We Started a Business with 0 Dollars!

The brand ‘Connective Pros’ was a very simple idea in 2014. Our small team offered very basic services and our online traction was extremely low. Connective Pros did not have an expansive budget when we commenced our operations. Our consultancy services have been strongly supported by qualified professionals, who have always expressed their willingness to provide advice for free. This rapport with respected professionals stems from years of fostering positive relationships. We encourage new connections with professionals who are willing to help others. While some may not be able to afford paid services, our wish is that each person has the opportunity to learn something new, once they interact with our team.

Fast-forward to 2020 through commitment, hard work and sacrifice, we enjoy the excitement of having several leads, and monthly conversions as we work tirelessly to expand our online presence. We now offer a sleuth of personal and commercial branding solutions. Our primary target for commercial branding is small or medium businesses who are in search of a professional online identity. Our personal branding services can apply to any person who may be a job seeker, an entrepreneur or even an activist battling an important issue. Our client list has steadily grown over the last eighteen months and every opportunity has been a journey.

The last six-years have led us to some amazing opportunities to work with people from a variety of national, regional and international backgrounds. We had the opportunity to work 100% remotely on a website that promoted sailing tours through the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. We corresponded with a team in the United States as we sifted through several images and text content to revamp their existing website. We then worked with a translator in Germany to have the website presented in German. These international opportunities came to us through a consistent online presence and constantly discussing our business passionately with others.

The question is, how did we get here? How did a core team of two professionals start a brand that allowed them to meet and interact with professionals around the world? A few months ago, a resident in Miami, Florida contacted us to revise her résumé with specific instructions on the style, length and content. She was very keen on utilizing our services. She was thankful for the four (4) day period we were able to complete the scope of work. Two years ago, we did not think that these opportunities would be on our doorstep. This post is to give you an idea of how we took our brand from one step to the next, and how we managed to reach a fair level of consistency.

Initial Investment = Time

Connective Pros started without an initial investment. The dream was to utilize free media in the first instance to gain valuable organic traction. We would promote our services in conjunction with several commemorative and public holidays across the Caribbean region. Our team did its best to produce content that was fun and relatable. Producing content for Social Media has always been a challenge, but we strongly believed that we had a duty to show up. A brand such as ours in a saturated market can only differentiate itself by producing consistent content that was informative, useful and at times entertaining. We even encouraged media houses to send us press releases to feature them within our network.

In retrospect, it may have been wise to kick start our brand with a marketing investment, but like any budding entrepreneur, there is always an inherent fear that your idea may not flourish. Instead, the team explored software online that was free to use. These software programmes were used synergistically with others, to create content that appeared professionally done. This included stock images, photo, video and text editors that when used collectively, started to drive traction and small

online conversations about the brand Connective Pros. Connective Pros did not receive any significant income in its first year of operations. It was fresh, new, and customers were trying to grasp the concept of free advice with no obligation to utilize our service. In essence, we always wanted to help.

Main Business

Our most popular personal branding service is the development of Résumés and Cover Letters for professionals. This service was one of the first services offered and has gained remarkable popularity within our client base. We are often recommended through word of mouth, and there is no need to advertise this service extensively, as it has created its own domino effect. At times, we may be reconstructing 3-4 résumés per month depending upon the demand for these services. Clients are surprised by the huge benefit of free reviews, as they receive compressive feedback on the changes they can make on their own, without directly contracting us for further work.

Social Media Management is the most popular commercial branding service among small to medium businesses. They leap at the opportunity of having a professional presence online without the excessive cost they may receive from reputable Ad Agencies. Connective Pros fundamentally believes that the way forward for any business is to maintain a consistent online presence so that their online audience can be well informed of their services. Social Media pages also serve as a reference to current in-store specials and promotions.

