What My Journey Taught Me About Helping Businesses Grow

The way we have things dreamt up seldom turns out the way we expect. I never imagined that my degree in marketing, a year in sales, and a chance conversation would lead me to a career I truly love. I went to school anticipating working in the business world, pursuing connections that tied me to the Cleveland area. I had a small plan and a dream of finding something that I could be passionate about. Something that could also provide for the family I hoped to have one day.

College Experience

My undergraduate degree was in marketing and came from a small school called Taylor University. The school is located in a small city between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis called Upland. This sanctuary, though small and remote, taught me much of what I know about business. Most of my connections and opportunities have ties to this school. Though my experience there was great, it yielded little fruit when it came to finding work right after graduation.

Early Career

I found myself at a corporate inside sales job, spending my days learning about what it meant to work hard and push myself harder than I thought possible. This job provided me with a full year of communication experience. It also taught me how corporate structure works and how businesses operate from the top down. It gave me insight into marketing a business from a customer’s perspective, which would later shape my approach at RBGS.

Joining Roaring Business

I began speaking with Zach and Sarah in April. I was used to hard deadlines and cutthroat environments. I approached this friendly chat with that presupposition. What I found was two friendly faces, excited to hear about what life had thrown at me and if marketing interested me. Instead of asking framed questions about experiences a recent grad did not have, we talked about interests and experiences, something I was not familiar with. I explained a passion for numbers and analytics, and that I liked marketing but was having a hard time getting in.

Training and Growth

Zach took me in, sympathetic and loving of my story. He expressed a willingness to train me to the level of experience that he thought necessary to start work on SEO. One of the first skills I learned was performing a local SEO audit to uncover exactly where a business could improve its online visibility. For the next eight weeks, he set aside his Tuesday night to teach me the tasks I would need to know to work for him. He also gave me homework to fit in after hours during the week. He also showed me how content creation services fit into a bigger picture, helping businesses connect with the right audience in authentic ways. I was willing to work hard for a dream of working for something I found passion in, and he was excited to be able to mold a young dreamer into someone who could make strides in the marketing space.

Company Culture

I have now been working for Roaring Business for just over six months. I have learned and grown under Zach and Sarah at a rate that I could not have expected. I give the credit to our team, but also to the business structure they created. Before joining, I was searching for marketing agencies near me that cared about more than just numbers, and I found that here. Being a remote job, it is hard to create an atmosphere that gets work done without tracking mouse movement or turning on cameras all day.

What I've Learned

1. The right thing may be just beyond the difficult trial. It takes dedication to get your desired outcome.

2. Helping companies grow is a passion of mine. Seeing each unique opportunity and then strategizing the best way to help them achieve their goals is what it's all about.

3. In the world of SEO there isn't a cookie cutter answer to problems. Spend the time, do the research and create a hypothesis. If you present clients with cookie cutter answers to SEO problems be prepared to overturn inconsistency and disappointment.

4. Finding a place where you enjoy the people you work with makes a huge difference. I'm passionate about marketing and analytics but without the crew I work alongside the passion would fade into a dreaded 9-5.

5. Approaching work with an attitude of humility and a willingness to learn, promotes quick growth and good culture. Try to be that person.

   
   

Client Impact

RBGS has pushed for an environment of trust where work gets done at unorthodox times. Your best work stems from a place of comfort and love, not from deadlines and stress. We create digital marketing packages tailored to each business’s goals, helping them discover how to promote their business locally. From social media packages to content creation services, every tool we offer has one goal. It is designed to help businesses grow in a way that is sustainable and impactful. Looking back, each step of my journey, from school to sales to SEO, prepared me for this work, and I’m grateful to be part of a team that helps businesses succeed every day.

💬 Fun fact: During college, Eli spent a term abroad in South Korea studying business through a cultural lens.

Reflection

Now, as a married professional with a child on the way, I am thrilled to be living the career I once dreamed of. Every step, from my marketing degree to sales experience to working at Roaring Business, has prepared me to grow businesses effectively while providing for my family. It is rewarding to see my passion and hard work translate into real results, both for our clients and for the life I have always imagined.