Samit Patel and his team have helped raise over $31M for their clients through platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Their mission is to launch businesses to market successfully, specifically products and consumer electronics.
What was a major challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
I graduated in 2009, during a pretty terrible economic climate. I hopped from business to business early on, in industries such as travel, women’s cosmetology, and social media. It was a rocky path at times. One of my business partners kicked me out of the company as soon as it began to grow. Later on, he tried suing me. I learned a lot from the experience. I was pretty naive at the time and didn’t worry about signing contracts, trusting that everything would work out on its own. Now I’m very conscious of not just doing whatever draws my attention, but focusing on the small details that can make or break a business.
What has surprised you most about running your own business?
It never ends. The demands don’t stop; they just change as your company grows. You always have to keep evolving as those demands change. Since I run a marketing agency, I have to constantly educate myself on every social platform. Platforms constantly change algorithms and add new features, so I have to be aware of everything that could impact my clients.
Do you have any advice for others looking to do what you’ve done?
Start your business as a side hustle. That way you have the stability and income of a regular job, while still getting to experiment with the projects you’re passionate about. It’s easier to take risks and finance your other projects if you also have a regular job.
Be sure to follow Samit on Instagram and Twitter and check out his website