Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in advertising services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anuroop Kumar, Co-Founder of Inflect Digital, located in Phoenix, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our clients are entrepreneurs and startups who are between Pre-seed and Series B. We also work with several early-stage founders. We have a strong focus on BIPOC-led and women-led businesses.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up quite poor. My father was an immigrant who earned his home and successful business until his health declined, and we were forced to move to India when I was 10. I came back at age 17 by myself with no resources. By age 22 - I had put myself through high school, earned a full scholarship, led AZ in a national leadership conference as a "Top 50 future medical professional", led a social entrepreneurship project, and became Head of Business Dev & Growth at a startup. I had to drop out of college in my junior year to support my family - but this is what started my business career. The growth and success with digital ads at my first startup job earned me a role with Facebook (now Meta) on the advertising side, and it was here Inflect was conceived.
Noticing a gap in the market, a prevalence of overpriced services, and the knowledge that we could offer better and more efficient services. I left Facebook with a colleague to establish Inflect Digital. We had left just a few months prior to what would eventually be the pandemic - but after a few months of turbulence, we were able to establish ourselves. Today, Inflect Digital works with some of the leading BIPOC founders in the nation, and we have helped them reach the next level in their businesses. We are trusted by CEOs, Venture Capitalists, Angel Investors, and Community Leaders for our growth marketing and customer acquisition advice. I also run PHX NFT (a web3 community) and am currently working on a Future of Work tech company called SpartanWork.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to make a difference in the lives of such passionate and visionary founders is a big accomplishment. They trust me for my subject matter expertise, and being the puzzle piece they need for it to come together is fulfilling. Most recently, we helped one of our clients - a B2B SaaS company - go from 0-8000 clients in a year which helped them raise a $35 million Series B funding round.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I often say: "Entrepreneurship isn't an organized boxing match, it's a street fight - victory isn't determined by points scored but by who is the last person standing." In other words. it is a sport of resilience. No matter what you envision for your entrepreneurial journey, it will take longer, be harder, and will never go as planned. You need to be honest with yourself, identify your weaknesses, and correct those as soon as possible.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I'll give one for each:
- To start: Understanding the economic conditions might not be great - but there are customers in every market. Try starting by focusing on the most important aspects of your business and investing there without investing a lot of money into "accessory" or "presentation." Make a product or devise a service that you can sell without the bells and whistles and make that the core of the business. Use the proceeds of this to finance your success.
- To run: For your own health & sanity, don't be afraid to invest in resources that optimize your time and productivity. Buy software, tools, services, etc., which will make the delivery of your goods and services better while saving you more time.
- To grow: Collect all of the social proof you can. Reviews, testimonials, etc., work great organically or for paid ads. Your social proof is the credibility that helps attract new prospects. This is increasingly important in today's economic conditions, where people want to be smarter with their money. You must convince them you are worth the investment.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://inflectdigital.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anuroop_kumar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anuroopk4u
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuroop-kumar-b581a87a/
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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