IAM698- Digital Strategist Crafts the Perfect Campaign for Her Clients

Larissa Uredi is a Digital Strategist currently living and working in Kansas City, MO. She loves mountain biking, running, and exploring and has an insatiable love for all things digital. Her creativity and intense curiosity are what drive and motivate her to find and craft the perfect campaign for her clients and she is a master at helping growing businesses organize, mobilize, and maximize their teams to start telling compelling stories. She is the CEO of No-Where Consultants and finds deep satisfaction in helping businesses and communities find their voice through strategic digital marketing and tools.

• CEO Hack: Utilising a bullet journal and giving myself some intentional thinking time
• CEO Nugget: Do the work and figure out who you want or don't to work with
• CEO Defined: Finding the right team and understanding how to get barriers out of their way

Website: http://www.no-where.net/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/nowhereconsultants
IG: https://www.instagram.com/nowhereconsultants/
Book Pre-Order Link: http://www.no-where.net/product/the-marketing-mindset-pre-order/

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[00:00:02.20] – Intro

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

[00:00:30.10] – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast. I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Larissa Yoretti of Nowhere Consultants. Larissa is awesome to have you on the show.

[00:00:39.79] – Larissa Uredi

Hi. Thanks. I'm excited to be here.

[00:00:41.60] – Gresham Harkless

Super excited to have you on. And before we jump in, I want to read a little bit more about Larissa so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Larissa is a digital strategist currently living and working in Kansas City, Missouri. She loves mountain biking, running, and exploring, and has an insatiable love for all things digital. Her creativity and intense curiosity are what drive and motivate her to find and craft the perfect campaigns for her clients, and she is a master at helping growing businesses organize, mobilize, and maximize their teams to start telling compelling stories. She's the CEO of Nowhere Consultants and finds deep satisfaction in helping businesses and communities find their voice through strategic digital marketing tools. Larissa, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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[00:01:23.50] – Larissa Uredi

I am. Let's do this.

[00:01:24.70] – Gresham Harkless

Let's do it. So to kick everything off, I wanted to rewind the clock a little bit and hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. We'll let you get started with your business.

[00:01:33.59] – Larissa Uredi

Sure. So, Nowhere came about kind of in a funny way. It was actually originally a technical consulting company that was owned by my business partner, and, that was around two thousand twelve or so. So fast forward to two thousand fifteen, he and I had actually just finished a big, like, travel thing around Europe and, you know, been doing a lot of, you know, just sort of, like, soul searching intro and introspection, and we just sort of had to answer the question, like, what do we wanna do with ourselves when we get back? And so I think we were standing on the street corner in Corsica, and, you know, I was kinda like, what am I doing with my life? You know, I didn't wanna go back necessarily to working for somebody.

You know, I've been exploring some different job options, and it just wasn't feeling right. And so, you know, we we sat down, we talked about it. We said, like, hey, you know, let me see if I could, you know, buy nowhere from you or or take this over, and let's see what we can do with it kind of my own. Right? Put my money where my mouth is because I think a lot of entrepreneurs, you know, always feel like if you have that drive, you know, you feel like you can do it better, than many people you're working for. And so it was like, well, let's see if I'm right. So, so that was two thousand fifteen. And, and, yeah, it's just kinda been you know, it's been a journey ever since. So, we just really kinda need to change some things up and get a new handle and stuff.

[00:02:54.00] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. It makes so much sense. I always say a lot of times, you know, whenever you're an entrepreneur and you you kinda have that ego, so to speak, where you're like, okay, I I wanna create this and build this to be better, and and I know some things that I can do to kinda tweak it. And then, of course, you have to have that balancing act because you also have to have when you have your team and everything, make sure that that, you know, you don't have too much ego because you wanna make sure that you're not trying to do too much as well too. So it's a fine balance in that.

[00:03:19.00] – Larissa Uredi

Yeah. Absolutely. And, you know, it comes down to, you know, if you have the vision for it, right, or you have this, you know, desire to do something. But then, you know, does that mean, do you know how to get out of your way, right, and be able to get in your team's way and not make it, you know, like you said about you necessarily, but more about, like, you know, how do we drive this thing forward, you know. And that's the kind of stuff that I think is what can blindside CEOs sometimes or at least, you know, new entrepreneurs is that they think it's gonna be, you know, about all this freedom and you end up, like, working, you know, a hundred and twenty hours to try and build something because you just have to put so much energy into that system before it starts to sustain itself. And so yeah. It's it's cool. But, you know, if you have the constitution for it, it's fun.

[00:03:59.59] – Gresham Harkless

Exactly. Yeah. It definitely has to have makeup for it, and you're absolutely right when I think that sometimes there's a misconception about what exactly it is or what exactly that looks like. But I think that's why so many people say, you know, you don't necessarily have to love what you do, but it's so probably important for you to love what you do just because it takes so much work, that you have to put in to kinda get it going.

