Why I productized my expertise
Building software and tools for small businesses
I've always been driven by a deep desire to solve complex problems and make a meaningful impact. My journey has been anything but linear, and my advice not very conventional. But there is one thing I have always stood on, not being a slave to social media. As I embraced my Internet Intolerance over the last few years and retreated to quietly serving clients through VIP days and agency work, I started to notice that I was still renting my brain out to the highest bidder.
I had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients and thoroughly enjoyed the work, but a recurring pattern emerged. Every single time I finished a VIP day the question was always: “Who’s going to execute on this?” and it wasn’t going to be me.
There just wasn’t enough brain power to go around, so in July of 2022 I filed for a trademark and started working on Copy Hero Ai, a prompt-free Ai software for small business marketing. I trained the model, created the tools, worked with my in-house designer to create the user interface, wasted thousandsssss on developers, and finally taught myself how to build platforms on no-code software.
Fast forward a year later, I became a tech founder and turned my expertise into a tech product that was available 24/7, 365. We went into beta October of 2023 and exited beta this summer.
We served 500 users without using my name, creating any social media content with my face on it, activating my lists or network. Why? Because I wanted to prove to myself and others that building a business is about solving problems for your customer, not making the best content or being the most charismatic.
I became addicted to solving problems and filling gaps with tech and started looking for other inefficient systems and processes I could build software around.
Then boom, I saw an opportunity to streamline client work. As an agency owner and service provider, I was over the unnecessary tech stack with different tools to handle payments, communication, project management, team management, deliverables, etc.
I, with my own carpal-tunnel infused hands, designed and built an agency platform tailored specifically to decrease the tech stack of agency owners, while giving clients one place to manage their project deliverables.
I productized my VIP day and now, I’m productizing my marketing services with platform #2: Villa - the all-inclusive marketing subscription for founders.
Execution is exhausting in business and having money to hire a team doesn’t magically make it easier. Vetting and managing a team is a full-time job - all for you to still end up being the marketing brain in your business.
Here's what you get when you step into your Villa:
Unlimited Projects and Tasks: No need to worry about scope creep or additional fees. We work on one project at a time and you can request anything from a logo to a Black Friday Strategy to clips from a podcast.
Dedicated Marketing Manager: Your personal point of contact who understands your brand and goals.
Monthly Planning Call: Stay aligned with your marketing strategy through regular check-ins and planning sessions to help you maximize your subscription.
Chat Support: Get quick answers and updates whenever you need them inside the app.
Additional Users: Collaborate seamlessly with your team by adding them to the platform. No need to create another Slack channel, project board or go back and forth on email.
Why Choose Villa?
Expertise: I’ve spent the last 3 years building and training an agency team that has created marketing assets for small businesses and Fortune 500s.
Flexibility: Scale your marketing efforts up or down as needed without the hassle of onboarding or letting go of team members.
Cost-Effective: Get a full marketing department at a fraction of the cost of building an in-house team without any long term contracts.
(If you’re interested in learning more, plans start at $1000/month. Click here to learn how it works.)
It’s crazy to have gone from working in tech and startups for majority of my career to now, building tech as an entrepreneur. I wanted to turn my knowledge into a product that could help more people, faster, and at a price that wouldn't break the bank. Plus, I think that being tech-enabled with a proprietary tool will also help us when it comes to funding and eventually exiting.
While I don’t plan on being the next Steve Jobs, I do plan on creating a portfolio of tools to make my life easier as an entrepreneur and serve my clients in the best way possible.
Let me know your questions and happy to answer them in a podcast or in the comments below.