Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in media but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jimmy Comodeca, Founder of The SDR Newsletter, located in Brooklyn, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The SDR Newsletter (SDR stands for sales development representative) is a weekly email newsletter that brings together tips, tactics, tools, and everything related to being a better salesperson. We're a newsletter-first business that has several different divisions where we earn revenue.
The several divisions consist of:
- Recruiting. Given that we've accumulated such a large list of motivated salespeople, companies depend on us to find and vet top sales talent to add to their teams.
- Advertisements. Companies that sell to salespeople work with us to get their products and services in front of thousands of high-performing sales teams.
- Referral partners. We connect companies with people who need their services.
Tell us about yourself
I started out as a sales development representative (SDR) myself. After seeing success in the position, I was promoted to hire and build a team of my own. During this time, I started writing about the tactics that were working and what our team was doing to be successful. It gained quite a bit of traction and was being shared across many other sales organizations. Advertisers started approaching me about promoting their products/services in the newsletter, and companies asked me to promote their job vacancies. This was when I knew I might have something here. The building process is the most motivating part of the entrepreneurial journey. Taking something from 0 to 1 and seeing growth is an incredible feeling.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The first placement we made in the recruiting side of our business was a game-changer. Not only was it a major step in our business, but we helped a candidate double his salary and land his dream role. Nothing can beat the feeling of helping somebody who drastically changes their life for the better.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The most difficult part of being a business owner is that there is always something needed to be done. There's always a project that's being worked on. It makes it difficult to disconnect from work. On top of that, it can be quite isolating because there aren't many other people that can relate to what you're going through.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Ask for help or find a mentor. Connecting with somebody who has done it before can help you avoid some common mistakes. Early on in my experience, I connected with another newsletter owner who helped me avoid some costly mistakes.
- Don't be afraid to outsource. In many cases getting things done right is better than getting things done quickly or cheaply.
- Network. Most of the opportunities that arise come from some sort of connection. Even if it's just a small note to a connection on Linkedin, give more than you ask, and you'll find that people will return the favor.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thesdrnewsletter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_sdr_newsletter/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmycomodeca/
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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