Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Moira Vetter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Moira, thanks for joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

Scaling up is a big deal and, when I contributed to Forbes, I realized how difficult it is for women. Most national sources of data lag a few years, but the numbers I remember are 90% of women-owned businesses employ only the founder. That says to me, that women know how to start businesses, but 90 percent of them need inspiration and support along the road to scaling.

Scaling is a process that you are constantly planning for, but it happens in fits and spurts. When we started our business, we got several key accounts in the first year and we thought our growth was going to be rapid and constant. That was in early 2008, right before the crash. Once things reset, we took a more conservative approach to growth and we were reticent to add team members. We would target a new account, get a new account, look to add new team members, and very cautiously add to head count.

During those earlier years, when we weren’t confident of our profits yet, we brought on people we were confident could eventually rise to do the jobs we needed done, but whose wages wouldn’t break the bank. The more you grow and the more you scale, this approach can seriously hobble the business. When the founders are in a position of trying to train all the staff to step into a role, it takes their attention away from the business. The difference in salaries for people who can step in and already know how to do a job can save time and deliver dividends in the founder staying focused forward and on the business.

Once we had gotten up over 15 people, we knew were growing and we began scaling but we were taking too much of a “onesy-twosy” approach to hiring. I had a meeting with one of my mentors, Charlie Paparelli. He advised me to stop thinking about and recruiting only for the next position. He said, “Look forward a year or two, and start recruiting for all of the positions you may be in the market for. In that way, when you come across a good candidate, you don’t miss them.” Since we’ve taken this approach, we’re up to nearly 35 employees and there have been months where 3 people started.

The last thing to think about, and it’s something no one wants to think about, is the turnover in new hires. In 2021 I saw a statistic that said only 50% of those in their first year of employment stayed. When there is that much early turnover, you may need to think like an airline and overbook your capacity, or overhire for your immediate needs.

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

My parents had a family business. We always joke that I didn’t get serious about business until the third grade. I grew up in a small town where most of my friends parents owned their own businesses.

And while I was always surrounded by entrepreneurs, there wasn’t one industry I was in love with. I was artsy and literary growing up. I was in band and chorus and theater, but always doubted that these fields could feed a person.

In my early 20s, I was a sales person struggling to explain my software products to customers. The owner of the business suggested we get an agency and that I work on the sales materials with them. The experience of creating our corporate literature was an eye opener for me. I hadn’t considered that advertising and marketing would be a perfect combination of business, art, literature and, if done well, theater/film. There is a lot of drama in sales and marketing–particularly if your products cost tens, hundreds or millions of dollars. Articulating complex things in a compelling manner when there is a lot at stake–drama!–has been exciting every day I’ve done it since.

As I grew in my career, I began giving back along the way. Now, while I continue to scale my business, I’m equally proud of work I do in the community, on corporate boards, and individually through mentorship. I like to think I’m scaling others while continuing to grow my own skills and influence.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

When I began to flourish as an employee in my first agency, our CEO–Chris Coleman, a strong woman-business owner and mentor of mine–insisted that we participate in professional organizations, including leadership positions. She said that learning to grow and lead meant not just “being on a committee,” but leading it. I have worked over the years to find influential committees, contribute, lead them, lead the organization, and now support in an executive sponsor capacity.

Only you know how much time you have to contribute to things outside your business. I have a hard time saying no to participating, but I’m more likely to commit to one-time things–judge an event, speak to a group of students. Early in my career I found myself over-committed to many organizations and I was pulled in too many directions to be effective. It’s OK to say “No,” and it’s OK, to say, “Yes, but, only if…”

From a reputational standpoint, speaking engagements go a long way. I speak to a lot of student groups, I do podcasts and I invite faculty from a local college in for discussions on the skills new graduates need. Contributions like speaking and board participation build credibility and visibility.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing our clients’ business was to hold the great ones close and over-invest in them. We work in an industry where clients don’t have much loyalty to partners. Most clients, especially if procurement is involved, see partners as vendors and see offerings from a commodity stand point.

Much of our secret sauce isn’t something that shows up on a procurement worksheet. We aspire daily to be easy to work with, to connect dots for our direct contacts, to understand complex things, to push beyond cliche approaches to creative and find the things that convert. When you are the easiest person or firm to work with, your clients hire you again and again. Many of our client contacts have been with us at multiple firms. When one valuable contact can bring not just one client but three or more, you have a greater ripple effect. Also, when clients bring you in referencing their positive experience with you, you automatically have more credibility coming in the door than if you were cold-calling.

Make your clients winners and they will be with you as long as they’re winning.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.modomodoagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modomodoagency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modomodoagency/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modo-modo-agency/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/modomodoagency/