Introducing the Next Generation of Business
Written By SARA SHAKE
Photographed by JULIA ARIELLE COX
Styling by ANTHONY BERMUDEZ
Location BROWARD COUNTY MAIN LIBRARY
Whether you realize it or not, there’s a generational battle being fought in the business community. In one corner is the Old School, a group characterized by years of experience in their given field and a penchant for doing things the way they’ve always been done. Standing across from them is the New School, known for their unbridled drive, knack for digital communication, and occasional, if not constant, know-it-all attitudes. Among the bookshelves of the Broward County Main Library, five self-identified members of the New School talk pitching clients that are Old School, the advantage of being underestimated, and why your email address is making you look old.
Hillary Smith, 34
Koncept Events
Like many start-ups, Koncept Events began with two laptops at a dining room table. Partners Hillary Smith (The Visionary) and Angie Nelson (The Wizard) knew there was a need for a company that would appeal not only to a more progressive, hip crowd of attendees and consumers, but also provide an alternative to the stale ideas their competitors were presenting to clients at the time.
As a hybrid event management agency, Koncept Events offers a vast suite of services including destination management, event design, product launches, and experiential events.
Smith recounts her initial challenges as a new business owner: “We started the business in 2007, right before the economy crashed in 2008. While we were lean from an overhead standpoint, we were viewed as too young, too new, and too much of a risk by the Fortune 500 and 100 clients that we were used to working with. All we had was our passion and energy to get up and keep trying.”
From there, the agency grew, through working with clients such as Nike, Cover Girl, Apple, and Google, to an 11,000-square-foot loft-style space with more than 22 full-time employees. And where was the manual for success as a startup? “There aren’t many advisors or mentors out there who want to share all of their hard-earned advice with the newbies, so this is very much a learn-as-you-go type of life,” Smith says. “No one maps anything out for you.”
When it comes to outpitching her peers, Smith cited tireless energy, uncensored thinking, and the knowledge of technology over her competition. “Our more senior competition hasn’t quite grasped the importance and impact that social media has on a growing business in today’s world. This is fine with us. Our clients seem to be getting younger and younger and the Internet is where they go to connect with our brand.”
While running a growing young company might make most apprehensive, Smith is confident in Koncept Events’ vision and aptitude.
“We have no fear. We trust our intuition and our gut. We know we can accomplish anything together.”
Matt Harper, 34
WebDiner
“TMatt Harper studies quantum physics in his downtime. He sees a lost client as an opportunity to improve. Matt Harper is shaping his own destiny.
Realizing early on that the Internet would be key to his future success, Harper started coding in high school and had his first business well on its way by age 19. Along with his partner Shae Strachan, Harper continued to develop that entrepreneurial spirit with a highly profitable fake ID business for students at the University of Miami.
When they decided to “go legit,” as Harper put it, the duo collaborated on multiple projects before creating their latest venture, WebDiner, which provides custom website design, social media integration, and branded marketing specifically for clients in the restaurant industry. Surprisingly though, there are still business owners that resist the idea that websites and social media are a necessity in today’s business landscape. “Some business people start the conversation with, I’m Old School, but really people are just afraid of what they don’t understand. Older generations need us more than they care to admit,” says Harper.
Whereas some view youth as a disadvantage, Harper disagrees. “I feel I’m at an advantage because I haven’t had the opportunity to be corrupted by people’s poor communication skills and negative mindsets. Today I’m 34, and still choose to surround myself with positive people who share my core values.”
And those core values include celebrating even the small successes. “When we lower the threshold of success, we can start to find success in small victories, like presenting a thoughtful solution to a client, or submitting an impressive proposal,” he says. “By retraining ourselves to define what success is, we set the stage for continued and larger success.”
With hundreds of clients throughout the nation, Harper looks to take WebDiner international by the end of 2014. His strategy for pitching new business is simple: be sincere and listen. “You can tell a lot about someone’s fears, anxieties, and desires when you shut up, stay present, and listen. I take their emotions and their needs and use it as fuel to create my desired outcome with them.”
Another characteristic of the New School that Harper adds thoughtfully is his willingness to work with a client rather than just brushing them off. “What would happen if we decided to take this opportunity to help better these people instead of ignoring them simply because they don’t understand the value we can bring to the table? In giving is where we receive.”
Joshua Miller, 31
C&I Studios
“W“As young business owners, we’re not satisfied with where we’re at now; we know this isn’t it,” says Joshua Miller on the common thread among young entrepreneurs. A self-proclaimed “uncreative,” Miller is typically depicted as the mastermind behind FAT Village phenomenon C&I Studios. According to Miller, however, he doesn’t just want to be known for throwing awesome ArtWalk events; he wants to be known for producing inspiring art to reach Humanity 2.0 — the humanity that’s just a little better than that regular old humanity. In addition to multiple shoots, projects, and events per week, Miller enlists his team of 16 to donate their time to C&I Reach, a division of their company that produces photography and video shoots internationally to bring awareness and funds to benevolent organizations in need.
