Episode 1
Written By Max Hoffenheins
One of the common issues that we often see business owners faced with is finding the perfect Social Media Marketing Agency. At least, that’s what some of our satisfied clients say.
There’s no arguing that in today’s world of marketing, social media has a solid role to play in scaling your business.
We’re here to take you on a journey with us and it begins with this very first episode of our #DigitalFacesTalkShow where our CEOs, Joshua Schaper and Shannon Horton, discuss a lot on how Digital Faces started as well as what you can expect to get from us.
Brace yourself for what they had to say…
Where it all began…
If you’re curious to know how they both met, see what both Shannon and Joshua have to say about this.
Shannon: How’s it going guys? Welcome to the first #DigitalFacesTalkShow with me and my co-host, Josh. A lot of you probably know me but not Josh.
Josh, I want you to explain to us the whole process about how you came across me. What was going through your mind [at the time]?
Joshua: Absolutely. Just to give [you] a little background from a business standpoint, for the past 10 years or so my job has been going into businesses and seeing where I could bring additional support to help them drive revenue.
Literally, for the past 10 years, I’ve gone into businesses and looked at whether the team is where it needs to be as well as the processes. [I’ve asked myself,] ‘How can I help build the brand of that department or team to drive revenue?’
Things were going well [both] on the personal and on the professional side, and then once this pandemic hit, it was interesting that an idea came to mind. [For] the last project that I worked on, we had a department that was revenuing about $200,000. And, with a team of people, I was able to help outgrow that to $3.5 million.
Things were good but when the pandemic hit, I started thinking to myself, ‘Wouldn’t that have been nice if I was an owner or a part-owner of that $3.5 million company?’
That got my wheels turning and I decided that I wanted to bring my expertise into a small business to see who I can collaborate with and help them blow the company out of the water. It’s funny but that’s how I came across you.
I was looking for somebody that was similar with myself as far as business values, virtues and how they view the customer goes. But, more importantly, I was thinking of someone that has perseverance. Someone that’s willing to put the work in and do the grind. I literally would go into small social media agencies to look at who was posting consistently or had a catalogue of posts.
What’s crazy is there were so many social media agencies that I looked at that didn’t have much content even though they were pushing this idea of content.
[Both laugh]
I was working with a client and coincidentally they mentioned that they do some work with you [Shannon]. [Then] I looked at your page and, quite frankly, I noticed that. Over the past four years, I’ve really seen that you’ve been consistent.
I literally got your number, texted you and said that I wanted to talk to you about an opportunity. We talked and the rest was history.
As we’re becoming partners, what we’re trying to do for our social media agency [Digital Faces] is to disrupt this little sector of business that, quite frankly, I think not too many smaller agencies are doing a great job at offering a full package of services.
The turning point for Digital Faces
We’re going to admit, there’s so much to learn from Shannon and Joshua.
Besides the expertise and proven tactics that they have about online/media marketing, their character and approach to this space has got to be what kills it for us. After they met, here’s how they decided to team up.
Shannon: Before the pandemic, I was consistent with the content because I always say, ‘Practise what you preach!’
When I quit my job at a real estate company, I’d seen social media agencies—be it the big dogs or the smaller dogs—where all they would do is create the same content and distribute it out on everyone’s platforms just at different times. And I was like, I can do a better job than that.
I live in LA where you get caught up in that bachelor lifestyle and say, I’m just going to go out and make enough to support my lifestyle.
“Practise what you preach!”
— Shannon Horton, CEO Digital Faces
When COVID happened, I had a decision to make; I can either continue what I’m doing or I can see where Digital faces can really take me [and] bunker down and try to take things to the next level. I was trying to do [the latter] on my own but then you reached out to me. I was like, Wow, this is crazy how our values align with everything you said!
After four years, I told myself that now it’s time to either take Digital Faces to where it can really go or we’re going to go in another direction. That was the crossroads I was at. Hence, that email from you came at an appropriate time.
A lot of people are always hesitant about partnership but for me I think we can make and accomplish more together than separately. The big question for me was, Do you want a 100% of something small or 50% of something big?
It was clear that you compliment a lot of weaknesses that I have and vice versa. We’re both transparent and we’ve got similar goals and values.
I’m a big fan of the saying that goes, ‘When the student is ready the teacher will come; when the partner is ready, they will come.’
It’s no question that we’ve both had that epiphany during COVID, right?
What makes Digital Faces a step ahead of other marketing agencies?
Joshua: Exactly, and that’s what I’m super excited about. One with the show, I think that where we’re going to be able to bring value to the listeners is through our fields of expertise. You’ve shared with me your knowledge about social media and how you’re using your tactics.
For instance, you’ve taught me that someone could give $100 to 10 social media agencies, but the reality is it doesn’t mean they’ll get the same results from all 10. This depends on factors like how people target, warm up the leads, et cetera et cetera.
This is your field and you made me realize that there is an experience that’s needed [to do this], there is strategy and there is technique as well. [All the things] that can really make a difference on how you use the same ad dollars.
This show is going to have a lot of those different points regarding how we can help small businesses.
On my side, with the expertise that I’ve brought, for the past 10 years I’ve been helping in building teams [in order] to drive revenue. When I think about this business, [initially] you had two employees, right? Now we’re about seven on the team and, really, the goal is to get to twenty.
So, I think just by talking about the experiences we have as we’re learning along the way can help somebody in their business. They can grow just as we’re trying to grow ourselves.
Shannon: Yeah, I think the thing that’s worked out is eating our own dog food. Like you said, how many social media agencies actually market? How many personal trainers are fit?
