Cris Guarino - The 570 Blog Showcase / Entrepreneur
Hello all,
My name is Cris Guarino and I own a social media marketing company based in South Florida. At my firm I provide growth, strategies and automation for businesses, brands and influencers. I’ve been on the main social platforms since 2012, but a lot has changed for social media since then. I discovered how many business opportunities it provides by reaching thousands of people as a targeted audience. In 2020 having a strong Instagram presence is crucial for all niches and industries. I have helped hundreds of people increase their online presence and will be scaling all across the globe in the coming year.
I began seeking clients as well as building my page for business in the spring of 2019 while working my corporate sales job. I decided to open my LLC with one of my colleagues, as we felt we could scale from being a start up to hiring employees, going to networking events and going for high ticket clientele.
Running a business is rarely done for the money. You have 168 hours in a week and when utilized properly you’re able to accomplish a lot with any endeavor if that’s the only thing on your plate. I am glad that I have fully committed to entrepreneurship because it gives me time and freedoms. I choose how I work and how much I can get done. The money is something you have to really put the time in for, there's no hourly wage. Given that I live in Florida it’s been a great first year of business and I hope to scale to even higher levels in the coming year.
When I first began I lacked testimonials, past case studies and wasn’t initially able to charge a higher profit to allow me to leave my day job at the time. Although frustrating in the beginning I didn’t receive any handouts, open lines of credit or even fund my business personally. I went from client to client slowly building my portfolio and increasing prices till I was able to fully go all in on my business which made for an easier transition. That human interaction was key to getting things going, that way they knew they weren't just a number on my case files. It isn’t instant gratification but it’s either that or jump off a cliff and hope to figure out your operation in 30 days before the bills and expenses add up.
I wish I had begun the process earlier and used my skills that I knew I had. The same work ethic and dedication I put towards myself at my day job was just a channeling into my own business. Once I was able to focus my time and energy into my passion, the time began to become productive. Then I began to travel more and connect other like-minded individuals, which is incredibly valuable for business. Steel sharpens steel.
My advice would be to make sure you learn sales and understand business. You’re selling, representing and pushing your business 24/7 and 365 days a year so make sure you have the proper understanding of how it works. Network and allocate your time into 3 categories. Make sure you are with people well above you financially and knowledge wise to learn and get guidance. Next, spend time with people at the same level and path as you to exchange ideas and share your success and struggles. Finally, spend time with people below you to mentor, they can be a much needed shoulder to lean on.
What it means is providing value and offering time. Time is money and giving the time of day to the right people who can utilize your knowledge, business expertise or help is a paying it forward method. It’s important to have a vast network and connect with many people all across the globe.
- Cris