Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mat Gargano, founder of StatenWeb, located in Staten Island, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is StatenWeb. We are a boutique full-service marketing agency. We serve clients in all industries who are looking to create or grow their digital presence.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Mat Gargano. I run StatenWeb, a digital marketing agency. I've been a web developer since the late 1990s and have always been involved and fascinated by computer programming and software engineering. I started a few companies in high school and college and eventually began building websites for friends or friends of friends in 2011. Here we are over a decade later, and I'm running a digital agency that has over 50 current clients.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It may sound cheesy, but building a team. When I hire someone, it's a big decision. They trust me to provide work for them and support their family and their livelihood in exchange for helping grow the business and meet clients' needs.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Predicting the future and being honest with yourself, your team, and your clients. If a deal seems too good to be true, it almost always is, be careful of the trap of what seems like a profitable project only for it to turn into a revenue and time sink.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Invest in the right tools. The right tools will often (not always) cost more money than the wrong ones. Always be on the lookout for what other tools you can bring to the table to achieve your goals more efficiently.
- Trust your team. You hired them for a reason. Resist the urge to guess their second decisions. Questions are fine, and micromanaging will eat both of your time.
- Manage expectations and overservice when possible. When clients trust you to help them as a subject matter expert, ensure you educate them and explain what exactly they expect up front. Write a clear, easy-to-understand game plan and incorporate it into your SOWs (statements of work) to avoid surprises.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://statenweb.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StatenWeb/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statenweb/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/statenweb/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/statenweb/
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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