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How a 31-Year Old Escaped His 9-5 to Build a $50K/Month Marketing Agency

2021 was the year Sean Cantu turned his back on the 9-5 grind.

As the head of customer success at a well-established tech company, Sean decided it was time to think bigger – so he parlayed his skills and experience and founded Welcome Home Social.

In 24 months, the digital marketing agency is now raking in $50,000 monthly, with a client list 50 strong.

Based in Austin, TX, Sean noticed local businesses in the trades (HVAC, contracting, plumbing, and electrical services) either didn’t have an online digital presence or had an inadequate one.

Nowadays, we all know when we need a plumber or an electrician, we search online for the best service provider near us.

Sean knew he could help these local services businesses establish a professional presence online and get found when local customers were searching for their services.

The first thing they needed? Websites.

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Last updated February 22, 2024 | 15 min read

With his leap from employee to entrepreneurial success, Sean turned a dream into a reality.

But it wasn’t a clear success from the start. He encountered multiple set-backs and faced challenging moments that made him want to give up.

This is the story of how he did it, pitfalls to avoid and a step-by-step guide for how you can do the same.

Capitalizing on Market Blind Spots in Home Services

That’s why, when founding Welcome Home Social, Sean started with white-label web design. But he had bigger plans in store.

To make a lasting impact, these businesses would need more – like a full digital marketing package. And Sean wanted Welcome Home Social to be the one-stop agency they’d turn to.

Honing in on websites gave Welcome Home Social the juice to get started. The lesson here is to identify a market need and quickly capitalize on it, while keeping your eye on future strategic growth.

While Welcome Home Social started with white-label website design, Sean had realized he was going to hit a wall without a broader range of digital marketing services.

Sean wasn't interested in trying to make quick money. He wanted to build something sustainable to keep growing and adapting over time.

But, as we know, there are often prickly thorns on the path to growth.

Income from one-off website design projects was good to get the agency started – but it was also unpredictable and short-lived. Websites, while essential, barely scratched the surface of what his clients really needed.

But Sean couldn’t afford to develop in-house solutions, and expanding services added complexity at a time where client retention was mission-critical.

Early Battles that Threatened the Future of Welcome Home Social

As demands grew and clients and prospects alike started asking for tools to track leads, analyze website visitor engagement, and more, Sean was at a crossroads.

Figuring out how to expand Welcome Home Social's offerings with a small agency’s limited resources became an urgent priority. Sean was determined to build on a streamlined, lean structure and planned to grow his team only once the time was right.

As you will see, these early struggles were not roadblocks. They were stepping stones on Welcome Home Social's path to success.

And it’s a path Sean can show you how to walk, too.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Sean adopted a strategy where he gradually introduced tools and services, rather than bombarding prospects and clients with everything all at once.

He also made sure that Welcome Social’s offering stayed laser-focused on the needs of small and medium businesses in home services.

Sounds simple, right? It’s a blueprint any agency can follow.

Here’s how to roll it out in five easy phases.

5 Simple Phases To Added Thousands in Monthly Recurring Revenue

Expanding services with limited financial resources are big hurdles for a small agency.

So for phase one, Sean started with a strategic shift in his sales approach.

Incorporating Vendasta’s Snapshot Report into prospecting was Sean’s first big move to transform his sales cycle, boost close rates, and work smarter (not harder).

Phase 1: Close the Deal Efficiently with Upsell Potential

Snapshot Report is an automated sales intelligence tool. In a click, it provides his sales team with unique data on a prospect's performance across social media, websites, advertising, and reviews.

“We use it religiously,” Sean says. “Generating the Snapshot Report is a fundamental step. It seamlessly aligns with our approach.”

The approach? Credible and diagnostic, rather than transactional and spammy. Trust-based selling also makes it easier for salespeople to increase basket size, retention rate, and revenue per client.

Hand in hand with the Snapshot Report, Sean also arms his sales team with Vendasta’s customizable pitch decks – the ‘Your million-dollar pitch deck for selling digital’ in particular. It creates an easy, clear path to upselling.

Ditch the generic sales approach with no actual data, credibility, or results.

Run a Snapshot Report for detailed analysis of prospects' online marketing performance.

Use Vendasta’s white-labeled pitch decks and other sales enablement collateral for focused, client-oriented sales presentations.

Speed up sales, which leads to shorter sales cycles and a clear path to upselling.

Next, Sean was ready to address expanding Welcome Social’s offering in a sustainable way.

To get it done, he leveraged Vendasta’s Marketplace, a hub with over 250 best-in-class digital solutions. Offering one-off websites became a thing of the past in favor of a recurring revenue model.

Phase 2: Establish Core Digital Marketing Foundations with High Margins

Tap into Vendasta’s Marketplace for accessing a variety of resellable digital solutions.

Maintain a high profit margin by reselling at the markup of your choosing.

Bundle services like Reputation Management, Local SEO, and Social Marketing to generate more recurring revenue per client.

Increased client retention and satisfaction by becoming their one-stop shop.

By reselling products and services like Reputation Management, Social Marketing, and Local SEO at marked-up rates, Sean maintained a healthy 50% gross margin.

Plus, these types of services increase client retention by an average of 47% since they require upkeep and engagement. They’re not one-and-dones.

