Connect with Derek on social:
I’m a paid advertising and digital marketing guru who likes craft beer, video games, and playing music. I used to play in metal bands, and I’m looking forward to teaching my kids how to play when they get old enough. I’m always looking to expand my knowledge, and I’m always on the hunt for delicious food and craft brews.
Cool! We have a few questions…
What jobs did you have before you landed where you are today?
- Salad Maker at The German Gasthaus
- Supervisor at Taco Bell
- Supervisor at UPS
- Supervisor at Gamestop
- Route Manager at Trugreen
- Marketing Bitch at VOLT Lighting (Where I started my internet journey)
- Various Agencies
- Various Startups
What do you wish outsiders knew about your industry?
Paid advertising isn’t a silver bullet that’ll save a failing business. Businesses themselves actually have the best advantage when it comes to creating the most successful campaigns.
What’s the #1 question clients or customers ask you?
“How much should I spend?”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
Perfectionism is the enemy. I allowed perfectionism to hinder me to the point where I never released a product I could’ve back in 2013. My perfectionism caused me to never launch, and someone else ended up doing it and making a killing doing it.
What’s one book, podcast, series, or movie you’d recommend…and why?
I hate to sound cliché, but Dale Carnegie’s books have been the most impactful reads I’ve found.
What’s one way the SOCO community has shaped your life?
SOCO has shown me there is a community of like-minded, progressive people here. Being around people who have similar interests and all seem to be striving to live our best lives keeps me motivated.
What improvement do you hope to see in your own life in the next 12 months?
I’m hoping to finish building out my business. I’ve evolved it and changed my agency over the years, and I haven’t been able to really scale up as a result. I think I’m closer than ever before, but I want to get things in scale mode within the next year.