After all, that type of art is what C&I Studios specializes in: film, photography, audio production, and graphic design. And, no, they’re not just a coffee shop, although one happens to be next door.
In 2006, Miller began C&I Studios in Washington, D.C., and moved his agency to Fort Lauderdale in 2008. He has since worked with clients nationwide, including Maxim, Coca-Cola, and ESPN. Starting out, Miller’s age and ability were constantly questioned; it was something that he says pushed him to create projects that spoke for themselves. “Many times, we’ve been in meetings, and we’re not taken seriously until someone walks into our 6,000-square-foot studio or sees our work. We have to work really hard to break down age barriers in our industry.”
But sometimes being underestimated isn’t a bad thing. “We love to surprise people. And you can see it on their faces — the moment when you’ve shown someone something they weren’t expecting, and their attitude immediately shifts is the ultimate reward,” he says.
As for the future of C&I Studios, Miller is ready to focus on projects that matter, “In addition to all the client work, we have to stay committed to producing content that makes people think.”
Joey Belmont, 27
Belmont Investment Corp.
As the principal of Belmont Investment Corp. and Director of Leasing at Weston Leasing, 27-year-old Joey Belmont is responsible for more than 300,000 square feet of retail space. After getting into the real estate business at the age of 18, he’s no stranger to being the youngest man in the room, but he learned at an early age how to set the tone of a meeting.
“I always use my enthusiasm for the meeting to my advantage. I try to figure out what each party wants and make that happen,” Belmont says. “Youth works to my advantage in that respect. I try and get enthusiastic about the end result, and then I think they overlook the fact that they’re dealing with a twentysomething.”
And for the record, you won’t see Belmont sporting a skinny tie anytime soon. “I prefer a classic business look. In trying to use the opportunity that my father gave me, dressing in a suit and tie levels the playing field. When you show someone that you take every aspect into consideration, including your appearance, it communicates a different level of seriousness. It helps dictate the tone of the meeting and helps to get me in the business mindset.”
That business mindset has led to Belmont’s success in knowing where to find potential tenants and where to find real opinions about them. According to Belmont, young people have learned to do this much better than past generations.
“Real estate is very trend based and many people look to the past and what they have experienced in order to predict the future. Now, we are able to use the Internet as a tool to dig deeper and find information beyond just what the company wants you to see, which helps us to better analyze whether or not the concept will be successful in one of our centers.”
Having a healthy social life doesn’t hurt either, as Belmont describes his social pursuits at many times expose him to unique concepts that his older counterparts are less inclined to try — like a techno bowling alley, fusion restaurant, or fro-yo bars (who knew those were such a thing?).
Success in real estate requires risk, and Belmont isn’t afraid of it. Taking educated risk has positioned Belmont Investment Corp. as one of the leading commercial real estate groups in the Southeast. On defining success, Belmont added, “Success for me is remaining happy, innovative, and hungry while achieving my goals. I often reflect on my experiences and the experiences of my peers in an effort to identify ways to improve in the future.”
Sara Shake, 30
Exposed PR
I remember the days leading up to starting Exposed as some of the most gut-wrenching days of my life. I had quite literally walked out of a job where I was feeling overworked and underappreciated and spent the next 72 hours questioning whether or not I had what it took to start my own company.
With no formal agency experience aside from a yearlong stint at an automotive advertising firm, I set out to create the un-agency, a place where marketing jargon and public relations protocol didn’t exist. Getting our first client was easy — keeping them was another story. We had to play catch up to what I call the “double last name firms” to make sure that our results would measure up. Ultimately, we resonated with clients that understood and appreciated the advantages of us being the New Kid on the Block. They knew that we had something to prove, and so did I.
Four years later, Exposed PR is a thriving boutique public relations agency serving hospitality and lifestyle clients in South Florida and New York City.
When it comes to pitching against other agencies, I have always looked at our relative newness in business as a competitive advantage; we haven’t been stuck in the same routine for the past decade. Our focus is, and always will be, on the strength of the concepts we present. If we lose a client, I want to lose because we got out pitched, not because they’ve been filing annual reports longer than we have.
Still, even though I view my New School status as an advantage, I’m well aware that other companies see it as a liability. But that doesn’t bother me one bit.
It’s an interesting situation — companies that have been in business longer than us assume that we’re intimidated, when meanwhile I’m really thinking, “Dude, nice AOL email address.”
With that said, I realize it’s not about Exposed PR’s competition. Instead, our focus is on growing as a company and doing the best work possible for our clients.
Owning a creative business is like running down the street naked. Nothing else can make you feel so exposed. But in the end, when you’re client is celebrating that front-page placement, it’s all worthwhile.