- Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Adapt Media agency is a full service Digital Marketing Agency based out of Charlotte NC, that services clients across the US and internationally. We chose the name ADAPT as we aim to “change” the way you market your business. Marketing is constantly changing, so we help you change the way you market digitally.
- Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Derek strongly believes in the Darwinism notion that it’s not the strongest that survive. Rather, the species that survives AND thrives is the one that is most able to ADAPT & change to its environment.
As the founder of Adapt You & Adapt Media, Derek is profoundly committed to helping people & businesses do one thing – CHANGE.
At the age of 13, Derek’s journey as an entrepreneur began when he grabbed the neighborhood phone directory one Spring morning and cold called over 120 homes to pitch his lawn care services, with a mower & trimmer he didn’t yet own. With sheer persistence and an innate affinity for marketing, he landed over 35 clients that summer, thus spawning his start as an entrepreneur.
After graduating with a degree in Marketing, Derek headed into the corporate world. He quickly moved up the ranks with companies such as ADP, Covidien and Allergan. While he accumulated some key learnings, he felt his ability to influence necessary change was caged, so he made a career and life-altering decision to go out on his own. Better put, he ADAPTed.
From 2012 to 2019 Derek has founded and ran three highly successful organizations in the medical field. Over the years, his companies have grown and scaled national sales teams exceeding 2500+, developed cutting edge software, and disrupted an industry that desperately needed it.
Through both personal & professional journeys, Derek has become fascinated & committed to helping people/businesses find and execute the change they need to grow and thrive. Through this passion, Adapt You & Adapt Media were born.
With the top ranked “Adapt You” Podcast & focus on impacting others, Derek has rubbed elbows with influencers such as Tony Robins, David Goggins, and James “The Ironcowboy” Lawrence. He helps his personal coaching clients tap into who they are, what they want & who they wish to become.
Derek’s Adapt Media Agency inspires businesses to change how they market themselves. He believes change is both an art and a science. He is steadfast in his commitment to helping others navigate this challenging process, making Derek the person many individuals & businesses look to when they are ready to take bold steps towards radical change.
- What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Being involved in many types of businesses in my career I found myself often most interested in how to market the business then the business itself. It was always clear to me that the success of any business relied on its ability to market and sell. You can have the greatest product or service in the world, but it you can’t sell or market it, you will never succeed. I found combination of the art and science of marketing to be the function of my prior businesses that I enjoyed the most. I loved the combination of being able to mix the analytical and process driven side of me with the creative and artistic. Most usually stay in one of those lanes, but I enjoy driving in both… making marketing something I wanted to do full time.
It started as helping out a few friends with their businesses and quickly blossomed into a full blown agency.
- What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Learn, learn, learn! Take the attitude that the one thing you know is that you know nothing. Our value determines our rate of pay and what we earn. The only way to increase your value is through acquiring new and more advanced skills…. And the only way to acquire is through learning and constantly working on your craft
- What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Follow through consistently – While this seems trivial, it’s a lost art. Many in business today don’t do what they say they are going to do. Just showing up and following through consistently can have you rise above the rest
Deliver massive value – over delivering value overtime leads to happy customers. There is no better form of marketing than a happy customer.
Embrace change – the only constant in life is change. Embrace it, understand it, welcome it, get good at it… as it will always be present. It’s through the changes of your business that new ideas are born. Don’t resist it, learn from it.
- How many hours do you work a day on average?
10 -12 hours. I’m always working. However, as cliche as it sounds… it’s true that when you love what you do it doesn’t seem like work.
- To what do you most attribute your success?
My failures and what I’ve learned from them. Failure is the best teacher if you choose to see it that way.
- How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Being a marketing agency we market our business in every way imaginable. The greatest form of marketing however is a happy customer and personal referral.
- Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
The beauty of a digital marketing agency is it is very scalable and can start with little to nothing. Thankfully I needed no venture capital or investment to start this organization. It’s been a blessing to not beholden to anyone by our company
- What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Hands down it has to be consistency and persistence in constantly showing up and delivering. On top of this, it’s changing and evolving through constant education and improvement. It’s the only way to stay nimble and avoid become irrelevant in a fast paced and changing world.
- Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Hopefully on a beach on autopilot with the proper leadership in place!
- Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Tom Bileyu’s Impact Theory. It’s a Youtube based video podcast that inspires millions of entrepreneurs through interviewing some of the most incredible leaders on earth.
- How important have good employees been to your success?
Good people and leadership you can rely on is the backbone of any successful business. A leader is only capable to doing so much themselves. It’s the team around them that are the real heroes.
- How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
While I’d like to say “I never give up”, this isn’t true. However I’d prefer to change the context of the wording and state that I often don’t give up, it’s usually I either arrive at the conclusion that the current track is not sustainable or that it’s time to adjust the track to something that better aligns with the overall outcomes desired.
- What motivates you?
Growth. Whether it’s growing a business, growing relationships, or growing personally… what motivates me is always moving forward, learning and growing.
- What are your ideals?
Self love and love for other and being the absolute best version of you
- How do you generate new ideas?
I’m a dreamer, so this comes naturally… almost to a fault. I am constantly brainstorming and coming up with new ideas. Many of them are likely not good ones, but I love to dream!
- How do you define success?
Doing what you love, with who you love and love doing it. When you meet success and you also feel fulfilled,…. That’s success. When you meet success and you are not fulfilled, that to me is a failure.
- How do you build a successful customer base?
Consistency and world class service
- What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Freedom and autonomy to do what I want, when I want.
- What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
When a customer gives you a rave review and is over the moon happy with what you’ve done…. That is very satisfying.
- What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
I think that they are dreamers and believe what can go right … versus what can go wrong. They have an abundance mindset and chase it… versus punching a clock. They are dreamers an would rather build their dream versus some else’s dream.
- What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Total flexibility and total accountability. We don’t believe in a clock. We have a task at hand and our allow our staff to use whatever time and creative needs necessary to deliver the most exceptional product. Total autonomy
- In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Changer
Visit us : https://www.adaptmediaagency.com/