Events

We established a presence by hosting three events. It was not easy. Our first two events had a handful of people. We however benefited from brand awareness. Following each event, we found that there was an increased interest in what we do and how we do it. As we hosted each event, our level of conversion increased among those who were interested. Events are a great way of building your credibility. To host these events, we leveraged our network and utilized the initial funds earned by the brand. Despite the lack of financial resources, we ensured that the event was executed with professionalism.

Firstly, we co-hosted an event with Bricksdale Legal. At this event, we shared information on Corporate Governance and Local Business Registration. Secondly, we hosted our independent event with Ms. Nicola Barriteau, a media mogul that shared insight on her experience working in the field of Journalism and Media. At the time she was the Head of News at one of local television stations. Finally, we hosted our most successful event with ‘Shala’ a radio personality and Social Media Influencer, who shared practical insight on Social Media use and how it helped propel her career forward.

Diversify

As with any good business model the team at Connective Pros seeks to diversity our solutions so that we can offer new products and services to our valuable network. We are now collaborating with Cyberline, an Information Technology Company that offers technological solutions for both individuals and businesses. The company has similar values, where they are open to providing consultations for free so that interested clients have the benefit of finding out more about products and services before they make a purchase.

We recently launched our Connective Pros Affiliate Programme, that allows the average person who has an interest in Digital Marketing to gain valuable remote work experience. They are given the responsibility of promoting the Connective Pros brand. Once an affiliate lands a successful sale of a service, they are automatically paid. To join the affiliate programme, there is no application fee. Each applicant must fill out a Google Form so that our team can screen each person to ensure that they are the right fit for the programme.

Our team is also working on a Résumé E-Book. This book is meant to be a practical guide to anyone who has an interest in learning how to craft the perfect résumé. This focus on creating additional products that can be accessed by anyone around the world is definitely a direction we would like to take our brand. We want as many people to take advantage of the information we have available. We believe that the résumé is a good foundation for any professional, whether you are a job seeker, entrepreneur or consultant. It is a personal marketing document that can be used to propel your brand regardless of your profession or goal in life.

Network

The brand Connective Pros is still growing and we anticipate that it will be a force to reckon with once we continue with an insatiable appetite for learning and growth. Our success can only be attributed to our willingness to make and foster valuable connections with experienced and qualified professionals. These professionals are not easy to find. The cream of the crop is often caught up in the corporate rate race, lending their expertise to organizations that also continue to grow and prosper. We seek professionals who have a will to make a difference in the lives of our clients by lending their knowledge at an affordable rate.

To this day, we continue to network, converse and keep the interest of our professionals. In the difficult times that currently face us, our network has saved us. We are working twice as hard and the volume of work has increased. Every day we are championing the workload and getting through each task with patience and resilience. We continue to be passionate about what we do because we understand that our network must continue to be satisfied with the quality of our work. The value of name in every social circle is very important to us. The domino effect of having one recommendation leading to the next is taking shape!

The purpose of this blog post is to encourage everyone that there is potential to create a business, simply with an internet connection and a laptop. This is how Connective Pros was born. We did not start on any substantial capital but rather reinvested as we captured new clients. In the beginning, we were very intimidated and we were faced with heavy criticism. However, we took the criticism in great stride. We reflected on the comments and improved where we could!

Starting a consultancy brand is not easy. You have to make yourself available. You have to offer superior customer service and constantly communicate with your clients. The hours are long and sometimes the tasks can be intensive! However, when you have a team that commits to quality the rest seems to fall into place. We encourage everyone to visit our website to find out more about the branding solutions we offer. Trust us! There Is something on our website for you!

Our Connective Pros team offers several business solutions in Public Relations, Marketing, Media and Communications. When we provide tools to you, we want you to understand the most effective methods on how to use them. We want you to receive the best mileage from every product or service that you purchase from us. If you are still unsure you can always contact us via connectivepros@gmail.com and we will happy to provide you with additional details on all our services.

Did you hear about our Connective Pros Affiliate Programme? You can sell our products and services on your Social Media platforms for a commission. Apply now by clicking here!