Hi Rebecca, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
Founder and CEO
Born into a traditional Hispanic family in the vibrant city of San Antonio, Rebecca emerged as the youngest of five siblings in a low-income household. Rooted deeply in the rich cultural tapestry of her upbringing, family values were instilled as the cornerstone of her identity.
Rebecca’s journey began at KSAT 12, responding to a newspaper ad, that set the stage for a remarkable sales career across various stations, including Cable, Fox, CBS, and Univision. In her career it was strictly corporate experience. You feel the safety net, being brought up with your parents, you don’t quit a job until you have another. However after years you start realizing “Maybe I can do a better job for my clients by telling them the real truth…not just some corporate dictate to increase revenue” The rules of the game started changing with new technology and increasing budgets. The stations were getting desperate and put that desperation on to their employees. At the end of the day are we trying to improve the corporates bottom line or take care of our clients???
Witnessing industry shifts that eroded values, she decided to chart her own course by establishing Paredes Marketing, named after her father. It was not about the volume but about the service that you as a company can be proud of. Knowing you cannot service 40 clients a month but service 15 that you can help the business owner and really target all avenues of their business.
For Rebecca, Paredes Marketing is not just a career; it’s a lifelong mission. Fueled by the values of her traditional Hispanic upbringing, she remains dedicated to ensuring that businesses thrive and grow, just as she learned from her father.
The Team
We are a growing team of digital marketing experts and innovative thinkers who bring passion and creativity to helping companies thrive. We take a collaborative approach, contributing diverse skills while remaining humble and focused on delivering meaningful growth for your business. So to answer your question – Hell no.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into the Industry, by going on the newspape TO FIND JOB,,,I NEEDED MONEY..r, which that Ad said Secretary needed at the ABC affl. KSAT 12. I then chose that I not only enjoyed the faced past atmosphere, I knew I found a career path in Sales. During the many years of working at several affiliates Fox, CBS, Univision in Management, I learned first hand that the industry shifts which eroded values of wanting to help a client thrive, and having to sell them something they don’t need due to corporate dictates. I decided to chart my own course by establishing Paredes Marketing, which I named after my father. I then had my business that garnered several clients. Next chapter covid, I needed the one thing that I wanted to venture into which was digital. I am now able to help any client with any budget. We handle every marketing tool needed to grow a business in the way and time they need to plan success, on their terms. We still handle traditional media buying such as TV, Radio, Billboard, Print, Production and Event Marketing. However, we now can do any type digital marketing including and Web Design. What makes us different, I do not have my reps do a cold call, drive by, email until they have done a complete investigation on the every account. So, basically we go in totally prepared so that we don’t waste our time or the clients time. I ask my team why do they need us? What did you uncover from your research? and brainstorm. The definite difference is that I am hands on. The client will have an Account Executive and a Social Media expert and myself. Most agency owners you only see periodically or just for the close. I don’t need or want to have business that cannot have our full attention. Plus, I love mentoring and talking to my reps, with my same line “When I started in the business, my leads were from the phone book” They hear it million times and I made a successful career out of it for 35 years, now a days all the technology is there at your finger tips. I laugh and say “no excuses!”
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
This will teach an easy lesson, that can be used everyday. Be kind to anybody you meet, just a little gesture, a hello or a smile is usually returned and builds relationships that could lead to a new client. I was at a restaurant, the place was packed. The only table that was available was for a table of 6. I saw an elderly couple and a younger couple walk in. Since I was close to the door they all had expressions of disappointment. I also heard the elderly woman state, my feet are killing me. So, I got up and told them to take my table, I can stand and wait for my friend at the bar. The elderly man, said “oh no you won’t” We at least owe you a beer, come sit with us. We introduced ourselves then I learned that they were waiting because they had concert tickets and found out the younger couple were their Children visiting from out of town. When the women asked me, so what do you do? I proudly answered with a grin, I own a marketing company and love it! I asked what about you? She responded that I am with **** Foundation. She proceeded to mention that she actually founded the ****Foundation which educates and gives talks to Breast Cancer survivors and holds an annual convention every year which brings in Dr.’s to speak about the newest research revolving around BC. I said my goodness that sounds wonderful. Do you have a marketing team helping you? She said yes, but I think they charge too much. plus they were not local, so her organization incurred hotel, flight etc. This is a week long event. I then told her can I set up a meeting with you to discuss in detail what needs to be done. She said “YES” That year was during covid. This organization kept me in business when I needed a new client to make it through the year. Always remember do the right thing 100% of your day.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
At the age of 50, on my birthday, I decided to give myself a present. I started my own business. With just 2 clients and a savings account. I managed to start and basically have a new attitude that ” I KNOW I can do this! I was basically in a NO FAILURE mindset. leaving the security of corporate life long career was believe me a challenge. I wanted to at least make six figures, Since quite frankly, I made the Affiliates millions, why can’t I do that for myself. The first couple of years was the transition was tough. I needed to enjoy the pace of not being in such a rush. In corporate life I was servicing an average of 30 accounts a month big and small. I was billing from 1 million to up to 8 million per year. I was also use to heading up a team of 10-12 sales reps. I found that I had so much anxiety about how slow business owner life was. I really noticed it when I went to the groceries, it may sound stupid but it was true. I now could actually read the labels and I was not in a rush to get back to the office and any client meetings or having to constantly read crazy text messages in the evening about something negative. All that was gone but the anxiety I did not prepare for was actually having more time. My clientele were like family and I was handling any where between 6-8 client a month. After year 6 I still was not satisfied with the number of clients, I knew I needed more. Every now and again you have Negative Nancy family members, who would tell me, well you can always go back to a job. Which led me to start questioning myself. You will always get some negative response, because people either wish they could do it or people that don’t believe in you. Fast forward now with 7 employees and life so different than when I started. I have a new chapter of my life, I will be turning 60 this year. So I will have been in business for 10 years. I love learning new technology every week, having people depend on me and I have no plans on retiring soon, I am have too much fun, proving those naysayers wrong.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paredes-marketing.com
- Instagram: paredesmarketing_
- Facebook: Paredes Marketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-garcia1