Bret Talley

Bret Talley is an entrepreneur and business owner based in Florida (Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami area). He is the founder of Talley Digital Media which launched in 2012, and works with business owners and high profile individuals with digital marketing, to improve web presence, and Search Engine Optimization Services. Bret grew up in Pennsylvania, and has degrees in both Marketing and Information Technology from Penn State University. He has worked for several large media companies in both sales and management before he decided to launch his agency.

Where did the idea for Talley Digital Media come from?

Talley Digital Media was formed because I had a history in traditional media, and saw that the upcoming trend was heading towards internet marketing. Then, around 2009 became one of the early adopters to a lot of the new technologies that were starting to form around leveraging the internet to generate revenue, honing my skills at several companies in the digital space in sales and management until in 2012 Talley Digital Media was born

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I work a lot of hours. I think nowadays people just don’t want to put in the time to be successful. I have a daily and weekly plan of all the things I want to get done. Also I don’t waste a lot of time during business hours on things like scrolling through personal social media accounts, and I try to spend as much time talking to clients as possible.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I’ve always been pretty good at coming up with new ideas, and I feel like I have new business ideas almost every day. As I grew though, I’ve learned that to bring ideas to life, I need to slow down and not just run with every idea that I have. Making mistakes in business is expensive, and it is better to move slow at first to complete your idea and once all the details are in place then launch and move quickly.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Blockchain technology. Although still in its infancy, blockchain technology opens up worlds of possibilities and the growth pattern seems to be mirroring the adoption of the internet in the 90’s and 2000’s.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Perseverance. I think a lot of people just give up too soon. If you enjoy what you do and you keep going, you can normally find a way to be successful.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Family is way more important and business or friends.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

You don’t always have to try to be the biggest company. Everyone always wants to grow quickly which can add tons of expenses. Sometimes its better to be the best at what you do in your niche and concentrate on improving your product or service in order to generate more revenue.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Keep looking for new revenue streams. You should always be looking for new business opportunities and never get comfortable. If something doesn’t work, move on and try something else. Each brand doesn’t need to be Fortune 500 to be successful. Creating 4-6 mid-range business revenue streams can be a lot easier and less risky than having 1 large one.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Don’t give up. Believe in yourself and don’t give up. There will always be people trying to bring you down, and you need to avoid these people. Help others to become successful and you will be successful also.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Many business ideas don’t pan out. The key is to figure out which ones aren’t working, don’t spend too much time or money on them, and move on to other things that are working well.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

A VPN to encrypt network traffic helps give a little more piece of mind against having your data stolen.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

Company Of One: Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for Business, by Paul Jarvis which talks about growing an agency organically and providing better services instead of increasing expenses and costs.

What is your favorite quote?

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau