Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mark LoProto of LoPrototype Writing, located in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a freelance content writer who works with clients around the world, typically in the video gaming and tech spaces. I do also offer tailored writing services to small businesses looking for blog content, company profiles, and product descriptions. When time allows, and the need arises, I love to help individuals in a non-business setting, whether it's writing a letter to a loved one, submitting a grant request, crafting wedding vows, providing a eulogy, or building a dating profile.
Tell us about yourself
Writing is simply in my blood. My father is a published author and was writing long before I was a zygote. My mother also happens to be a skilled scribe with quite a gift when it comes to writing in a business setting. It all came rather naturally to me when I was much younger, clacking away on a typewriter and churning out whatever nonsensical stories a pre-teen boy dreams up. Though I started as a creative writer, my passion and appreciation for the gaming industry and its community shifted my focus toward journalism. In 2009, with the enthusiasm and urging of my now-wife, I decided to turn a hobby into a viable career. My motivation to keep writing is two-fold. Though cliché, my family absolutely drives my urge for success. I want everything I do, no matter how big or small it may be, to make my wife proud. I also write because I need to share knowledge and tell stories. Even when I'm breaking news or reviewing a new product, I approach each piece with the hope that someone will walk away with something they didn't have when they sat down to read the article.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to succeed in an industry that's otherwise stacked with competition and roadblocks is something I'll always be amazed by. When I started in 2009, I was still working a full-time job, never really expecting this to amount to anything more than a few extra dollars each month. Fast forward umpteen years, and now I have a revolving door of clients that value me and my work.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Knowing how to value yourself, your product, or your service. This is especially difficult for a writer because words don't have any value on their own. It's what those words represent or how they're used that gives them purpose and meaning. It took me a long time to understand how to properly put a price on the articles and pieces I write based on what they're being used for, where they're being displayed, and how they may help those I'm writing them for.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, don't give up. Those first few years are going to be difficult. You're going to want to quit and go back to 9 to 5 work. If you can persevere beyond those moments, you can find success.
Second, don't be ashamed to ask for help, whether it's from a family member or someone in the industry that may be poised to lend advice or assistance. Many people have been in your spot before. Of course, they won't all be sympathetic to your plight, but some of them will, and all it can take is one!
Finally, be okay with pivoting. By that, I mean you may not be able to stick with your original idea and may have to alter it or grow to meet a changing need. For example, I started in gaming but had to pivot into travel and other industries because it was getting difficult to find well-paying gigs.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://markloproto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loprototypewriting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loprototypewriting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/markloprototype
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markloproto/
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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