Step out of your business every couple weeks and separate yourself from anything operations related. Go somewhere where you can relax and focus. Think strategically about the direction of your company and what can be better.
John Hall is the CEO of Digital Talent Agents (DTA), a personal branding company that imagines and facilitates online publishing opportunities for niche experts by utilizing relationships with over 3,000 online publications. A true entrepreneur from the start, John purchased his first investment property at the age of 20, which he has expanded into a successful housing business. He worked for a prominent real estate development and financing company before going on to participate in deals with J.P. Morgan and GE Capital in a variety of different capacities; including development, equity investments, marketing and management. John has developed an expertise in personal branding, which includes digital public relations and social media marketing.
What are you working on right now?
I am currently running Digital Talent Agents, a company that helps people who are trying to develop more credibility and authority in the market place. Really, anyone who is looking to draw people to his or her personal brand or a company brand can benefit from the work we do at DTA. Our niche is getting clients published in reputable online publications.
Where did the idea for Digital Talent Agents come from?
I worked in the real estate industry for 6 years with big names like General Electric, J.P. Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway. I noticed that hidden inside these corporations were many brilliant thinkers and experts that nobody knew about. This got me thinking about how one becomes known as an expert. Usually this is done through some sort of media outlet. From there, I examined where the future of media outlets is heading: online publications and not print. People are reading on tablets and not opening the paper anymore. Hence, Digital Talent Agents was created as an innovative solution to help industry experts become known and respected in their niches.
What does your typical day look like?
Usually I get into work and catch-up on emails for the first couple hours. I browse entrepreneur and social media publications and catch up on industry news. Then I meet with each team leader to discuss strategies. After that, I usually have calls scheduled with potential partners, publications or clients.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Whenever I think of something, I always include actionable steps with which to implement that idea. Anybody can be an idea person, but actually making it happen is the challenge. When I think of an idea and determine the steps to implement, I know exactly what I have to do to get it done. It makes the ideas possible.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
That’s got to be social media. Yes, social media has been around for a while, but the time has come when we’re seeing concrete business strategies built around utilizing it. We now have a deeper understanding of how to leverage online relationships and to measure success. As more and more companies realize the influence that social media can have, we’re seeing entire businesses change their marketing strategies and even their marketing objectives.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
Blockbuster. Definitely. I hated going into work every day and it made me realize that I needed to find what I loved. I started in real estate and then at Digital Talent Agents. DTA doesn’t even feel like a job. I genuinely enjoy what I do, and I guess I have Blockbuster to thank for pushing me to find it.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
Invest in Apple and drink margaritas on the beach all day. I wish. I would probably focus on building a strong team before doing anything else. Ideas come and go, but if you get a solid team together, that’s where the success is. I read some statistic the other day that approximately 95% of the success of a startup is in the effectiveness of the first 5 employees. Wherever I read it, I believe it. Before going crazy working on ideas, I would concentrate on networking with people who could be great team members.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and would recommend everyone else do?
Step out of your business every couple weeks and separate yourself from anything operations related. Go somewhere where you can relax and focus. Think strategically about the direction of your company and what can be better.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Some people are implementers and some people are idea generators. I was thinking of how it would be great to have a site that connected these types of people. On the implementation side, it would be good to have background about how an individual has successfully launched an idea. I definitely see value in connecting these 2 types of people.
Tell us a secret.
I spelled my middle name wrong until I was 16. It’s Michael, by the way… not exactly a brain buster.
What are your three favorite online tools and what do you love about them?
- Compete.com: although the data is not exact, it gives you a good reference point when deciding reputable and popular sites to check out.
- Of course, all social media sites. I think networking is vital in the professional world, especially for entrepreneurs.
- Who Tweeted Me. I tweet with a lot of fellow entrepreneurs, business-minded professionals and publications like Young Entrepreneur and Under 30 CEO. I love that my Twitter network provides me with insights and feedback on ideas and articles. This is what social media is all about.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
To be honest, I wouldn’t offer a book recommendation. I have stopped reading books and instead read a lot of online publications. The value that I get from skimming through Zite in one morning outweighs any book that I have ever read. On Zite, I can read about 15 interviews from relevant leaders in the same time it takes to read a chapter in a book. The world is constantly changing and the way you keep up with the change is real-time knowledge.
What’s on your playlist?
Rascal Flatts, Dashboard, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and basically everything else. I’m that guy that plays a list that everybody says, “why is Tupac following Gavin DeGraw?”
If you weren’t working on Digital Talent Agents what would you be doing?
I would be expanding my real estate business. I loved everything about real estate, but when the idea for Digital Talent Agents came around, there was a new love of my life and I had to go with it.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
- Me, of course.
- Jeff Bullas is a social media and content marketing genius. He constantly posts new blogs with tips and tools that anyone interested in marketing should know.
- Entrepreneur Magazine has a huge following, which can lead to great connections. Plus, all of its articles are posted in case you miss one.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
Recently, my wife and I were packing for a trip and we left our suitcases open on the floor. When we came back in the room, our dog, who has been potty-trained for about 3 years, pooped in my suitcase. I’ve never received such a clear message of screw you for going to the beach and leaving someone home.
Who is your hero?
I’ve got many: my dad and mom and friends and co-workers who have overcome terrible things that have happened to them. Someone who would really stand out in the business world would be somebody who is successful but uses his or her success for good. Instead of always helping himself/herself, he/she would use success to help others.
What’s the definition of living a happy life?
A rich and happy life is achieving personal and professional success and then continuing to work because you enjoy it, not because you have to.
How do you balance your personal life and professional life?
I have a lovely wife at home, whom I need to make sure that I set aside time for. It is a hard thing to do and difficult for a marriage when you also love your work. The important thing to remember is to communicate and to set aside time for just us. We both love wine so we usually have wine nights in which we have a nice dinner and I don’t do any work. As for friends, I have 1 happy hour a week. It’s like medication for me and it helps me to blow off steam so I can work harder the next day.
Connect:
John Hall on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=15910336
John Hall on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JohnHallCOMO
John Hall on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-hall/24/aa9/16a
I’ve had a chance to work with John and the DTA team. They are marvelous people and they get substantive results. John is an all around great guy.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I would probably focus on building a strong team before doing anything else. Ideas come and go, but if you get a solid team together, that’s where the success is. I read some statistic the other day that approximately 95% of the success of a startup is in the effectiveness of the first 5 employees. Wherever I read it, I believe it. Before going crazy working on ideas, I would concentrate on networking with people who could be great team members. John Hall
Agree John, Its all about the TEAM!!