MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur

What Does MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur Talk About?

In this episode of the Mads Singers Management Podcast, host Mads Singers interviews John Vuong, a former Yellow Pages veteran who transitioned into the world of SEO and digital marketing. John shares his journey from the print advertising paradigm to the then-unknown realm of search engine optimization, emphasizing how his sales background gave him a unique edge in an industry often dominated by introverts. The conversation delves into the importance of consumer education in SEO, the necessity of delegation for agency owners, and the role of company culture in building a successful business. John's humility and openness about his early mistakes offer valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Consumer education in this space is key.John Vuong

Who Is Featured on MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur?

John Vuong is an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in Yellow Pages advertising before pivoting to SEO. He now runs a local SEO agency and is passionate about helping small business owners navigate the digital landscape. John's sales background has been instrumental in differentiating him from typical SEOs, allowing him to build strong client relationships and communicate complex concepts effectively. He is also a public speaker and podcaster, using these platforms to share his journey and insights.

What Are the Key Takeaways From MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur?

• A sales background can be a powerful differentiator in the SEO industry, as it helps build client relationships and communicate complex concepts.
• Delegation is crucial for small agency owners who are subject matter experts, as failure to delegate can lead to burnout and business stagnation.
• Consumer education is essential in SEO, as most clients do not want to understand the technical details but need to know the basics to trust the process.
• Public speaking and podcasting can build resilience and help entrepreneurs overcome fear of judgment.
• Company culture should be intentionally built around core values, and a business can be designed to reflect those values from the start.

I firmly believe you can build a company any way that you want to, as long as you are crystal clear on the culture that you are building that company on top of.Mads Singers

Is MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur Worth Listening To?

This episode is highly recommended for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to understand the transition from traditional to digital marketing. John Vuong's candid discussion of his mistakes and lessons learned provides practical insights that can save listeners time and money. The focus on delegation and company culture also makes it valuable for agency owners looking to scale their operations without losing their identity.

Who Should Listen to MSMP 90: John Vuong on Becoming an Entrepreneur?

• Small business owners exploring SEO
• Aspiring entrepreneurs
• Marketing professionals
• Agency owners

What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?

Yellow Pages was a dominant advertising paradigm for many small businesses for so many years and it worked well for many of them.  Put up an ad and the sales would roll in.

Today’s guest for the Mads Singers Management Podcast, John Vuong, lived in that universe for ten years before transitioning to the digital advertising world.  John really enjoyed working with small business owners and watching their journeys to build successful businesses.  He had a passion for helping them on that journey and hence when the paradigm began to shift away from Yellow Pages, he moved on to the then-unknown world of SEO.  

He didn’t let that lack of knowledge scare him.  He jumped in with both feet and made more than his fair share of mistakes.  But he says that his sales background really helped him in this new SEO world.  I noted that SEOs are not normally known for being social and gregarious and that a sales background could clearly be a differentiator in that space.

Something we both really agreed on was the importance of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.  This isn’t just important when dealing with clients you are trying to help, but also with employees, you are trying to delegate tasks to.  Failure to delegate in the SEO world will mean the death of a small agency, which I see far too often with owners who also happen to be subject matter experts.

John noted that a lot of his clients aren’t interested in understanding the black box that is SEO: that’s what they pay him to do.  But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t explain some basics to them.  “Consumer education in this space is key,” he noted.

We finished the episode by talking about the importance of company culture.  I firmly believe you can build a company any way that you want to, as long as you are crystal clear on the culture that you are building that company on top of.  

John’s humility and openness about his journey are encouraging for any of those who might be considering entrepreneurship.  Enjoy!

Key Learning Points:

1. John shares his motivation to get into SEO - 3:06

2. Mads talks about the trap of the subject matter expert - 4:32

3. John notes the necessary consumer education for SEO clients - 6:45

4. John discusses his early mistakes - 8:08

5. John talks about how public speaking and podcasting made him more resilient - 10:30

6. Mads shares how his inherent ability to read people got supercharged by DISC - 12:00

7. Mads notes that most SEOs lack EQ - 15:05

8. Mads affirms that you can build a business however you want to, around a culture that matters to you - 22:30

9. John talks about how his sales life prepared him for entrepreneurship - 30:30

Resources Mentioned:

1. Principles by Ray Dalio 
2. Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss

Connect with John Vuong

LinkedIn

Local SEO Search