Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Kepreotes.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
My name is Will, I am the head of Marketing at Next Gen Influence. We are an eCommerce growth agency that specializes in making highly targeted social media advertising systems that reliably and sustainably supercharges our client’s revenue.
My journey in this space started while I was a student at university struggling to find a balance between studying full time while also making a living. The answer to this situation in my eyes was to start an eCommerce business selling sunglasses. Starting, running and scaling this business allowed me to experience the highs and lows of building a brand, which taught me almost everything I know about the social media marketing and macro business principles that I apply to my clients businesses today.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
I have met many challenges along the way as I’m sure every business owner has. However, I am a big proponent of Richard Branson’s famous saying – “you don’t learn to walk by following rules, you learn by doing, and by falling over”. It is safe to say that the challenges I have faced along the way have undisputedly been my greatest learning experiences.
For example, when starting out , I was the sole investor of equity in my sunglasses business and I risked my own financial security for the purpose of testing methods, strategies and systems, which now form the basis of the robust strategy we use for our current clients. I was investing fairly high budgets into digital advertising and things could have gone very wrong. Nonetheless, it is my very firm view that if I had not taken the plunge and funded the testing of various strategies on my own business, I wouldn’t be speaking with you today.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
Most of the work our team does is for Direct to Consumer businesses, specifically within the fashion, jewellery, and beauty/cosmetic niches. We specialize in building highly targeted social media advertising systems that attract new customers and nurture existing ones.
The thing that sets us apart from our competitors is that we take a more holistic approach to social media advertising. While most ecommerce agencies focus on one channel to grow their clients (Facebook ads for example), we look at each client in a vacuum and tailor a strategy based on where we think their customers are most likely to convert. For example, if a client generally sells to a younger demographic, then Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat ads will most likely be the highest converting platforms. If they generally have an older customer base, then Facebook and twitter may also be tested. Our mantra however, is “assume nothing, test everything.”
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
I think it is important to define what success means to the individual as it will be different for everyone. Most importantly, you need to do what sets you on fire and the rest will follow. I truly believe that the most important ingredient for success is to do something that you love. Without this, the long nights, early morning, stressful times, and other roadblocks will be insurmountable. If you start with something you are passionate about, all of the bumps along the way will be far easier to overcome. I think it is also important to find something that the world needs or that will allow you to be of service to someone. If you focus on these areas as metrics for success, then I truly believe that other aspects of your life will fall into place.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
As I mentioned in my last answer, I think this is the most important starting point! Everyone’s definition of success and how it is measured will be different. For me, success is determined by how fulfilled I am in the key facets of my life. I would consider the key facets of my life to be the relationships I have, the freedom to live without financial constraints, and a feeling of being of service. Alternatively, someone may hold money, material objects, and clout in high esteem. If they are living a life in which all of these needs are being met, and they are truly happy, then in my eyes they are successful.
What’s next for you?
Next Gen Influence is at an exciting stage of growth and our goal for r 2021 is to continue helping ambitious DTC businesses scale using our advanced marketing strategies. As our company name suggests, we always strive to stay ahead of the curve and at the forefront of advertising and marketing strategies for ecommerce businesses. So this will mean harnessing the power of emerging technology social platforms to get the best results for our clients (both big and small).
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more.
If you want to connect, you can find me on most social media platforms by searching my name. Similarly, our company profiles are available on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn – we would love to connect! If you want to find out more about the work that the Next Gen Influence team does, you can head to www.nextgeninfluence.com.