Revolutionary Perspective: We Started Our Own Business
11/2/2023 1:31:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Academic Services
In this edition of Revolutionary Perspective, we learn about Philip Moldovanu and Connor Rodgers of the GW men's swimming and diving team, who recently started their own business.Â
Philip Moldovanu
Junior/Men's Swimming & Diving
Communications
Connor Rodgers
Junior/Men's Swimming & Diving
Business Analytics
Our website: Social Scout
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/socialsscout
1. How would you describe your business?
In July of 2022, we founded a digital advertising agency named Social Scout. We started out with the goal of wanting to run digital marketing efforts for E-commerce brands, specifically through Facebook and Instagram paid advertising campaigns. Both of us had a lot of experience in the E-commerce space through previous ventures, so we were naturally inclined to start a digital marketing agency of some sort. Fast-forward over a year after starting Social Scout, we've shifted away from Paid Advertising and now focus primarily on Email Marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). One of our biggest clients (TheMagic5) is an e-commerce brand in the swimming industry which received investment on Shark Tank in 2021 and has been growing ever since. We currently manage their email marketing campaigns, their blog, as well as their site-wide SEO. Recently, we've been bringing on smaller, more locally-based businesses and offering them SEO and website optimization services with the goal of helping them appear higher up in Google's search rankings, which ends in more leads and ultimately, more sales.Â
2. What motivated or inspired you to start this business?
We are both very entrepreneurial minded and embody the phrase "figure it out as you go". The whole idea of creating a business online has always fascinated both of us because the startup costs are so low. Travel back in time 20 years and it just wasn't possible to start a business on your own with a few hundred dollars. Now it is, and we just wanted to go for it and see where it took us. Both of us had founded E-commerce brands in the past so a digital marketing agency seemed like a challenge that was worth pursuing because we already had an abundance of knowledge in the space. For us, the risk appeared low and the reward was high. The vision of the business was for it to substitute instead of having a job so we could have more freedom when it came to our schedules and time in general.
3. What was the process of starting your business?
Our first step was creating an LLC. We used an online filing platform to expedite and simplify some of the legal paperwork involved. After a few weeks, we received our EIN and Social Scout was an officially incorporated legal business entity. We then purchased a domain, built a website, acquired company emails, and purchased required software to help in service delivery. This was great, but now came the difficult part: building a client base. Our first taste at outreach was humbling. After hundreds of emails were sent, we still hadn't secured a client, let alone a single meeting. Time went on, and we refined our outreach process, overhauled our messaging and adapted to feedback we were receiving. Eventually our outreach became more and more effective, and we started booking meetings with interested brands.Â
4. How did the process compare to your initial expectations of starting your own business?
After legally forming our business and getting set up, both of us were filled with excitement that we would be millionaires in six months. Looking back at this, we were both a little naive when it came to our expectations of getting businesses to work with us. After Social Scout's inception we began sending out 100's of cold emails to businesses until we found someone who was interested. Our first booked meeting was from a medium=sized exercise equipment company of about 50 employees and we were to be speaking with the CMO. The night before the call we prepped questions on what to ask the CMO and determine how much to charge him. When the call started we instantly realized we weren't leading the call at all. In fact, the man was cranky and didn't want to answer our questions. Instead, he asked us questions on our service, something we funnily enough didn't prepare for at all. The call was by no means a success, but it got us going on the right path and taught us some very important lessons which we would later use to sign many clients in the future.
5. What was the most rewarding aspect of the experience? What was the most challenging aspect of the experience?
The most rewarding aspect of running Social Scout is definitely seeing the work you do be appreciated and valued. This has led to some amazing connections that we'll likely have for the rest of our careers. Rasmus and Niklas (co-founders of TheMagic5) are like mentors to us. It's been an awesome experience being able to work so closely with them and we learn more from them each day. Not too long ago, we took a trip up to NYC to meet Rasmus face-to-face and spend a weekend with him. Building such close relationships with clients is definitely the most rewarding aspect of this journey.Â
6. How does this experience inform your next step in your career path?
This experience has taught us and continues to teach us so much every day. Ideally, our goal is to continue Social Scout and grow the business to a steady career path for both of us after school. If this isn't an option, both of us would leverage our experience from this venture to pursue a career path in the digital marketing space elsewhere.Â
7. What recommendations do you have for other students looking to start their own business?
Don't get stuck in analysis paralysis, and don't get too caught up in thinking of every possible detail you think you need to have figured out. Do your due diligence, and then throw yourself into it, that's the best way to learn.Â
To access additional resources for your own job or internship search login into Handshake. Scroll down to see upcoming career events and click on "Career Center" to make career coaching appointments, access resources, and search for jobs and internships. Don't forget to sign up for Industry Newsletters with the latest opportunities: Arts/Media/Comm |  Business/ Finance/ Consulting | International Affairs/Intelligence | Public Health/Health Sciences | STEM | US Government/ Human Services/Law
