Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jacob Kettner, Founder of First Rank, located in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

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

First Rank helps local businesses grow quickly and efficiently. Our primary source of new lead generation is search marketing, including SEO and SEM. We also help businesses manage and convert their leads into revenue via innovative systems and automation.

Tell us about yourself

I got started in SEO because I'm a very competitive person, and I really enjoy the game of reverse engineering search engine algorithms and then helping our clients to produce the highest quality digital assets that search engines will love.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The accomplishment I'm most proud of is my team (which I can only take partial credit for). I've been very lucky to find amazing people to work with that are as passionate about what we do as I am.

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

One of the biggest challenges for me is shutting off at the end of the day and giving my family my full attention. It's very easy to be constantly thinking about business and checking things on my phone. I've made some progress by limiting the apps I have access to at home, but it's definitely a big challenge especially running a digital business.

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

  1. Develop people skills. Business is all about people.
  2. Have a clear vision with clear targets. If you're not aiming at a target, you won't hit it.
  3. Read books. I used to not read because I was slow at it and got distracted easily. I've started listening to books on Audible on my way to and from work every day, and I've learned so much more from $20 books than from four-figure courses and masterminds.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://firstrank.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstRankSearchEngineMarketing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstrankseo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstrankseo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-rank/


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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.