Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Fernandez.
Hi Nick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Starting a business in a digital-first world can be intimidating, especially for small companies and start-ups. These businesses often struggle to create and maintain an online presence due to lacking resources or knowledge. Having witnessed these difficulties firsthand during the COVID summer of 2020, I decided to develop a remote business model specializing in website development, graphics, and social media management. I conducted market research and interviewed business owners to build pricing plans for each service.
Despite having a marketing internship that summer, I managed to help small businesses launch websites and social media campaigns. By the fall of 2020, my portfolio had grown to include a counseling center, a state house representative, retailers, and an Italian restaurant. As I helped each of these businesses overcome the challenges posed by the digital-first world, my part-time job began to feel like a passion-driven calling. For example, I helped the counseling center by driving clients to their telehealth platform and promoting online counseling benefits. For the state house representative, I created a website and social media reach to promote messages and issues that were relevant during a time when in-person meetings and speeches were less frequent. Similarly, I assisted the Italian family-owned restaurant by setting up an online menu and ordering platform.
When I entered Berry College in the fall to complete my last year, I discovered a golden opportunity: the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor. I quickly integrated the program into my course schedule for the final semesters. The curriculum provided me with practical knowledge, connected me with experienced entrepreneurs, like-minded students, and even provided me with a platform to pitch my business idea for funding. It was one of the best decisions I made.
As 2021 began, I learned how to form an LLC, conduct better market research, pitch, sell, build better pricing plans, and construct contracts. I started partnering with software companies that provided website design, graphics, and social media posting tools to scale the business, reduce costs, and improve quality. The next step was to contract employees, which led me to seek specialized individuals in graphic design, SEO, and coding to drive client success.
By the time I graduated in the spring of 2021, my business, Upsway Marketing, was officially an LLC and had raised funding from two pitch competitions to assist with start-up costs. Since then, the clientele has tripled, and we have received local and national recognition for our up-and-coming marketing solutions. I am proud that Upsway Marketing has evolved from a hobby to an official LLC that provides small businesses and start-ups with an affordable approach to improving their social media and online presence.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges I faced while establishing Upsway Marketing was identifying the gaps in the market, such as the lack of transparent pricing and the absence of educational opportunities for clients. However, we overcame these challenges by offering affordable solutions with transparent pricing and providing clients with education and autonomy.
Another significant challenge was time management, as I had to work countless hours, leading to sleep deprivation and sacrificing my mental health. To overcome this, I learned to stop working and focus on family, friends, and leisure, recognizing that there is a limit to productivity and creativity in a single day.
Another challenge was deciding when to take Upsway Marketing as a full-time commitment, especially while balancing an MBA program and a potential work opportunity. Ultimately, I decided to keep Upsway Marketing as a part-time commitment to learning from other leadership styles and how various businesses operate successfully. While this decision slowed the expansion of the business, it allowed for thoughtful development and preparation for more scalability in the future.
Overall, the road to establishing Upsway Marketing was challenging. Still, I overcame obstacles by identifying gaps in the market and offering affordable solutions, managing time effectively, and making well-informed decisions about the business’s growth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Upsway Marketing is a business that provides affordable digital marketing solutions to small businesses and startups. The company specializes in web design, full-service social media management, and branding/graphic design. What sets Upsway Marketing apart is its mission to provide transparent pricing, quick turnarounds, and quality solutions. They believe that marketing solutions should be accessible to all small business owners, and they are proud of their ability to offer cost-effective and high-quality services. Upsway Marketing has a vision of taking small business websites and social media accounts to the next level, and they are dedicated to helping their clients achieve success in the digital space.
There are two pieces I am most proud of: 1) how diverse our industry experience has become and 2) how true we’ve stuck to our mission of democratizing full-service digital marketing solutions for startups and small businesses.
I’d love for anyone reading to know that digitally promoting your business can be daunting, but there are many resources to help you with the heavy lifting. Since 2020, I’ve helped over 40 small companies obtain digital assets and online presence and understand and, through education, make it a less scary process. We do this by personally providing live and pre-recorded video sessions to help business owners understand their website and social media dashboards. At the end of the day, we want clients to feel like they can fully lean on us for digital marketing support, but we also want them to have the option to feel confident and educated about how it works in the backend.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was a natural tinkerer. I loved spending my time building things, whether it was with legos, constructing forts in the backyard, or working on wooden projects. I always enjoyed having company while I tinkered, and I recall spending a lot of time outdoors.
As I grew older, my interest in tinkering turned to bigger projects, including motors and metal. I started restoring mopeds and even a 1970s V-hull boat, which was an incredibly satisfying experience. However, as I progressed through college, I had less space to work on physical projects, so I started working on digital projects instead.
Over time, I became more reserved and focused on learning and building a business. Although I still enjoy tinkering, my focus has shifted to digital projects and creating things that can make an impact in the world. Overall, my childhood love for building and experimenting has remained with me, and it has helped me develop a curious and innovative mindset that I bring to everything I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.upswaymarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upsway.marketing/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UpswayMarketing/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsway-marketing/?viewAsMember=true
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UpswayMarketing
