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

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

I was the first person to approach interface design for a leading home automation product manufacturer in a visually interesting and artistic way.

Thomas, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the vice president and creative director at Electrum Branding.

Electrum Branding was founded in 2004 on the simple belief that great brands deliver great, sustainable value. So we analyze what our clients promise, how they promote it, how they deliver it, and how its perceived by their customers.

We strengthen what works. We fix what’s broken. We replace what’s missing. We develop strategies. We create campaigns. We monitor performance. We build better, stronger brands.

We blend the benefits of a large agency – strategic approach, compelling creative work, and a full complement of services – with the advantages of a boutique shop – dedication to our clients needs, quick response, and a belief that we have to continually earn their business. Because we’ve spent years on the client side running in-house agencies, we understand what our clients need and how to deliver it to them… on time and on budget.

We operate with the heart of an advertising agency and the brain of a strategic marketing firm. We’re passionately creative yet motivated by the bottom line. After all, it takes an overall branding strategy, not just advertising, to maximize results.

Put simply, we do everything to BUILD THEIR BRAND FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

I am also a mixed media artist. When I am not working I enjoy painting and drawing. For me it’s a form of meditation and a great way to relax.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Over 25 years ago and prior to starting my career as a graphic artist, I worked as an account executive for the leading distributor of Aveda products in South Florida. Although I believed in the product and did a great job bringing in new accounts, I discovered early on that opening new accounts did not necessarily mean that the products would fly off the shelves and that my clients would require some help in learning how to market and sell to their customers. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, this approach is what led me to my career in marketing and design.

It started very organically and naturally. I became less of an order taker and more of a business consultant and marketing partner. I started helping them with their ads, creating monthly newsletters they could distribute, helping them with their displays and training their staff on the benefits of the products and how to communicate that to their customers.

Although I really enjoyed my job, it became clear to me that graphic design was what I was truly passionate about and that it was time to embark on a new career path. Without any formal training, I decided to step outside my comfort zone to pursue my goal of being a full time artist. I quit my job and within a week I managed to get a job at a very small local publication with a promise that I would make up for my lack of experience with enthusiasm and drive.

A year after working there I opened up my own agency and as they say the rest is history.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Unfortunately a natural disaster had other plans for me in 2005 when South Florida was hit by a category 4 hurricane named Wilma. At that time, at least 90% of my client base was made up of small bed and breakfasts on Fort Lauderdale Beach. All of them experienced significant damage and were forced to close. Many never reopened and most were closed for months so they could repair all the damage. As you can imagine, marketing and advertising was not a priority for my client base. They all had other important priorities to take care of.

The few clients I had left were not enough to support a staff of five and although my office space was not personally effected, the rest of the building was badly damaged. I was forced to close my office and let everyone go. It was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do.

I managed to keep the business open by working from home, providing services for the few clients I had left who were not affected by the hurricane.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.electrumbranding.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electrumbranding
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElectrumBranding/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/electrumbranding/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/electrum-branding-oakland-park