Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jim Thompson, Founder of Digital Amplification, located in Westerville, OH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
It's loud out there. We help clients be heard by those that matter most! At Digital Amplification, our name says it all. We apply new and developing Digital tools and technologies to Amplify proven marketing techniques. From strategic planning to creative, integrated media to total business consulting, we are reinventing marketing to deliver breakthrough results. Again, and again, and again…
Digital Amplification is an integrated advertising and digital marketing agency that changes outcomes by connecting client messaging with targeted customers at key points of influence on their journey. We bring clients extensive experience in the world of performance and awareness media channels, digital marketing, integrated media, analytics, market intelligence, and insight-fueled creative. We pride ourselves on providing great services and delivering powerful marketing solutions to meet our client's unique needs and deliver increased value for their marketing investment.
The customer, digital and omnichannel is continually evolving. To stay ahead, we are continually honing our approach with every client, every customer, and every ad.
Tell us about yourself
This is what happened when Beth crossed paths and minds with me. I come from the Agency side, having worked at renowned Madison Avenue agencies on leading CPG brands, pharma brands, and health brands. My expertise lies in creating big ideas, big campaigns, and delivering big results. On the other hand, Beth brings her experience from the Client side, having worked with Fortune 500 companies and top digital companies, specializing in performance media, digital strategies, eCommerce, and omnichannel approaches. We both had a feeling that there was an even better way to approach marketing.
In 2018, we decided to join forces and combine our strategic frameworks, methodologies, and approaches to create something truly unique and market-altering. The result was a bit of alchemy that not only worked but continued to deliver outstanding results time and time again. It was at this point that Digital Amplification was born.
In 2019, as a newly chosen Agency of Record (AOR), Digital Amplification proved its worth by delivering breakthrough results for clients through our blend of technology and insights at critical touchpoints. This led to a remarkable 3X growth over just three years. Since then, we have continued to evolve and optimize our unique approach. Today, our diverse range of clients are not just improving their businesses but transforming them, and we are proud to be part of their success stories. As we move forward, we will continue to enhance our combination of technology and insights, ensuring that each campaign and each client receives the utmost attention and value.
I, Jim Thompson, founded Digital Amplification with the vision of providing a fresh alternative to traditional advertising agencies and consultancies. Our aim is to offer experienced talent that can make a real impact on client results without draining their resources or losing sight of the underlying issues.
Fuelled by our innovative approach, Digital Amplification has become a hub for elite talent seeking the thrill of creating tangible value for our clients. In 2018, Beth Gray joined our leadership team, sharing the same passion for branding, communication, and leveraging integrated media investment to drive success for our clients. Together, with our complimentary right brain/left brain skills, we have built a strong foundation of successful client engagements and brand momentum.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Beth and I are focused on building an agency that delivers at a higher level. We wanted to build the business that we always wanted to work at and work with. We know we are on the right track when clients tell us, "We'd be in the S#*thouse if it wasn't for Digital Amplification" or when other clients have credited the impact of our work for saving lives.
It's also rewarding when we are able to attract and retain elite talent. It means a lot to us when people who have the talent and expertise to work with anyone choose to work with us. It's a matter of giving people a chance to learn, grow and continue to develop their careers in an environment that "usually" doesn't suck.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing about being a founder is that you are the one. You are always the one pushing the business and the team to strive for what's next. Even as the team grows to really deliver on what's happening today, the founder is building the pipeline, capability, and capacity to achieve tomorrow. And there's always a tomorrow. I am a builder by nature, so this is core to my DNA. But you have to love it...or you won't.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Great question!
- It really comes down to the people you surround yourself with. Find people that share your vision and values but do not agree with you and do not think like you. Founders can have a blindspot because they have good instincts, but that does not mean they are right all the time. There needs to be a trusted partner who can influence or call BS when it is needed.
- Understand your endgame. Are you looking for a side hustle, a sustainable business that has a legacy, or an exit? These will guide how you build, resource, and scale your business.
- Lastly, Home Depot once said, "People aren't here to buy a hammer; they are here because they need to hang a picture." It is critical to understand what problem you are solving for a client...AND... how they want to buy your solution. This can be the difference between success and failure of a business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://digitalamplification.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DigitalAmplification
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalamplification/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalamplification/
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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