Hidden Gems: Meet Rob Palowitz of PALO Creative®

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Palowitz. He and his team shared their story with us below:

Rob Palowitz is the founder, owner, president, and CEO of PALO Creative, a digital marketing and advertising agency in Youngstown, Ohio. With over 32 years of experience in marketing, advertising, design, broadcast media, and digital development, Rob brings a wealth of knowledge to his agency. 

Throughout his career, Rob has been involved in mergers and acquisitions, both as a buyer and a seller, playing a pivotal role in growing the PALO brand. With 24 years of experience running his own business and starting other ventures as a managing partner, Rob embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and understands the challenges and rewards of building successful enterprises. 

Rob’s story started before the inception of PALO Creative in 1999 when he spent over eight years working for two of the largest direct mail marketing companies in their respective industries. This hands-on experience provided him with valuable insights and expertise across various roles from design, desktop publishing, marketing, and web development to customer service and delivery of a premium service. 

Beyond his agency work, Rob has a strong presence in the media industry. He hosted his own live talk radio show on iHeart Radio 570WKBN AM and had a TV show on a FOX Network affiliate for over a decade. In 2011, he co-hosted the only Shale and Energy Show on live radio in the NE Ohio corridor, educating listeners about oil and gas exploration. 

Rob’s passion for sharing his knowledge extends to presenting at local and national trade shows on marketing, digital marketing, creative design, and multi-channel marketing. He has contributed to “The Multi-Channel Merchant” magazine and has lectured at seminars for The Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber, the Raymond John Wean Foundation, and SCORE, focusing on marketing, social media, and branding. 

Rob’s dedication to supporting local businesses and non-profits is evident in his actions. He emphasizes the importance of keeping things local by utilizing local vendors and suppliers whenever possible. PALO Creative also provides pro bono work, discounted services, and work at cost to assist non-profits in spreading their message and making a positive impact on the community. 

With a humble beginning in the basement of his home, Rob Palowitz started PALO Creative in 1999, providing direct mailers and catalog creative services. Over the past two decades, PALO Creative has emerged as a leading agency, growing despite global adversity and serving clients in creating purposeful marketing collateral that adds value and drives growth. 

Rob’s commitment to creating authentic relationships and serving clients’ best interests remains unwavering. He continues to lead PALO Creative to new heights in the ever-evolving marketing landscape, navigating all the latest trends and marketing sophistication to drive economic growth. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been numerous struggles, as it is not easy to start and run a business. Most people only think of all the positive sides of things. There are so many stressful elements to running a business. Things like just having enough funding to start the business, using personal savings to lending from the bank, as well as enough to keep growing with revenue and additional funding. Finding and hiring good people that are a good fit with the same work ethic you have. Pricing, trying to account for all the expenses you have but still be competitive. All the hidden costs with taxes, insurance, and fees. There is a lot! 

Then, not being able to account for the uncontrollable factors that happen in life. For example, all the events with scares of Y2K, 911, new technology with iPhones and apps, natural disasters, 2008 recession, COVID-19, politics, and now another recession. We’ve seen it all. We persevere and stay focused. It is tough to maintain a team that is always dedicated and committed to being part of the inspiring journey to participate in our growth. Avoiding shiny objects and distractions that occur is always a challenge. 

All these things are things you just deal with when running a business. You keep grinding and showing up. That’s it. And on top of all that, on a personal level, I had a short battle with cancer back in September of 2007. What happens to us all makes us stronger. The alternative to that is not an option. Keep working through things the best you can, and you will get through it. 

As you know, we’re big fans of PALO Creative®. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a dedicated and service-centric advertising agency that delivers detailed and transparent, strategically integrated marketing plans. We provide high-end creative concepts in all digital and traditional advertising channels. Our marketing and development team will build sophisticated campaigns with paid search, social media, video content, blogs, email marketing, ABM marketing, SEO, influencer marketing, OTT, streaming, and display to name a few. 

While coordinating this campaign to perform and deliver the best in impressions and frequency with traditional channels like direct mail, TV, radio, and billboards. 

We have been a HubSpot Partner since 2017 and are known for building websites with their CMS Hub, marketing using their Marketing Hub, and building sales enablement with their Sales Hub (CRM). 

What do you think about luck?
Well, I think luck is in the eyes of the beholder, to a degree. Meaning how each individual perceives or interprets it, as well as reacts to what happens to them, will define whether it is good or bad luck. The way you think and what you aspire to be can help build the luck that may result from that train of thought. The way you carry yourself, the facial expression you have, how you treat others, and the way you think all make your luck. I do my best to always be optimistic and positive. That way my mood is best set to think that any luck that happens to me will result in me still being successful. Good luck or bad luck, it is still luck that you have to turn into something you want to achieve. It all lies in your perspective of turning all that happens to you into an opportunity. 

Pricing:

• We develop specific campaigns for our clients that range from $1,500 per month to $50,000 per month.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.palocreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palocreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PALOCreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/palocreative
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/palocreative
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Palocreative
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@palocreative