Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robert Katona, Owner of Kreative ROI Inc., located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a growth marketing agency specializing in developing marketing systems and focusing on education and ed-tech companies.
Tell us about yourself
I was working as an outbound salesperson at a marketing agency and started to notice that what we promised we could deliver and what was the reality was completely off. I was in a moral dilemma, and my sales plummeted. I was eventually let go, and it was the scariest/ most liberating moment. I decided at that moment I wanted to do and be better and set an example for what excellence is. I wake up every day striving to be better than yesterday's version of myself, so I can better help serve those around me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I would say it would be landing Sunwing vacations as a client. They are a multi-billion dollar company. The amount of persistence to land a large client can be daunting. It took about seven months of constant follow-up and discussions before landing the contract.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
There are so many to list! I would say clearly making the distinction about you as a person vs. who you are in business. Let me explain. Most of the time, we blend our identity with our work. If we succeed, great; if we fail at something, we take it personally. We aren't worthy, not good enough, etc. It's super important to keep those two things separated, or else you will be paralyzed by fear.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your why: you need a strong enough "why" to keep you going through the rough patches.
- Survey first, business second: find your ideal target market, survey them first, find the trends, then create your offering. This will save you countless hours trying to figure out what the market wants and values.
- Find your tribe: entrepreneurship is super lonely. Find like-minded people who are striving to achieve the same as you. You have a lot of blind spots and need help to see them so you can fill the gaps so can move faster.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://kreativeroi.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-katona-68027a146/
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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