Today we’d like to introduce you to John Young.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Yellow Springs, OH working on my family’s farm, Young’s Jersey Dairy. As a fourth-generation family member, I did everything on the farm from picking up golf balls, dipping ice cream, waiting on customers, and fixing divot marks on the driving range. But what I loved most about working at the farm was marketing, specifically building websites and the very early stages of digital marketing. We built our first website in 1997 when I was in high school and still helped with other marketing efforts when I graduated high school and went on to college to be become an elementary school teacher.
After I graduated, I substitute-taught in and around Columbus for a few years and realized that teaching was no longer my passion. I was still working part-time for Young’s Dairy and asked my dad (current CEO/Chief Ice Cream Dipper) if I could work more full-time while still living in Columbus with my wife (who was a public-school teacher at the time). He suggested I start a business helping other small businesses with their digital marketing like I’ve done for Young’s over the years. In 2010, I did exactly that, starting Shout It Out Design with one client and have built it up to 120+ with my amazing team of 6 who all work remotely all over the country.
I’ve gone a bit full circle and now am CIEIO (Chief Imagination Executive Internet + Otherwise /Head of Marketing) at Young’s Dairy now that the third generation is starting to look towards retirement while still maintaining my role of CEO at Shout It Out Design. I love both of my jobs very much and the people we get to help every day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mostly smooth – but lots of interesting learning opportunities throughout the years. Clients we should have said no to, challenges of bringing on staff, especially when I didn’t intend to have a team when I started the business. Figuring out pricing issues and client communication challenges. Nothing egregious (yet!)
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Shout It Out Design, LLC?
We are a digital marketing agency that works specifically with small to medium businesses all over. We help our clients Be Seen, Be Heard, and Be Found online through great customer service and outstanding expertise from our team.
When I started the business, it was out of the hope to help the small business owners understand their digital marketing efforts and what they should expect from a partner like us. But what we’ve come to find is that a lot of small business owners don’t understand what these services should cost and the results that should match those costs. We’ve taken on clients that were paying 2x-3x times what those services should cost and with much worse communication and collaboration from their former partners.
We provide a range of digital marketing services – website design, content creation, local search & SEO, email marketing, social media marketing and paid digital advertising.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
When I started the business, I didn’t want to be an agency. I wanted to build 15-20 websites a year and just do that. But my dad convinced me to start and keep relationships with our clients as an ongoing partner and that was really the thing that makes a difference between us and a lot of other website design firms. Our average client has been with us for over 5 years, and I have 4 full time employees with 2 other part time employees to help manage all of our clients’ digital marketing needs that have grown from just website design/maintenance to a growing list of services that we provide to our clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shoutitoutdesign.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/shoutitoutdesign
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shout-it-out-design/
