We’re joined by Travis McAshan for today’s conversation. Travis is the founder and CEO of the award-winning digital creative agency Glide Design, which he started in 2003. After over twenty years in the industry, he’s come to feel a little bit stuck working in his business rather than on it—which is an incredibly common problem for agency owners.
Travis has been in this industry for so long that it can be hard to let go and to let someone else’s vision lead the way. He describes himself as extroverted and extremely goal driven. His priorities, whether it’s at work or at home, are often made into a checklist to ensure it gets done.
One of the reasons Travis created Glide is because he was sick of having a boss. He realized he needed to figure out what he wanted his life to be like and create the right professional role around that. Leaving his job to start anew was terrifying, but he left with enough experience to get started on his entrepreneurial journey.
Traditional marketing methods are starting to fail in today’s landscape, and certain tactics are now much less effective. Video formats, podcasts, and social media are rising in importance. Simultaneously, Travis sees sales and marketing merging together.
Potential buyers also expect a lot more connection with the professionals they are looking to buy from or work with. They also have higher expectations for transparency. This is translating to a shift in what clients are approaching the agency for.
Travis sees organic search as the golden goose in marketing. It’s a long game, but it always pays off. That’s not to say that there’s not a place for pay-per-click, especially for clients looking for a quick uptick. Whatever you decide to offer as an agency, it’s competitive, so you had better be good at it.
The primary service they offer at Glide is web design. They pride themselves on being mission-driven and having made significant commitments to environmental causes. Travis acknowledges that working with purpose-led businesses is not a niche. However, it does inform the type of businesses they seek to connect with.
Working with good people with good causes makes his day-to-day work life more enjoyable. Getting to know the core values of potential clients can help you decide if they are the right fit and help you build meaningful relationships with them. These are also points to focus on when hiring new team members.
Two of their core values at Glide are “love what you do” and “better every day”—two ideas that really work together hand in hand. Core values are values that you keep, even when it hurts. Knowing what you’re about as a business and sticking to that can guide you through even the most difficult situations.
Travis set out to create amazing websites, deliver results with competent changes, and create raving fans. But the end result is a much bigger vision—he’s built a business that he actually enjoys working in with people he enjoys working with.
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