Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Gerald Pagdato, Owner of Inumin Media, located in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Inumin Media is a full-service digital marketing agency that works with entrepreneurs to make their businesses stand out. We work with numerous clients from varying backgrounds but only have one goal in mind: and that is to empower your brands through practical, efficient, and personalized digital marketing strategies.
Tell us about yourself
I've always found videography and website design to an interesting hobby. It used to be something that I would dabble with from time to time, not really thinking too much about it. Looking back, I guess it was my way as a Canadian Filipino to capture my unique experiences and put them into a film.
One of these was volunteering for non-profits. During my time as a volunteer, a lot of people used to ask me if I could help them film and shoot or set up their website to reach more people. This went on for a couple of years till more and more people started to be asking for my services. This made me realize that I could offer my services to make this a more sustainable operation. Well, I've always wanted to be my own boss, and being able to help others along the way was a huge upside as well. So I got up and left my budding career in engineering and have never looked back since.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
No accolade is greater than being able to help my clients. I am at my proudest whenever I see that the people we work with in Inumin Media get the results that they asked for. Admittedly, it has not been easy. But being a part of the journey that my fellow entrepreneurs go through and seeing their businesses grow before my eyes, there is no greater sense of accomplishment that I could hope to gain.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
A lot would say that something about their business is the most difficult aspect of being a business owner, but I beg to disagree. What I found most difficult was having to constantly level up myself in order to achieve what I wanted. But, somewhere along the way, I found out that I had to enjoy the journey of growth. After internalizing this, everything else became straightforward. It took me a long time before I could say that I had gathered the skills to be where I am today. But now, it's just a matter of time before I get to learn and share my knowledge with the people around me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- It takes a lot of effort to make it look easy, so don't be too hard on yourself. You will mess up a lot at the start, and that's okay. As long as you learn something and you get back to working for yourself, you should already consider that as a win.
- There is no rulebook or guide that will help you establish your business. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it. There may be a lot of guides, helps, mentors, and other ways you can learn how to set up your business, but only you can make the best judgment for your business. Trust in yourself, and everything else will follow.
- Surround yourself with great people that will push you to become the best versions of yourselves. I have been with talented people that only aim to bring others down. I've also been with people who lacked the skills but did nothing but constantly try to improve themselves and those around them. Always, always choose the latter. There is no price for the experience of working with people who will do nothing but uplift you and yourself.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://inuminmedia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inuminmedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inuminmedia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inuminmedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldpagdato/
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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