We need to eat our own dog food. That’s what you preach and I agree. Once we use our own medicine, everything after that is going to fall in line.
The bottom line for us as a marketing agency is how can we do what we’re recommending to our clients for ourselves. In today’s age that’s required, especially if it’s a service.
“We need to eat our own dog food.”
— Shannon Horton, CEO Digital Faces
The takeaway from this episode…
Even though they decided to keep this first episode short, having shared the vision and goals of the company, there were a few important points worthy of special note.
Things like making the time to post quality content every single day as well as building a team are often ignored. What most marketing agencies fail to realize is the amount of value and results that’s literally being left on the table by not doing them.
Joshua: If there’s anything I want to leave this episode with, it’s the importance of posting every single day. I’m not saying anything ground-breaking here but what I’m super excited about that we’re trying to do is we’re building an infrastructure. We’re building a team that’s going to be able to post quality content every single day.
Where we’re going to bring a lot of value to the listeners is whether they work with us or they work with their own team, the reality is that for any business that has a service or a product to grow in 2020, you have to post every single day.
Shannon: Do you think that’s possible without a team?
Joshua: I think it’s possible without a team. I just think the volume and the quality is where you’re going to see that as sacrifice. And don’t get me wrong, I know that posting every single day will make an impact, but I think that for businesses that are wondering why they can’t get to the next level they have to focus on building a team.
“…for any business that has a service or product to grow in 2020,
you have to post every single day.”
— Joshua Schaper, CEO Digital Faces
Look at what we’re doing with Digital Faces today. This is a landmark. I’m excited to see where Digital Faces is going to be in one year because what we’re basically about to do is we’re testing our own thesis: post quality content everyday and you will get great business results. That’s it.
We’re not reinventing the wheel as they’re other people who do this. However, I think less than 5% of small businesses are doing it.
Shannon: Why do you think not as many businesses are doing this?
Joshua: I think it’s [due to] a number of reasons. For the past five years on a personal side I’ve been a creative; I make short films, comedy sketches and [a couple of other] things that are going to help me in this business. [So, I can say that] it is daunting. When you don’t know how to make content, and you’re trying to run a business, it can be challenging. Trying to learn something else in addition to what’s making your ends meet can be daunting.
This is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I think that it’s daunting, people don’t make the time, and I also think there’s that insecurity that comes along with it. As they turn on the camera, people ask themselves if they really want to say anything and publish it to the world.
There’s a lot of different reasons why but I think those are the ones that immediately come to my mind.
Shannon: Nice. Why do you think it’s worth it to do it?
Joshua: I think it’s worth it because your business will grow. Granted, it’s not the only way. During the short time that you and I have both worked together, we’ve had some businesses tell us point blank that they don’t want to do it because their businesses are okay.
I think that it’s a fair point. However, if they’re doing $100,000 or $1,000,000 a year, whatever they’re ‘okay’ is, I think if you add social media into it they can realistically double that if they execute right.
Again, I’m saying that right now but we’re the thesis. In one year, we’re going to be able to look back at this episode and say that we doubled or tripled; or maybe we only grew 25%. However, at least what I’m looking for is the ‘Why’. Did we execute right? Did we do this or that?
I have a lot of confidence that if we execute social media right, I don’t see why we can’t double, triple or more.
Shannon: I put out about two years of good content at least once a week. [Even though] it didn’t get me to $1,000,000 status, it led me to people that want that. I don’t know what exactly you’re going to get if you put in your best, but I know for sure you’re going to get me something. That’s all I know.
Putting out consistent content did get me 50% of my business and someone that could potentially get me there. There would have been a clear difference between where I am now and where I would be if I didn’t create all of that content.
Joshua: That’s right. Here’s my last comment. I think that what’s cool about social media coming from a business and personal perspective is that it can help you benefit in a variety of ways. I say variety because it’s not always monetary.
For instance, I’ve noticed that you do have a lot of relationships largely based on what you’ve done on social media. It has opened doors and opportunities for you that otherwise you wouldn’t have had.
Some of these benefits are monetary, relationships networking, and brand which isn’t always an ROI thing that you can quantify but there’s still much value in that.
I’m super excited about this podcast and I think it’s good for the audience to know that we’re going to be posting regularly. We’ll have a schedule [that] we’re going to put out so that we’ll do that consistently.
I think it will be cool to bring folks on and ask them what they’ve done to grow their business. One thing that I want to be clear about is that I think social media is a great way to put gasoline to the fire, [but] I don’t think it’s the only way to be successful per se.
I think it’s the best way [to grow a business], but obviously you and I have come across people who are very successful but they’re not on social media. It will be insightful to learn what they’re doing in their business that’s helping them grow. I’m hoping all of that will bring value to everyone that may be watching and even to us.
Shannon: Yes, I love it. Stay tuned guys. We’re creating content now; this is part of the experiment. Also, we’re going to do ads on ourselves as well.
I’m excited because I don’t see anyone doing the quality of video plus on the ad side. You either see money.coms or someone filming by themselves. You don’t see the in between.
Joshua: That’s right.
Shannon: I’m excited about that and film day is tomorrow. This is happening and we’re walking the walk for sure.
Joshua: Yes, for sure. Thanks, I appreciate it. [It’s a] good episode one!
Shannon: I know right. Hey guys, you’re going to see this journey from start to finish. With that being said, episode number one is in the books and we’re out.
Joshua: Cool, alright man.
There you have it! Whatever phase you’re currently at in your business, we hope you found this episode insightful.
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