We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jerold Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jerold, appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

As a life insurance agent working in corporate America, I was comfortable in my job, but I knew there was more to life than just going through the motions. I had always been interested in entrepreneurship and the idea of running my own business. However, the thought of leaving the security of a steady income and venturing into the unknown was a daunting prospect.

Despite my reservations, I knew that if I didn’t take the risk, I would always wonder “what if?”. So, I made the decision to leave my job and start an online business with the goal of helping other businesses grow through digital marketing and branding. With the support of my father Jerry Lee, we cofounded CET Consulting LLC.

The journey wasn’t easy. We faced many challenges, from learning how to build business relationships the right way to finding safe ways to network during the pandemic. We also had to create strategies to get our online audience to start to know, like, and trust us enough to grow their businesses. Time management was a challenge too, as we needed to be super efficient to keep up with the demands of running a business.

One of the biggest hurdles we faced was learning how to automate as much as possible without ruining a positive customer experience through the process. We wanted to create a streamlined experience for our clients while still providing a personal touch. With the help of an excellent mentor and business coach, we were able to navigate these challenges and find success.

Today, CET Consulting is a full-service digital marketing and branding agency with a focus on helping businesses scale by using social media and digital tools such as lead magnets, appointment setting strategies through direct messaging using virtual assistants, customer-attracting websites, compelling content, and more. We’ve been able to help countless businesses grow their online presence and achieve their goals, and we’re proud of the work we do.

Taking the risk to leave corporate America and start my own business was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was a challenging journey, but it was also a rewarding one. I’m grateful for the support of my family and the guidance of our mentor and business coach. And I’m excited to see where the future takes CET Consulting.

Jerold, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into the digital marketing industry after leaving my job as a life insurance agent to start my own online business. Through my own experiences, I realized the importance of having a strong online presence and how it can make or break a business.

At CET Consulting, we provide a range of products and services to help businesses scale and grow their online presence. Our main focus is on digital marketing and branding, and we offer everything from social media management and content creation to website design and development. Our goal is to help businesses attract and retain customers through effective digital marketing strategies.

One of our favorite strategies to teach business owners is the interview method, where we publish interviews with their ideal clients on their websites to promote their businesses. This helps build rapport and credibility quickly while also developing the know, like, and trust factor naturally through a touch of digital marketing.

I’m most proud of the work we’ve done for our clients and the results we’ve been able to achieve. We’ve helped numerous businesses grow their online presence and attract new customers through our digital marketing strategies. What sets us apart from others is our personalized approach to each client. We take the time to understand their unique needs and develop a customized plan that fits their budget and goals.

For potential clients, followers, and fans, I want them to know that we’re passionate about helping businesses succeed. We take pride in our work and always strive to exceed expectations. We’re also a family-owned and operated business, and we value the relationships we build with our clients.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Early on in my career, I learned some bad marketing habits from network marketers that can negatively influence the perception of my brand by my target audience. These habits included using hype and exaggerated claims to promote products and services, focusing solely on sales and revenue, and neglecting the needs and interests of the target audience.

It wasn’t until I started my own business that I realized the importance of building genuine relationships with my target audience and providing value through my marketing efforts. I had to unlearn these bad habits and shift my focus to creating quality content that would educate and engage my target audience, rather than just selling to them.

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that it’s not always about the sale. Instead, it’s about building trust and establishing credibility with your target audience. This requires a long-term approach to marketing, focusing on providing value and building relationships over time.

I also had to unlearn the idea that hype and exaggerated claims were necessary to sell products and services. In reality, this approach can actually harm your brand’s reputation and turn potential customers away. It’s important to be honest and transparent in your marketing efforts and let the value of your products and services speak for themselves.

Overall, unlearning these bad marketing habits was a challenging but necessary process. It required a shift in mindset and a willingness to put in the effort to build genuine relationships with my target audience. However, the results have been well worth it. I’ve been able to build a strong brand reputation and establish long-term relationships with my customers based on trust and mutual respect.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

When my father and I decided to start CET Consulting, we knew that we needed capital to get our business off the ground. But as a new business, we didn’t have access to traditional funding sources like loans or investors.

Instead, we decided to use organic marketing on Instagram to gain marketing clients. We leveraged our personal networks and reached out to potential clients through direct messaging and networking events. By using our sweat equity and putting in the time and effort to build relationships with potential clients, we were able to bring in enough revenue over the course of 6 months to build a marketing budget.

This budget gave us the capital we needed to scale our efforts with paid marketing such as email campaigns, social media ads, press releases, SEO, and more. We were able to reach a wider audience and bring in even more clients, which allowed us to continue to reinvest in our business and grow even further.

It wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of hard work and dedication, but by using organic marketing and leveraging our personal networks, we were able to build a strong foundation for our business. We’re proud of the work we’ve done and the relationships we’ve built with our clients, and we’re excited to continue to grow and expand in the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cetconsultinginc.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerold_lee_jr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cetconsultinginc/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/cet.consulting/ Another brand that I co-founded: https://www.goalsetters.net/ https://www.instagram.com/goalsettersint/