We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Rutel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Jason, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

Many agencies in our industry tend to overpromise and underdeliver, often positioning themselves as one-stop solutions for all marketing needs but falling short on execution. At Creative Nomads, we consciously limit our focus to our core areas of expertise—web design, branding, and strategic communications. When a project extends beyond our primary capabilities, we are transparent with our clients and provide guidance rather than overextending ourselves.

For example, we recently worked with a nonprofit organization that needed a comprehensive digital strategy, including SEO and social media management. While we have in-house expertise for SEO and successfully implemented a robust SEO strategy for them, we do not offer social media management. Instead, we chose to limit our engagement to consulting, guiding the organization as they built their in-house social media management capabilities. This approach ensured they had the autonomy to manage their social media while benefiting from our strategic insights.

In an industry where it’s easy to make grand promises, we aim to be the exception by delivering on what we promise. We focus on creating actionable implementations that align with our clients’ goals, ensuring that every project is a win for both parties. By aligning ourselves with clients who share our values of integrity and excellence, we forge long-term partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

This commitment to honesty, transparency, and collaboration sets us apart and is something we take great pride in. It allows us to serve our clients in the best way possible, fostering trust and achieving measurable results.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My background is quite versatile, beginning with my video production and communications education. During my college years, I had the opportunity to be the director of photography for several student films, which was a delightful experience. This set the foundation for my career, as my first job out of college was at a small TV station where I spent most of my time editing, with just one production day each month. This role honed my editing skills, teaching me efficiency and precision.

Following this, I ventured into freelancing in design while serving as a communications director at a local church. This dual role allowed me to explore various aspects of media and communication. My career took a significant turn when traveling comedian Michael Jr. picked me up as his production manager. This role allowed me to travel across the country, creating videos and quick, impromptu graphics that added a unique flair to his shows. It was an exciting period that broadened my skill set to include website design and development.

As I continued to expand my expertise, I discovered the StoryBrand framework by Donald Miller, which emphasizes clarifying messaging. This was a game-changer for me, as it aligned perfectly with my passion for helping clients articulate their mission and connect with their audience. In 2019, with the blessing of Michael Jr., I launched Creative Nomads full-time, transitioning from a side hustle to a thriving business. Michael Jr. became one of my first clients, and we’ve been growing steadily ever since.

At Creative Nomads, we focus on branding, web development, SEO, and pay-per-click advertising. We aim to build a solid digital foundation for our clients and expand their reach and audience. We have a particular affinity for mission-driven and faith-based organizations, reflected in our diverse client base. From home services to international nonprofits, the common thread is our clients’ desire to make a difference in their communities. They value alignment with their vendors and partners, seeking those who share their mission and commitment to giving back.

Our commitment to honesty and transparency sets us apart in the industry. We limit our focus to our core areas of expertise, and if a project requires skills beyond our scope, we are upfront with our clients and bring in outside experts. This ensures we deliver the best possible results without overextending ourselves. By partnering and collaborating genuinely, we build long-term relationships that benefit our clients and us.

I’m incredibly proud of the work we do at Creative Nomads. We aim to be more than just a service provider; we strive to partner in our client’s success, helping them achieve their goals through actionable, strategic implementations. We seek to work with clients who care deeply about their mission and are committed to making a positive impact. Together, we build their digital legitimacy and help them grow their online presence, ensuring they can continue to make a difference in their communities.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Creative Nomads’s best source of new clients has been a combination of referrals and strategic partnerships. A significant portion of our new business comes from referrals, which speaks volumes about our clients’ trust and satisfaction with our services. Additionally, we have built strong partnerships with other public relations and consulting agencies. These collaborations allow us to focus on implementing their strategic advisements, providing a seamless extension of their services and enabling them to concentrate on high-level consulting.

Moreover, our search engine optimization (SEO) efforts paid off by generating cold leads from our local area in Northlake and the broader DFW metroplex. By optimizing our online presence, we attract potential clients actively searching for our services. This blend of word-of-mouth referrals, strategic partnerships, and effective local SEO ensures a steady stream of new clients and allows us to maintain a diverse and growing client base.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Yes, my side hustle did indeed turn into my full-time business. Creative Nomads began in 2013 as a DBA (Doing Business As), but I didn’t focus much on it over the years due to my full-time commitments in various roles, including working as a production manager for Michael Jr. It wasn’t until 2019 that I decided to really dedicate my time and energy to Creative Nomads.

Throughout the majority of 2019, I balanced my responsibilities with Michael Jr. while working on Creative Nomads during nights and weekends. As things began to scale, this balance became harder to maintain, and I had to make the choice to fully commit to my side hustle. The turning point came when I secured one or two consistent clients who provided substantial projects, giving me the confidence to consider launching Creative Nomads as a full-time venture. Although the income from Creative Nomads wasn’t enough to fully replace my salary, we felt a strong conviction that this was an opportunity we were being called to pursue. So, in September/October of 2019, I made the leap to focus solely on Creative Nomads.

The transition was not without risks, but the steady influx of client work and the belief in the potential for growth motivated us to take the plunge. Each year since, Creative Nomads has continued to scale. Key milestones include hiring more team members to handle fulfillment while I concentrated on sales and high-level operations. This strategic expansion allowed us to grow from a solo operation to a thriving team of 12.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of this journey has been creating a work environment characterized by collaboration, excellence, and mutual respect. My goal has always been to build a company where I would want to work myself, fostering a culture that values creativity, integrity, and dedication. Seeing Creative Nomads grow and thrive has been thrilling, and I am immensely proud of the team and the work we accomplish together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://creativenomads.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonrutel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrutel/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@creativenomads

Image Credits
No one to credit. We have the rights to all.