could try it out and hopefully give us feedback based on their experience and expertise. We had no expectations or pressure on them, but they came back with resounding positive feedback.”

Biggest Risk

Launching on Kickstarter.

Rane says, “We had always thought that KS might be a good avenue for us, but when we were finally ready to launch, we had very little time to put everything together if we were going to hit the holiday season. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we rallied and pulled off a great launch. We put it all out there and it could have flopped, but we ended up having a very successful campaign.”

Lesson Learned

Be ready to learn as you go.

Rane explains, “Instead of ignoring an aspect of the business, or saying “we’re not good at [xyz],” we now say something closer to “we’re excited to learn about that part of the business and become experts.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Spreading the word about their initial product.

Rane says, “Being Product Designers, we would love to use the money to invest in a new idea that we’ve been working on. But, the best thing we could do for the business right now would be to invest in a nationwide advertising campaign to spread the word about our pillow. Being a new brand, we know how important it is to get eyes on our pillow.”

Hidden Talent

Sewing potential new products.

Rane adds, “We really enjoy sewing! We can prototype so quickly and it’s always fun to come up with new ideas. Our company is still very small, so we can be flexible and try things as we think of them.”

Favorite Quote

“You can’t use up creativity, the more you use the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

*****

Image: Twilla, Mark and Peter Rane

This article, "Spotlight: How Two Brothers Built a Successful Company Around Pillows with Twilla" was first published on Small Business Trends

For businesses looking to improve operations through AI, Narrato has several intriguing functions. In fact, the company harnesses AI to create marketing content on autopilot. Learn how it works and what sets it apart in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Offers AI marketing solutions for businesses.

Founder and CEO Sophia Solanki told Small Business Trends, “Our product Narrato is an AI content creation and marketing platform for small businesses. Besides hundreds of amazing AI tools and templates for content creation (social, blogs, product descriptions, emails and more), we have built a content autopilot for small businesses called Content Genie, which automatically generates social media posts and blog content weekly. We drive huge marketing cost savings for entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

Business Niche

An intuitive UI and features that put content creation on autopilot.

Solanki says, “Content Genie and our 100+ AI tools and templates, coupled with publishing support, saves hundreds of hours monthly on content creation and marketing. For many of our customers, our platform has been able to cut down content creation costs by 80%. eCommerce businesses are also significantly benefitting from our all-in-one AI content marketing platform, as they are able to create product description in bulk, and marketing content using AI – all in one platform.”

How the Business Got Started

To fill a need for small businesses.

Solanki is a serial entrepreneur who previously built two successful businesses in the content and marketing space. Then, she saw an opportunity to make these processes more efficient using AI. And thus, Narrato was born.

Biggest Win

Receiving recognition from big names in the industry, as well as customers.

Solanki explains, “We have been lucky to have many feathers in our hat, including being the #1 Marketing Product of the month on Product Hunt (Oct 2023), winner of TiE Silicon Valley Top 50 Startups award in 2023, and have been featured in numerous top publications including Techcrunch, Forbes, The Australian, Inc. and many more. All of this is surpassed by the love and success of our customers, who absolutely love the impact Narrato brings to how they create content and do impactful digital marketing at minimal costs.”

Biggest Risk

Dedicating major resources to a new offering.

Solanki says, “We poured in a lot of resources to build our content autopilot AI Content Genie, which took dedicated all team effort for 5 months. We needed it to pay off and it did. It’s a phenomenal success.”

Lesson Learned

Focus on providing the highest possible value for customers.

Solanki adds, “We started out as a content workflow automation workspace in 2022, but soon realized the big bang impact will come from AI. Which is why we built AI Content Genie and a powerful AI Content Assistant to support all kinds of marketing content creation and optimization. And this pivot has been a game changer for us and our customers.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Branding and marketing.

Solanki says, “We have the best AI content tool on the market for small businesses and we would love to have more amazing small business marketers and owners try us out.”

Marketing Secret

Creating genuinely helpful content.

Solanki explains, “Nearly all of our customers come to us organically through the educational content we publish and share. With organic content marketing, we are driving real product led growth, where our customers sign up, experience the product and subscribe for the immense immediate benefit our platform brings.”

*****

Image: Narrato, Sophia Solanki

This article, "Spotlight: Narrato Uses AI to Put Content Marketing on Autopilot" was first published on Small Business Trends

Building a diverse team can be a great way for businesses to stand out and infuse unique perspectives into their work. In fact, this is one of the main factors that has made Tilted Chair so successful. Read about the branding and marketing agency and its team in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Offers advertising and marketing services.

Co-founder Jamie Rodriguez told Small Business Trends, “We’re one of the top branding, advertising and marketing agencies in Austin and beyond. We’ve worked with Red Bull, Amazon, Pearl Brewery, and the Pete For America presidential campaign.”

Business Niche

Bringing together creativity and diversity.

Rodriguez says, “All three of our partners are minorities, not by design, but just because that’s the way things worked out. Now, we’re proud to call Tilted Chair one of the most diverse and creatively staffed agencies in the land.”

How the Business Got Started

With three hard-working partners.

Rodriguez explains, “I and my two co-founders all worked college jobs as we got the agency started in our respective living rooms.

“Our business story closely mimics the story of Kyle Mcdonald and his quest to trade a paperclip for a house. Our paperclip was a $225 brochure job for a local home inspector. Today, we’re working with blue blood brands and well-regarded local love marks. Not sure if we’re at a house yet, but…we’re close.”

Biggest Win

Designing the website for Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign in 2019.

Rodriguez adds, “The DNC publishes marketing opportunities frequently, and we applied to brand Mayor Pete’s campaign. We were’nt selected for that, but we were selected to build the website. In less than 45 days, we went from nothing to the class-leading presidential campaign website being used and viewed by millions of Americans.”

Biggest Risk

Going above and beyond to land a large project.

Rodriguez says, “Our first summer of existence, which was in 2010, we had an opportunity to bid on an anti-littering video campaign for the city of Austin. We didn’t have ANY of the requisite experience needed to even apply for the job.

“So, instead of packaging up storyboards and submitting our concept via printed documentation—like the rest of the applicants—we set aside a weekend and shot our concept ourselves on a Canon 5D in full 1080p HD. We went above and beyond, and it ultimately paid off: we were selected for the video shoot.

“If it hadn’t worked out, we probably would have ended up folding Tilted Chair and moving on with our lives. I personally probably would have ended up working at a bank… Instead, along with the contract came a shot of confidence and some liquid capital that indicated to us we should keep going. And keep going, we did!”

Lesson Learned

Work closely with clients.

Rodriguez says, “I would have learned to collaborate better, earlier. Meaning, our best engagements with our customers happen when we work as a true extension of their team, closely, and frequently. That’s a lesson that, perhaps, only experience could teach. But it’s the most valuable one I’ve learned in running this business.”

Company Mascot

A moose named Darrell.

Rodriguez says, “Our third and longest-tenured office space had a big moose head in it named Darrell. We illustrated Darrell and used him as a brand graphic design asset, as he became the unofficial mascot of Tilted Chair.”

Favorite Quote

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.” – Eric “ET the Hip Hop Preacher” Thomas.

*****
Image: Tilted Chair

This article, "Spotlight: Tilted Chair Brings a Diverse Team to High Profile Marketing Projects" was first published on Small Business Trends