“Vendasta’s Marketplace transformed the way we do business,” Sean says. “It allowed us to scale up our offerings and still enjoy great profit margins.”

Plus, many foundational solutions can be white-labeled under Welcome Home Social’s brand, beefing up their credibility and authority in the industry.

Moving into the next phase, Sean focused on stepping up client engagement at Welcome Home Social.

As clients enjoyed the fruits of Welcome Home Social’s labor and saw big increases to website traffic, Sean seized the opportunity to introduce more advanced tools, like Digital Ads and Constant Contact for email marketing.

Phase 3: Expand and Deepen Client Engagement

After seeing initial results, introduce the next set of tools like Digital Ads and Constant Contact to existing clients for deeper engagement.

Implement Visual Visitor for advanced insights into website visitor behavior.

To continue scaling services, manage fulfillment tasks using Vendasta’s white-label client app, branded for Welcome Home Social.

Add AI-enhanced solutions like automated review responses and content creation.

These tools not only helped in retaining existing clients but also opened doors for upselling.

Next, he rolled out Visual Visitor, a tool that tracks who's visiting websites and what they're up to, giving clients valuable marketing insights to improve their strategies.

Phase 4: Make Your Value Visible and Undeniable

The next challenge Sean tackled was making Welcome Home Social’s ROI and value crystal clear.

Sean knew showing results was key in his new recurring revenue business model. So, he started using tools like the Executive Report and Business App to prove his agency's impact.

The Executive Report was a game-changer. It gives clients a clear picture of how they’re doing – from new leads to website visits and social media. It’s fully automated, so there’s no manual data-entry and can be generated in seconds.

Sean used Executive Report to not only share results but also to build trust with his clients.

Business App, white-labled under Welcome Social’s branding, allowed clients to access a full view of their business, communications, and tasks in one place, under one login.

Sean's regular check-ins with clients, loaded with data from the Executive Report and facilitated through Business App, reassured clients about their marketing spend.

It also sparked talks about boosting their service levels and spending more money.

Implement the Executive Report for detailed proof of performance.

Regularly schedule client meetings to review data and demonstrate agency impact.

Use the Business App to facilitate ongoing communication and reporting.

Address client concerns and feedback during meetings, strengthening relationships.

Uses performance data to make tailored recommendations for enhancing online presence.

Phase 5: Lather, Rinse, Repeat

In the last phase, Sean stuck to what worked for Welcome Home Social. He kept refining and using his winning strategy for ongoing growth.

As you may have noticed, all of Sean's phases are connected, like pieces of a puzzle. Starting with solid sales, adding more services in waves, engaging clients more deeply, and showing off their ROI with reports.

Each step led smoothly into the next – and into a prosperous future for Welcome Home Social that you can achieve for your agency.

Effective Sales Strategy: Sean started with the Snapshot Report for data-driven sales conversations, setting the stage for strong client relationships.

Service Expansion: He used Vendasta’s Marketplace to broaden his service offerings, moving beyond basic web design to include a range of digital marketing solutions.

Deepening Client Engagement: Sean introduced advanced tools like Digital Ads and Visual Visitor, enhancing client interaction and offering more value.

Demonstrating Agency Impact: Regularly using the Executive Report and Business App, Sean showed clients the tangible results of their marketing efforts, cementing trust.

Repeat and Scale: By consistently applying these phases, Sean established a repeatable model for growth, proving that any agency can use this approach for sustained success.

Just two years in, and Welcome Home Social is a huge success.

Sean's smart moves, aided by Vendasta's platform and technology, turned his 9-5 exit into a booming digital marketing agency. His journey's all about growth and winning big.

$50K+ in Monthly Recurring Revenue

Sean steered Welcome Home Social to an impressive milestone: over $50,000 in monthly recurring revenue!

Much like the electricians and plumbers he serves, Sean completely renovated his agency’s profitability model and shifted it from one-off website gigs to a robust, scalable business model.

100% Client Retention Rate

Welcome Home Social’s 100% client retention rate is proof that Sean nailed phase four in his repeatable cycle and consistently demonstrates undeniable ROI and value to his clients.

This remarkable achievement also underscores the agency's commitment to client satisfaction and the high value of their service offerings.

50 New Clients Since Partnership

Since partnering with Vendasta, Welcome Home Social has expanded its client base significantly, adding 50 new clients.

Adding this many new accounts gives Sean a very strong foundation to work from.

It also shows just how much their influence and reputation have grown in the digital marketing world in a very short time and is proof that Sean’s strategy is truly scalable.

A Profitable Business Model that Just Keeps Scaling

Sean’s partnership with Vendasta was pivotal in transforming Welcome Home Social and reaching his dream.

He reshaped his agency from a basic service provider to a comprehensive digital solutions hub. Sean's approach is a clear guide for agencies aiming for growth and long-term stability.

Sean reflects, “Vendasta’s platform has been a game-changer for my business. The variety of solutions and support have allowed me to scale Welcome Home Social and provide top-notch services to my clients.”

Sean's looking ahead, ready to grow Welcome Home Social even more and reach new clients in the trades. With Vendasta backing him up, Sean will keep his agency on the rise, no matter the challenges ahead.

Sean's strategy is a solid roadmap for any agency starting from scratch and looking to grow, stay strong, and achieve longevity.