{"id":2792,"date":"2018-08-10T09:44:23","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T09:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/?p=2792"},"modified":"2019-02-06T20:43:11","modified_gmt":"2019-02-06T20:43:11","slug":"interview-questions-for-sandy-gholston-founder-of-sg3-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/interview-questions-for-sandy-gholston-founder-of-sg3-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview Questions for Sandy Gholston Founder of SG3 Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Sandy has more than 20 years of award-winning professional experience, including: graphic design, journalism, marketing PR, public relations and media relations. A Ferris State University graduate, Sandy spent more than 10 years as an award-winning sports journalist, sports columnist, general columnist and page graphic designer. In addition to journalism experience, Sandy has 10 years of experience as a marketing and PR pro. His award-winning PR experience includes a successful social media campaign, as recognized by the West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h4><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2798\" src=\"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Sandy-Gholston-SG3-Communications-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"480\" \/><\/h4>\n<h4><b>Brand Profile<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>For those who do not know you; can you please introduce yourself? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My name is Sandy Gholston. My professional experience is diverse. I spent 10-plus years working at a newspaper as a sports writer, columnist, photographer and designer. I have 11 years of experience working first in marketing and then in public relations and social media at Ferris State University. I am also one of the radio announcers for several of our Ferris State sports (football, men\u2019s basketball, and women\u2019s basketball). I started my own business, SG3 Communications, in 2017.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>When was SG3 Communications? Tell us a little bit about your background. <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In July 2017, I decided to branch out into entrepreneurship when I established SG3 Communications, to provide businesses, especially small businesses, with Wall Street-caliber digital marketing services at Main Street prices. I see so many small businesses working hard to make ends meet. Some may not have the knowledge or skill to deliver critical digital marketing services. That\u2019s where I come in. With my experience, I knew I could provide high-caliber services small businesses need at prices they can afford.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>We noticed SG3 Communications is much more than just a digital media agency. Can you explain how SG3 Communications is different?<\/strong> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to many of the digital media services we offer, we also provide crisis communication services in case your businesses finds itself in a difficult situation with the public and\/or media. We can come in and help strategize to minimize damage to your brand. We can also come in, beforehand, and strategize about potential troubles that could be on the horizon to take a proactive approach. We can work on press releases for businesses that have big announcements that could be attractive to media. If you\u2019re unsure, let us know. When we\u2019re under contract, we\u2019re an experienced sounding board for your ideas. SG3 Communications is a partner, not just a set of services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Share about your 3 favorite Digital Marketing case studies. What did you like most about them?<\/strong> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of my favorites is Wendy\u2019s. I\u2019ve always been intrigued by its willingness to engage with its audience, real time. It takes a great deal of skill and quick thinking to pull this off without doing damage to your brand. The humor and sarcasm walks a fine line. But, so far, Wendy\u2019s has done well. Being a PR and social media manager, I was very intrigued by the approach and the strategy behind it. I studied the Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad issue. It was a compelling case of an idea that was perhaps well-intended but wasn\u2019t well-received. Another controversial one that caught my attention was the controversy surrounding the cover of Vogue that featured LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen. The cover was compared to popular images of King Kong and sparked racial issues that some people still remember, even though that happened in April 2008.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A small business owner or one-man marketing team can very easily get overwhelmed by all their social media accounts. What advice do you have to help keep them on track and involved, but not get lost in the depths of social networking? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My best simple advice is to understand your business, your market and what social media platforms would be best for you and your type of business. Second, you should understand what you can handle. Don\u2019t bite off more than what you can chew \u2013 especially if you\u2019re a one-person show, trying to do it all. Focus on quality rather than quantity with your social media platform choices. This is one of the reasons we\u2019re so adamant that small businesses should consider our services a positive investment. Trying to take on too much, or not having a strategic approach to your digital marketing, can be as bad, or worse, than not having a presence at all. In other words, not doing it right could actually damage your brand or business.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>My ComeUp Story<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>How did your journey get into providing digital media services get started? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It realized small businesses need and deserve access to high-caliber professional services, but at a cost that won\u2019t break the bank. I conducted months of research and did a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to determine the viability of my business. I knew I would face threats, but I focused on the strengths and opportunities. Those gave me the confidence to press forward. In that way, I\u2019m probably not all that different from many of the small businesses I serve, now, and I hope to help, in the future.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>How do you view the competitive landscape for SG3 Communications?<\/strong> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a great deal of competition out there. Because I\u2019m a digital marketing business, I can serve customers pretty much anywhere on the planet. We\u2019re all competing for some of the same businesses. Differentiating yourself, from the competition, is the challenge many businesses face, especially small businesses that are starting up. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How did you start believing in your own work<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? I actively sought feedback from the people I worked with. During the last two-plus decades, I\u2019ve networked with many professionals, including other small business owners. I had confidence in my ability to deliver a reliable product that businesses can believe in because we back up our efforts with metric to show the value of our work.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> What made you really to want launch and to carve out a niche for SG3 Communications? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I believed in the services that I can offer. Starting a business can be scary. The challenge can be daunting. But, anything worth having is worth working for. None of us are getting any younger. We should all strive to do the best we can in the limited time we have. One wish is that I started sooner.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started SG3 Communications? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The old saying from the excellent 1989 film \u201cField of Dreams\u201d is that \u201cif you build it, he will come.\u201d This is partially true. Building it is one part. But, after you build it, you have to sell your product \u2013 figuratively and literally. You have to be willing to step in front of people and push what you have to offer \u2013 almost to the point of being annoying, but without crossing the line of annoyance. Don\u2019t be afraid to show what you have to offer. Believe in yourself. Believe in what you have to offer. Trust your instincts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Breaking into the digital media services industry isn\u2019t an easy feat. What advice would you give young people looking to form their own companies? Marketing tips? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t skimp on your research. Reach out to others who have started businesses. If you can communicate with people who have started similar businesses, that would be even better. Research if there\u2019s a market for your product, what your competition will be, what you need to get started, what your realistic goals are going to be and how you will market your businesses to the audiences you need to reach. Depending on the type of business, you\u2019ll need to research how you will fund the business, what licenses you will need, your taxes, etc. There\u2019s a lot to digest. But, the reward for a successful business makes the work worth it. So, the single biggest piece of advice: Don\u2019t be afraid of your own potential for success.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Tell us about a time you were faced with insurmountable odds, yet persevered to overcome? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breaking into digital marketing is a challenge. In many cases, you have to show people why they need your services, how your services can elevate their business to a higher level. I prepared myself for how long it might take to line up my first client. But, it\u2019s still a challenge when you\u2019re working hard and you\u2019re trying to get that first person to come on board. I didn\u2019t allow doubts to creep in. I made sure to keep my eyes on the prize, as the saying goes. Landing my first major client was gratifying, but that\u2019s when the real work begins. One of my favorite quotes comes from Frederick Douglass, \u201cIf there is no struggle, there is no progress.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>My Daily Behind the Scenes<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Where do you find your inspiration? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I find inspiration in people who overcome so many life challenges and do so with an amazingly positive attitude. Like many others, I\u2019ve overcome challenges. I see us all as overcomers. We can let the triumph of others inspire us to overcome obstacles and to push ahead to the rewards that are calling us.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is your role in the company now? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am the founder and CEO. All new business starts with me. Depending on the project, others on our team are brought in to assist. For example, we have a digital media specialist that works on video projects. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And how involved are you in the day-to-day and overall operations? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re a small shop, so I have my hand in everything.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is one thing you do when you&#8217;re feeling stuck creatively?<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I read and research. I always tell people I never feel bored. There\u2019s too much to do and too much to learn.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>My Now<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Is it fair to assume that an award-winning firm like SG3 Communications works with clients with large budgets? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We work with businesses with budgets that are large, small and somewhere in between. Annually, SG3 Communications takes on one to two clients, pro bono, to help small businesses that may not be of great financial means and\/or are just starting up. Small, medium, and large, we\u2019ll work with you. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What happens when SME\u2019s and newly established outfits approach SG3 Communications? Do you turn them away? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We offer free consultations to businesses interested in our services or more information about our services. We do this, in part, to determine if this is a good fit for SG3 Communications and for the client. We don\u2019t automatically turn people away. The significant part is that I have a team of people I can call on to work on projects. I\u2019m not putting any limits on SG3 Communications.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside SG3 Communications of course, who else do you think is doing good things in the digital marketing industry right now? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of my good friends, Luke Wyckoff, does a great job with his business, Social Media Energy, based in Denver, Colorado. He is one of the people I\u2019ve talked to, extensively, as I worked to establish SG3 Communications. Another person I\u2019ve worked with, in the past, who is doing great things, is Keisha Reynolds, who runs K&amp;R Communications, based in Norfolk, Virginia.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>My Future<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What would you like to achieve before the end of 2018? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now, we have slots open for clients. SG3 Communications is seeking to fill our open slots with clients interested in strengthening their brands\/businesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What&#8217;s one dream you&#8217;ve achieved that you&#8217;re most proud of and why? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting my company is one of the biggest goals I\u2019ve had come true. We\u2019re still hustling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your teenage self? <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time is precious. Don\u2019t waste it. Make every moment count.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Sandy has more than 20 years of award-winning professional experience, including: graphic design, journalism, marketing PR, public relations and media relations. A Ferris State University graduate, Sandy spent more than 10 years as an award-winning sports journalist, sports columnist, general columnist and page graphic designer. In addition to journalism experience, Sandy has 10 years of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[134,1,2,5],"tags":[69],"class_list":["post-2792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-hodge-podge","category-interviews","category-featured-businesses","tag-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2792"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2965,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792\/revisions\/2965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillpatron.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}