Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Baker Jr.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bobby. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story starts in Southern California…
This is where I began my athletic career and started off chasing footballs for a living.
Sports was something that drove my motivation for school in my early years, simply because I knew that it was essential if I was going to be able to move on to play at the college level.
During this time, I had always been Entrepreneurial; re-selling anything I saw a need for and could afford. I would sell Candy, Donuts, Bicycles & Repairs – I even remember buying Air-soft BB Guns and spray painting them gold for a higher ticket (clearly I had the 007 games).
After a few odd hustles, I found myself hosting and producing parties while still in high school. We would build events from scratch finding venues, security, DJs, Photographers, Limos, and even a promo team. My parties were known as “A1 Entertainment” & would bring out at least 300 people -all paying an entry fee between $10 & $20.
Math class finally paid off: (Entry fee x Entries) – Total Overhead Costs = Pure Profit. And all I had to do was make sure the communication was appealing and as many people as possible heard about us.
This was my first taste of marketing.
After high school, I didn’t get any opportunities to attend any colleges on scholarship, so I went to junior college. I quickly realized Community college is like a swamp that will eat you if you don’t get out in time. After my second year of Junior College, I realized that it didn’t matter how good of an athlete you are if no one saw or heard of you then your talent was practically useless. If Michael Jordan was never seen, then he wouldn’t be the legend he is today. So, I got hungry and started marketing – this time, myself. 20 years old with no money and no experience, yet I knew the power of social media based on what it did for my side hustle. So, I decided to create a new facebook profile, added athletic pictures and videos of myself, I posted a bunch of positive quotes and followed over 100 coaches that I found from coaching rosters on college websites. I then carefully crafted a series of messages that would be appealing to coaches looking for young talent. If a coach didn’t respond within two weeks, I would send another one (follow up is everything). After approximately 100 sent messages, about 25 coaches messaged me back and four of those resulted in full-ride scholarships.
This was my first successful campaign.
Chasing footballs and smart marketing paid off when I earned a Full Scholarship to the University of Alabama @ Birmingham.
Perhaps one of the most terrifying moments for me was a week after a glorious game against nationally-ranked Mississippi State. I went from having the biggest game of my life to suffering the worst injury of my life. In two “pops”, I tore my ACL and suddenly had to relearn how to walk.
This blessing in disguise happened to be one of my most important experiences in mental development. It forced me to sit down and develop a love for learning -especially in business. I started reading and watching anything I could. This was when I learned about affirmations and the law of attraction. After surgery, I would go to seminars and networking events with a brace on under my pants. I even ended up the founding president of the Entrepreneurship Club at UAB (which is still around & thriving).
After a season with the Blazers, the “board of trustees” and the president of the university decided to shut down the football program due to “lack of funding” aka hidden controversy. It was a national event that made news on every major news & sports outlet in the country (D1 Football programs don’t get shut down very often). After the boycotts and protests, we still had to find a new home. The good thing was, because of all of the press and advantages from the NCAA, many university coaches were offering scholarships like samples at Costco. I ended up getting a call from Georgia State quarterback and old Junior College teammate, Nick Arbuckle. He told me the coaches at GSU were looking to pick up about 4 players from my team and to get a list of ballers. I had opportunities to go to other schools with much better football programs, but I knew football would end one day, and the relationships and connections I built in Atlanta would be far bigger and better.
So, me and 6, not “4”, of my UAB guys took a leap -ATL.
After a blessed & historical career at Georgia State, I earned my bachelors degree and pursued traveling international Sports and business. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a new “Digital Marketing” mentor that I realized I had been doing this all along. I realized that this was the way for me to impact businesses and increase their value with tools that worked. And what better way then where 60% of business is going – Online. So, I started to binge learn as much as I could on the modern intricacies and strategies of web presence development and customer acquisition. I learned how to spend $1 in ads and get back $4 in profit. I started to enjoy analyzing statistical data and designing high converting funnels. Now, with this new knowledge and existing grit, I decided to build an agency of digital-savvy go-getters that could join me in helping as many businesses as possible.
We set a goal this year to take at least 15 businesses into the “Digital Age.” We want to build and update web presences so that a legitimate business can be found by legitimate customers on any channel.
The journey has been all but easy; yet, each experience has helped build a foundation for my growth and success.
My Motto: “All Roads Lead to Paradise”; No matter what, we always end up exactly where we are meant to be.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve never met anyone with a smooth journey.
We’ve all been denied, homeless or beaten up by life.
Life is a constant struggle – the best thing for me has been becoming comfortable in the struggle. I’ve found that the more that we focus on the struggle, the less we take action for our triumphs.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Local Objective – Growth Marketing – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The Local Objective is a Growth Marketing Agency that has been designed to enhance small and medium-sized businesses with small and medium-sized budgets. We understand the social landscape and want to help business owners get their products or services in front of their audience. We do this for business at just about any stage of life. We specialize in Digital Advertising and customer acquisition but we also build websites, analytics, graphics, and email marketing campaigns. Whether a business is looking for branding, acquisition or development, we have tools and knowledge to take just about any business to the next level.
We’re different than other Marketing Agencies in three key ways:
1) We work hands-on with our clients beyond just marketing. We help to enhance their sales process, we set strategies in place that foster long-term brand loyalty. We can even help with business models.
2) Our team is small and lean; this allows us to cater directly with our clients instead of the big agency “lunch line.” When you work with us, you have a dedicated team that’s ready for an ever-changing industry.
3) We take pride in being the first to know about updates in tech, strategies, and platforms that are constantly growing daily. Our campaigns are always being optimized, so modern-futuristic tools are essential.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I love and hate about Atlanta is the same – The Hustle.
This city knows how to hustle, to where it almost becomes contagious.
But that same energy also drives in more and more people from all over – creating an overcrowded melting pot.
Yet, this same hustle has been the reason for the birth of so many inventions and ideas.
Pricing:
- Free Marketing Blueprint & Growth Guide
- 20% Off All services (Voyage ATL Readers only)
- Half Off any Website Design (Until Dec.)
- $0 Ad Campaign Setup Fee (Voyage ATL Readers only)
Contact Info:
- Website: TheLocalObjective.com
- Phone: (480) 999-4934
- Email: Hello@TheLocalObjective.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/TheLocalObjective
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TheLocalObj
- Other: https://www.thelocalobjective.com/GrowthGuide
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
