Dean Soto is owner of Pro Sulum, LLC – an interactive marketing agency that empowers businesses to reach targeted audiences through online initiatives. He also authors www.youcanworkless.com where he inspires entrepreneurs to leverage virtual assistants from around the globe to help grow their business in a cost-effective way.
Q: Do you think the education you’ve invested in helped you on the road to success?
I have BA degree in Business which did not necessarily open many doors of opportunity for me. What really helped me was when I invested money in learning how to sell and market the talents that I had. I ended up spending a good amount on a class from Ramit Sethi from iwillteachyoutoberich.com that taught me how to do business and how to show potential buyers the value my talents could bring to them.
Q: What was the “breaking point” in your career that made you decide to build your own brand?
I worked for large aerospace company for several years and I wanted to move up and help the company to grow. Unfortunately, there were no solid opportunities to move into leadership roles within the organization and the projects that I wanted to implement kept getting shot down. All of that got me thinking and I wanted to break free and do my own thing and produce something that was meaningful. That was the breaking point that prompted me to create my own opportunities.
Q: As a young professional, what were some of the mistakes that you made and what did you learn?
First, balancing my time properly between work and family was difficult. It was hard for me not to work all the time and I was so focused on developing my business that it was affecting my personal life. Second, managing expenses is another important element that I had to master. I learned the hard way about the difference between what you really need vs what you want. Third, being realistic is key. I expected to have a flourishing business within 6 – 12 month from the initial launch. It takes time and commitment to make business grow and it was hard not to quit when after a year I was still struggling.
Q: Is there any other achievement that you are extremely proud of? If so, why?
I’m extremely proud of my Virtual Assistant model that I developed, it makes business life a lot easier. It is something that every business owner or a professional can benefit from. New entrepreneurs get stuck in the mindset that they need to be doing all of the work – when in reality they should be focusing on growing their business. Having a virtual assistant that does the day-to-day tasks lets you step back and innovate, which is what only a business owner can do.
Q: How do you measure success?
My measurement of success, is like with any business, is asking myself “could I meet the expenses that I am incurring,” and “am I generating enough revenue to make profit,” and “how do I spend time”. Answering these questions provide a clear assessment whether I am successful or not. If I am not making a profit, then my business will suffer. If I am doing too much day-to-day work, it will suffer too. At the end of the day, if you aren’t able to generate business then you are sunk.
Q: What is one advice that you can offer to your readers?
Be patient! So many people drop out because they don’t see immediate results, and there are times when you want to quit, and if you are patient then you will see a momentum start to happen. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop something significant and it is imperative to stay committed to your dream.
Q: What do you do for fun?
I’m a philosopher at heart, so analyzing the day to day things and realizing that there is so much meaning out there to our lives
Q: What is your favorite 1) gadget(s), 2) software(s), 3) website(s) that makes your life easier and more productive?
I know that there will be some people that role their eyes, but I love my iPhone. I do everything with it.
Q: Whom would you like to see featured here and why? (recommend us someone we don’t know of yet but really should)
I recently partnered up with Tanya Salcido from designactionstudios.com. She has a pretty amazing story about how she left her full-time job to start doing design work on her own. She writes for a local newspaper too and has been doing some great things.
Ways to Connect with you:
Websites: www.youcanworkless.com
Email: dean@prosulum.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/deansoto
From: http://ping.fm/CPfDU
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