We were lucky to catch up with Derrick Lambert recently and have shared our conversation below.

Derrick, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

By the time I had my first client I had already started my business about a year in, but I was facing a significant challenge. I didn’t know how to find clients. It was during this time that I had a chance encounter that would mark the beginning of my journey in brand management. I was actually on my way to a meeting with someone in the hopes of getting a job. During our conversation, I mentioned my background in branding and marketing. He picked my brain a lot. I was really nervous by the questioning but confident in my answers. After about a one hour we were done and as we shook hand he looked at me and said, “You have so much potential. Don’t just work for others; think about starting your own business someday.” After he told me that, I mentioned that I already had my own business. In response, he said, “Let’s meet again.”

The second time we met which was about a month later he told me he wants to take me on as his brand manager, therefore becoming my first client. This experience became a stepping stone in my journey as an entrepreneur, reinforcing the idea that preparation and dedication can lead to incredible opportunities.

My initial task was to enhance the brand and boost the visibility of “A&A Jewelers,” a jewelry store with untapped potential. I was determined to help it stand out in the local market.

As we set out to rebrand and revitalize the store, we organized a relaunch to reintroduce it to the local community. I was able to secure local influencers and utilized social media to spread the word, with the aim of attracting new customers. Thanks to increased awareness efforts and the addition of new clientele, the company started to see positive changes in the store’s fortunes. New customers were coming in daily and the store became a corner stone in the community for creating and selling unique pieces.

This experience marked a significant turning point in my career. It served as a reminder that success often begins with the simple act of expanding a brand’s reach and attracting new customers.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Launched in 2020, DuTime was created with two specific goals: to offer clients customized management and marketing services based on their unique needs, preferences, and expectations. The primary outcome of our work is peace of mind for our clients. When delivering customized solutions to clients, DuTime prides itself on overcoming barriers; the company has served and continues to serve high-net-worth, established, and up-and-coming clients from all over. We do this by implementing marketing and communication strategies that showcase creative work, employ methods suitable for many multiple demographics, and curate specific events for the client. My experience in project management, marketing, and production (events) allows me to implement these strategies. Implementing cohesive solutions helps to increase project dependability, drive revenue, and grow the audience for a campaign using my robust array of networks in business.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The books that I have significantly impacted me are It’s all in your head by Russ, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, and The Four by Scott Galloway.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I would say that honestly my business really started as a response to my frustration. I was in my last year of the Military and I was trying to figure what was next for me. I was afford the opportunity to get my start in the music industry when my time in the Military came to an end. From there I was applying to a lot of jobs that offered marketing but I never secured an interview. So i decided to start my own business. After starting my business I had a hard time finding clients. Shortly after getting out of the Military and starting my business I went back to school. While in school I was able to secure my first client during the pandemic. After that I pretty much started to shift my focus and invest in myself both finically and with time. This allowed me to be exposed to so much potential clients and allowed for me to hone in on my audience as well as develop consistency.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.dutime.co
• Instagram: @dutime.co/@beholddlamb

Image Credits
Gary Hofhman