Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Richter.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jonathan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Similar to many entrepreneurs and startup founders, my formal education and background is in a totally different area than the services my company offers today. From classical guitarist to a scholar of Chinese culture to tech entrepreneur, I’ve been fortunate to live, interact, and work with incredible people of diverse backgrounds all over the world. Along the way, the unique skillset and invaluable professional experience I acquired profoundly shape who I am today.
Prior to entering the tech space, I received my Master of Arts (M.A.) focused in Music (ethnomusicology) from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and received several grants for Chinese language and culture studies (FLAS). During my time at UHM, I learned various world instruments, performed in the Chinese Ensemble, and Co-founded the Ethnomusicology Association, where I served as the Activities Coordinator.
While enrolled at UHM, I received the Fulbright China scholarship (2012-13) – an experience that completely changed my life. During my grant period, I lived in a remote village and conducted extensive independent research in rural China (Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces) focusing on the music and culture of the Nuosu Yi ethnic minority group. Today, I manage a custom software development and consulting company called Winnona Partners based in Decatur and am also a private classical guitar teacher.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When we first started our company, we were in our mid-twenties with no app development experience, no prior experience building a business, and no money (I mean $0). Everything we needed to do we had to find a way to do it for free, or for as little money as possible. Although our first app didn’t succeed from a monetization standpoint, we learned how to create extremely advanced systems, invaluable marketing skills, and the hard truths about app development and business in general. Eventually, we began building apps and tools for other businesses and individuals that topped the App Store and received national media attention.
Even after our business starting gaining traction, I continued to work in a coffee shop to make ends meet for several years before things were really stable. That means waking up at 5:30 am, working a full shift until noon, and then working until at least 7-8 pm on a regular basis. There was a two year period where I don’t think I took a single “day off”. Thankfully, the hard work is paying off and our team is applying these life lessons daily to help our clients reach their goals!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Winnona Partners – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
For over six years, our team has implemented expert strategies and delivered high-quality software that has topped the App Store rankings, improved online conversions, and increased sales for small businesses. Our company founders are made up of friends who first met while attending Winnona Park Elementary School (hence our name, Winnona Partners). Although our higher education backgrounds are completely different, we came back together in our mid-20s and decided we never wanted to work for anyone else ever again.
Our role is to save people time and money with custom software integrations & innovations. We specialize in working closely with individuals to understand their business needs, and are prepared to deliver full web, mobile app, & management system development. We’re also proficient with location services, server management, UI/UX design, SEO, & worldwide app store optimization. Whether you want to cut costs by automating your business operations or focus on revenue growth strategies, Winnona Partners is an affordable technology team dedicated to help your project succeed.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
One thing we’re really excited about is content marketing. I’m prioritizing our blog articles and working on high-quality content that will help our website and our clients’ websites top organic search results on Google. It’s a long term strategy but is extremely rewarding. Imagine never paying for Google Ads ever again!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.winnonapartners.com/
- Phone: 6788704408
- Email: contact@winnonapartners.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winnonapartners/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winnonapartners/
- Other: https://resources.winnonapartners.com/how-to-create-an-app-free-pdf-the-essential-guide-to-developing-successful-mobile-apps-for-ios-android-web/
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