Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Andy Groller, President and CEO of Dragon360, located in Kingston, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Dragon360 is an independent digital agency proudly focused on helping B2B brands realize their true growth potential. People-first at the core, we are strategy-led experts that build from the audience up, collaborating with brands on work that fuels the fire of growth.
From ad campaigns and strategic consulting to content and design, we create people-focused, data-driven work that generates demand, builds a pipeline, and improves bottom lines for our clients.
Tell us about yourself
I'm an experienced marketing leader that helps B2B and DTC brands solve their marketing challenges, allowing them to create efficiencies in their efforts and reach new levels of ROI, CAC, and growth. Partnering with brands that range from mature startups to enterprise behemoths, I'm a firm believer in working hard, getting great results, and having fun while doing it.
As President + CEO of Dragon360, I not only lead the agency but also get my hands dirty through client strategy, internal coaching + mentorship, and still doing some of the work - all of which keeps me grounded and at the forefront of digital.
In addition to leading Dragon360, I also speak at in-person and virtual conferences across the US and in Europe, contributing my thoughts, opinions, and actionable insights on everything from paid media and creative to demand gen and overall marketing strategy. Furthermore, I also co-host "Digital Banter," - a podcast focused on modern marketing for everyday marketers.
Outside of my professional life, I'm a firm believer in a work/life balance. An athlete and outdoorsman at heart, I have the privilege of calling the Catskill Mountains of NY home with my wife and two kids. It is that background as an athlete that drives me to push the limits of myself and our team in a way that is fun, engaging, and results-oriented. That background, combined with my personal growth in digital marketing over the years, has also led me to have a strong belief in a test + learn mentality that pushes me to avoid having a fear of failure. That's why I still like to get my hands dirty in actual client work; it keeps me grounded and allows me to support our team in their own personal growth - as well as ours as an agency.
Because ultimately, while seeing our clients succeed is great for us as a business, helping the individuals at our clients' brands become the heroes within their organization is something I - and we - strive for. The only way you accomplish that is by building great relationships and partnerships, creating trust that goes both ways, and delivering value well beyond what the scope of work says.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
There are two:
- We have created a great culture, one that allows our team of Dragons to be themselves, build lifelong relationships + friends, grow professionally and personally, and have fun in the process.
- Our client retention and relationship metrics are fantastic for an agency, with the average duration of our client partnerships lasting 4+ years and 92% of our clients working with us beyond the first year of partnership. To build on that duration metric, we have several clients that have been partnering with us since our founding in 2007. All of that goes to show that the culture we have created internally extends into our client partnerships, building strong, lasting relationships.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Knowing that the decisions you make - or don't - affect a widening pool of individuals that include you, your family, your team, and their families. Because it's not just the 15 - 20 people that work for you that are affected by your words, actions, and decisions; no, it's the 80+ people outside of those immediate team members - such as spouses, partners, kids, and more - that are still ultimately affected.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be confident in what you're looking to accomplish, pushing past any fear of failure you may have. It doesn't matter what the business sells or does; that confidence is a necessity to getting past all of the challenges, hurdles, and barriers that will inevitably come into play.
- Identify what you want to set yourself apart from others in your category, both internally and externally. Features, pricing, and competitive advantages certainly make a difference in the market, but so does your culture and how you run/lead the business. Because a great culture is a value-add many business owners overlook, focusing on the nuts + bolts of what they sell more than the value they create for their customers.
- Build a support system that allows you to get outside opinions, insights, feedback, and in general sounding boards. This should include not just your spouse or partner but others in and out of the space your business operates. Local entrepreneur groups, communities of fellow CEOs, Slack communities, and relationships built over LinkedIn can all have a tremendous impact on how you run and grow the business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://dragon360.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andygroller/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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