We were lucky to catch up with Nathan Webster recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nathan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I love helping clients understand how to leverage their previous success to their current success. Marketing requires a lot from a creative standpoint, which means successful marketing demands authenticity. At our company, we encourage building the lever from your brand immediately, which focuses you on the long-term trajectory of your business. Therefore, we create a strategy to work for the business owner and the business. Typical industry standard around a new website or campaign promotion is a lot of work, which involves using KPIs, past clients, ideal customer avatars, and critical data points to stir the agency in the right direction. We start with what you have, so there are no feelings of needing to compete and compare to irrelevant business models and marketing strategies.

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

I started my for-profit business in 2015 because I wanted to leverage the 15 years of knowledge I gained from my nonprofit’s reach and effectiveness. In addition to running my nonprofit then, I helped several entities earn grants and build fundraising campaigns, but I wasn’t compensated as promised. With this experience and being told I should consider being a consultant, I jumped at the idea because I was already helping fellow peers and putting in the work.

Initially, I started the business to serve as a nonprofit consultancy, and it evolved into a marketing agency for many businesses in various sectors and fields. I began helping out the companies I knew- which were unrepresented community organizations, businesses, and leaders. They were no longer nonprofits, but I discovered the need was great to support minorities and disenfranchised individuals. I knew how to help them from my experience and struggles in business as a Black Veteran male, so I did, and that’s why I’m still in business.

When we started fundraising campaigns, which is marketing, we were successful in being surgical with the budgets and promotional materials. We built websites with a marketing lens. Our marketing campaigns were focused on immediate results because our clients couldn’t afford a long-term retainer, so we had to create that retainer for ourselves. So we also needed to help on the operational side of infusing the marketing strategy and tactics that our client could do it too if or when they stopped our contract. Therefore, we teach and execute so that the client can do it, or we can- ultimately, giving them the knowledge.

Out of a 500k population in Vancouver, Washington, I am the only Black male marketing business owner, and I am proud! It’s not easy to navigate building relationships with people who don’t see people at their conference table who moves differently than they do, but I had no other options. So I’m grateful to those who believe in me and my team. We love what we do- because we all want to be successful!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn being average was ok. The term C’s get degrees is an adage I used to live by because I was always above average. I had to learn to set the standard of being exemplary isn’t the same thing as being excellent. As a college professor, there’s a difference between students who stay in the 90 percentile rather than those who fluctuate from B’s and C’s. Even though you know someone has potential, they do not execute at that level because they have set a low standard due to not unlearning their desired results demand 100% focus, energy, and fortitude. Setting high standards means that you will never have to worry about not earning the things that you want, you know it takes time, and you can’t have it all at once. Success has levels.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

On two occasions, I dedicated my energy and time to two other businesses where I believed I would become an internal asset. Unfortunately, those opportunities never worked out, and it extremely hurt my funnel. I had to rebuild prospects and reengage old prospects, and say yes to many things I say no to now.

The best example is when I ran the entrepreneur program for one of the colleges I worked for and attended. There were so many awesome stories and students and community members who wanted it just like I did, but the college wasn’t ready to build the infrastructure. Due to so many budget cuts and academic traditions colliding with entrepreneurship, the leadership failed to see the ROI and the need to expand from the traditional way of doing things. My heart was with the students and potential, despite my empty funnel I held on- until I realized it was never going to happen.

I had to move on. It was hard, but I knew I had to do it. Otherwise, my business would’ve failed and gone under, and you wouldn’t be reading this section.

Contact Info:

• Website: nwebsterllc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndubnassociates/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nw-associates-llc
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanawebster
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzGwKjQruzlzYu9QXXR1oMQ