1. Please introduce your business and share your role.

My name is Eric Rosenberg, I’m primarily a freelance writer focused on finance and technology. I also host podcasts, take on public speaking engagements, and consult with companies on how they can build their brand and improve their online presence.

2. What’s your backstory, what kind of challenges did you face, and how did you come up with your business idea?

If you ever told me in college or shortly after that I would ever be a writer for a living, I would have laughed at you. But here I am!

I started my career in banking after graduating from the University of Colorado with a degree in finance. After leaving the bank, I spent about a decade in corporate finance and accounting roles. I earned an MBA in finance full-time while working full-time to expand my career opportunities.

I had started a few smaller blogs in the past, and decided to start writing about personal finance in October 2008 at my blog that became Personal Profitability. Through connections made with others, namely at the FinCon conference, I learned how to turn my blog into a business and took on new freelance writing opportunities as a side hustle.

In April 2016, I was doing well enough that I decided to take the plunge into quitting my job and becoming a full-time freelancer. In the years since, I’ve written countless articles and grew my business by launching my content agency, Finance Media Experts.

3. How did you prepare for, and go about your launch? 

While I had a business degree, I knew little about online marketing and product launches when I started way back in 2008. I was lucky to build my business through personal connections, communities, and a reputation for creating high-quality content.

4. Since launching, what types of marketing campaigns and designs have worked best to attract and retain customers?

My best marketing tool is creating well-performing content that’s engaging and helpful. Many clients find me through existing work and reach out to me.

I also work to maintain a strong presence on social media and rank at the top of Google when anyone searches for my name. Living up to promises, meeting deadlines, and putting quality first help me maintain strong client relationships, many lasting for years.

5. What have been the most influential brands for your business? Whose branding and marketing do you aspire to and why?

Like anyone else in online business, I look up to others who have come before (and after) me. Pat Flynn, Darren Rowse, Chris Guillebeau, Ramit Sethi, and Tim Ferris all come to mind as influences and sources of inspiration for my work.

6. What are your favorite marketing platforms/tools?

I’m a computer nerd, so I like to build much of what I do myself using self-hosted solutions. WordPress is an essential part of every project I start, and I highly believe in owning your content and controlling your website completely rather than relying on third parties that could take down your site at any time.

I also look to major social media platforms and tools that help me reach my audience efficiently through a single interface.

7. Who or what inspires and motivates you?

I’m inspired by my many friends who have taken side hustles full-time and run their own businesses online. Thanks to attending many industry events, I have plenty of friends and acquaintances I can learn from and look to for inspiration.

And like many husbands and fathers, my family is a huge motivation to stay successful and run a business that offers flexibility to manage my schedule and work when I’m most productive rather than focusing on butt in chair time to placate a boss.

8. What are some lessons you’ve learned along the way that you would share with entrepreneurs hoping to launch or who have just launched? 

Focus on what works in your business and repeat. While I would have loved to build a massive online brand, Google had other plans for my websites. But thanks to detailed bookkeeping and accounting, I was able clearly find good trends and successes in my business, allowing me to become my own full-time boss.

For example, at one point, I realized my freelance business was outearning my blogs by a long shot, so I refocused my efforts on my freelance work. Then I realized that my writing was far more profitable per hour than website development, so again I shifted my focus. Since doing so, I’ve earned five figures nearly every month for the better part of a decade.

9. What do you believe are the qualities of a good entrepreneur? And what makes a team successful?

Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, with varying backgrounds and skillsets. If you want to succeed in business, it’s good to get educated in business fundamentals and have a personality where you can work without someone else watching over you.

Successful entrepreneurs should also know how to balance risk with potential payoffs, as there’s always a chance your next idea won’t work as well as planned.

Finally, every business owner should be comfortable with sales and marketing. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a salesperson, every entrepreneur is in sales. Without new clients and projects, your business will fizzle. 

10. Let us know where we can go to learn more! 

The best place to find quick links to all of my projects and social media accounts is eric.money. You can learn more about working with me at EricRosenberg.com. 
My blog about personal finance for entrepreneurs is Personal Profitability. I hope to connect with you online and grow our businesses together!