Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Samantha Gonzalez, owner of BESO Digital (formerly Bad Town LLC), located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

BESO Digital is a digital marketing agency designed for creatives. We work with artists, makers, and those fighting for change. We often hear the phrase, "get a job doing what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." The harsh reality is that there are large hurdles to being able to turn our passions into our main source of income for most of us. Our goal is to help creative people sustain themselves by doing the one thing they love the most. Why? The answer is two-fold. We want people to enjoy life because happy people create happy environments. It's also an act of rebellion. By giving people more opportunities to control their means of income and become job creators, we can stick it to the man. Respectfully.

Tell us about yourself

In 2019, I was a business intelligence analyst working for an agency that served major pharmaceutical brands. Though I surprisingly enjoyed looking at data all day, I found myself missing my creative side and felt a bit guilty about the client base I was helping. To fulfill my creative itch, I tried writing on the side, painting occasionally, and even acting. However, I was still spending the majority of my time in the office feeling like I needed to set myself up for more. At the same time, two of my closest friends expressed the same feelings. We knew something needed to be done. The three of us grabbed a 6-pack, sat down at the dining room table, and just a few hours later, three new businesses were born. When I launched initially as Bad Town LLC, I focused on booking artists at events and galleries and running an online shop.

However, in 2020...well, we all know what happened. I had to figure out how I could still help with the world shut down. As I watched artists and makers flooding Etsy and Instagram, I realized that I could apply my eight years of digital marketing and analytics experience to help them bring their businesses online and help existing businesses grow as the digital landscape changed. That's when the marketing arm of Bad Town was created, BESO Digital. Now, I get my creative fix every day, designing intricate strategies, websites, social media content, videos, and more in an industry I love. Plus, I still get to do the "left-brain" activities like using data to improve cost efficiency. Running my own business also allows me the flexibility to be there for my 3-year old son and continue to be a street art hunter on the side!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

One day after I sent the first draft of a website to my client, I got a voicemail back saying that they were so happy when they saw it that they cried. My biggest accomplishment, and what I strive for with all of my clients, is to hear them say, "you get me."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The most difficult thing for me was accepting that I can't always be THE best sometimes; I have to just be MY best. I have to be a business owner, mother, wife, house manager, daughter, friend, and so much more, but there are only so many hours in the day. Some days there are going to be dishes in the sink, and sometimes I'm going to have to miss the weekend get-together. If you start a business, you're going to have to say no a lot, especially in the beginning, but it's all worth it.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Do less. It's common not to want to miss opportunities when you're starting out. If you add too much too fast, you're going to lose track, burn yourself out, and confuse your potential buyers. For almost everyone, I'd suggest taking your initial idea and chopping it in half. You can always add more later. If you can't explain your business and mission in two sentences, you're doing too much.
  2. Be data-driven. Imagine launching a business to a specific group of people, only to find out that there is a cultural nuance that prevents them from buying. Understand everything about your audience and how and why they'd buy your product. You also want to make sure you're set up to track all of the tactics in your marketing plan to see if they're driving sales or increasing brand awareness. If it's not serving you, you'll want to be able to cut it and put your efforts toward something that is generating revenue.
  3. Be genuine. It's a myth that you have to be a shark to be a business owner. People actually care about the face behind the business now. You might think that being you will alienate some people, but the niche is where it's at! Not only is it more cost-effective to keep customers than to onboard new ones, but it's also so much more fulfilling to build real relationships with real people than view your sales as numbers on a spreadsheet.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I offer a free Project Planning worksheet on my website that asks all the questions a business owner should know before marketing. It helps outline the brand, the target audience, and the marketing goals. https://www.beso-digital.com/resources

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.beso-digital.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badtownart/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/besodigital/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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