Philip Moldovanu
Junior/Men's Swimming & Diving
Communications
Connor Rodgers
Junior/Men's Swimming & Diving
Business Analytics
Our website: Social Scout
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/socialsscout
1. How would you describe your business?
In July of 2022, we founded a digital advertising agency named Social Scout. We started out with the goal of wanting to run digital marketing efforts for E-commerce brands, specifically through Facebook and Instagram paid advertising campaigns. Both of us had a lot of experience in the E-commerce space through previous ventures, so we were naturally inclined to start a digital marketing agency of some sort. Fast-forward over a year after starting Social Scout, we've shifted away from Paid Advertising and now focus primarily on Email Marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). One of our biggest clients (TheMagic5) is an e-commerce brand in the swimming industry which received investment on Shark Tank in 2021 and has been growing ever since. We currently manage their email marketing campaigns, their blog, as well as their site-wide SEO. Recently, we've been bringing on smaller, more locally-based businesses and offering them SEO and website optimization services with the goal of helping them appear higher up in Google's search rankings, which ends in more leads and ultimately, more sales.Â
2. What motivated or inspired you to start this business?
We are both very entrepreneurial minded and embody the phrase "figure it out as you go". The whole idea of creating a business online has always fascinated both of us because the startup costs are so low. Travel back in time 20 years and it just wasn't possible to start a business on your own with a few hundred dollars. Now it is, and we just wanted to go for it and see where it took us. Both of us had founded E-commerce brands in the past so a digital marketing agency seemed like a challenge that was worth pursuing because we already had an abundance of knowledge in the space. For us, the risk appeared low and the reward was high. The vision of the business was for it to substitute instead of having a job so we could have more freedom when it came to our schedules and time in general.
3. What was the process of starting your business?
Our first step was creating an LLC. We used an online filing platform to expedite and simplify some of the legal paperwork involved. After a few weeks, we received our EIN and Social Scout was an officially incorporated legal business entity. We then purchased a domain, built a website, acquired company emails, and purchased required software to help in service delivery. This was great, but now came the difficult part: building a client base. Our first taste at outreach was humbling. After hundreds of emails were sent, we still hadn't secured a client, let alone a single meeting. Time went on, and we refined our outreach process, overhauled our messaging and adapted to feedback we were receiving. Eventually our outreach became more and more effective, and we started booking meetings with interested brands.Â
4. How did the process compare to your initial expectations of starting your own business?
After legally forming our business and getting set up, both of us were filled with excitement that we would be millionaires in six months. Looking back at this, we were both a little naive when it came to our expectations of getting businesses to work with us. After Social Scout's inception we began sending out 100's of cold emails to businesses until we found someone who was interested. Our first booked meeting was from a medium=sized exercise equipment company of about 50 employees and we were to be speaking with the CMO. The night before the call we prepped questions on what to ask the CMO and determine how much to charge him. When the call started we instantly realized we weren't leading the call at all. In fact, the man was cranky and didn't want to answer our questions. Instead, he asked us questions on our service, something we funnily enough didn't prepare for at all. The call was by no means a success, but it got us going on the right path and taught us some very important lessons which we would later use to sign many clients in the future.
5. What was the most rewarding aspect of the experience? What was the most challenging aspect of the experience?
The most rewarding aspect of running Social Scout is definitely seeing the work you do be appreciated and valued. This has led to some amazing connections that we'll likely have for the rest of our careers. Rasmus and Niklas (co-founders of TheMagic5) are like mentors to us. It's been an awesome experience being able to work so closely with them and we learn more from them each day. Not too long ago, we took a trip up to NYC to meet Rasmus face-to-face and spend a weekend with him. Building such close relationships with clients is definitely the most rewarding aspect of this journey.Â
6. How does this experience inform your next step in your career path?
This experience has taught us and continues to teach us so much every day. Ideally, our goal is to continue Social Scout and grow the business to a steady career path for both of us after school. If this isn't an option, both of us would leverage our experience from this venture to pursue a career path in the digital marketing space elsewhere.Â
7. What recommendations do you have for other students looking to start their own business?
Don't get stuck in analysis paralysis, and don't get too caught up in thinking of every possible detail you think you need to have figured out. Do your due diligence, and then throw yourself into it, that's the best way to learn.Â
To access additional resources for your own job or internship search login into Handshake. Scroll down to see upcoming career events and click on "Career Center" to make career coaching appointments, access resources, and search for jobs and internships. Don't forget to sign up for Industry Newsletters with the latest opportunities: Arts/Media/Comm |  Business/ Finance/ Consulting | International Affairs/Intelligence | Public Health/Health Sciences | STEM | US Government/ Human Services/Law
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