[00:04:20.60] – Larissa Uredi
So I'm able to pursue it at least.

[00:04:22.19] – Gresham Harkless

Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. So I know you got your business up and running. So can you tell us a little bit more about it, what you're doing with your clients?

[00:04:28.89] – Larissa Uredi

Yeah. So, we are primarily a digital strategy company, although we have started to shift and embrace, I should say, our consultant's hats. You know, and there's sort of a misconception that nobody likes consultants. But at the end of the day, you know, what we try and provide is we come in and say, okay, you know, people come to us and they're like, we want more leads, we want more traffic, or, you know, do you know anything about SEO? And it's like, well, sure. You know, but let's sit down and define what that means for you. Let's figure out where your head is at. Let's make sure you've got the right mindset to be in business.

And then let us help you, like, harness your strengths, right, and figure out what that is. And then, you know, get serious about who you're talking to, who your audience is, and then let's go find them, right, in a meaningful way and produce some content that's smart and sharp. You know, so we do provide a lot of those done for you services that are, you know, sort of the full spectrum. Right? You know, but something that we've started to lean into and realized that we're good at is helping people get their heads around what it means to market and run a business. And so, you know, I don't know if I'm gonna call that a pivot necessarily, but I think it's something that sets us apart from a lot of the, you know, typical agency things, you know, where it's like, yeah, here's your account manager, and they're gonna run some ads, and here's your nice little report. It's like, well, cool. That's fine.

But, you know, if the person if the customer doesn't understand the value of what's being provided and they don't necessarily understand the intricacies of a true return on that investment, right, outside of just how many, you know, new cold emails they get on their sign up list, like, we just have found that that to be not as satisfactory of an experience for anybody, ourselves included.

[00:06:02.80] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. And then it makes so much sense. I appreciate you for for breaking that down because I think, that kinda I guess, if you were speaking to more of that foundational piece, is not sometimes cultivated. So I don't wanna say it doesn't matter how many leads or opportunities you get, but to some degree, a lot of businesses, a lot of business owners may not never necessarily know what direction they're going. They might self-sabotage themselves. There are so many things that happen if you don't take care of them or pay attention to them in the very beginning.

[00:06:28.89] – Larissa Uredi

And Yeah. And, oftentimes, you know, we get in there and we find out that, you know, one, they don't have a great handle on what business they're currently doing. Right? They don't know where they stand. They don't know their numbers. They're not super comfortable with that. They probably you know, they they may not have the right team in place. And so even if we were to blow up their inbox or their phone or, you know, whatever their medium of choices for new clients, they wouldn't know what to do with them if they got them.

And so, you know, and so we've just tried to we have been finding ourselves more and more trying to step into that role of helping people understand, like, hey. This is the kind of growth that you will experience when you work with us, and this is what you need to be prepared for. And if you're not, we can help you get there. Mhmm. You know, either through referring the right resource or just, you know, sitting down and talking through some of that mindset, and, you know, practical shifts that have to happen internally to make that work. So

[00:07:13.10] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. And I think so many people, especially when they start a business or they have an idea, sometimes you gloss over that aspect of the business. And like, you know, you said and, you know, I've been touching on as well too that that foundational piece is so important. That mindset piece can kind of make or break you depending on, what and where that's at. So, I know you touched on, your secret sauce. Did you have anything else that might be added to your secret sauce or things that you feel kinda sets you apart in your organizational part?

[00:07:43.80] – Larissa Uredi

I think that it's really just, it sounds a little bit cheesy, but, like, you know, we really do get into the weeds with our customers. Right? Like, we get down and dirty with understanding their business, and so to that extent, we do become an extension of their team or we become that missing piece of their team. And so I think that that, you know, it's easy to say, but, it's something that, you know, over the years we've just found is a necessity. Right? You have to understand the market. You have to understand your client's ideal customer. You have to know those things to be able to run and do those things effectively if you don't have an inside resource, you know, within the company to help you sort of, you know, fast track some of that.

And a lot of the businesses that we end up working with, you know, have never been asked those questions before. They've never had to think about that stuff. And so, you know, I think it's our willingness to roll up our sleeves and get dirty and understand markets that we're not inherently, you know, familiar with. Right? And, you know, really get our heads around that and then apply sort of our, you know, creative problem-solving skills to be able to sit down and say, okay. You know?

We're not because we're the naive expert. Right? Because we're now this outside source, what objectively can we provide that maybe this business owner would never have thought of and what's a way to reach, you know, their market in a new and refreshing way, you know, through all the sorts of typical levers that you're gonna pull. Right? And so I think it is just our willingness to get in there and and and understand it, you know, sort of regardless of what industry they're in. We work with a lot of not-sexy industries. You know, so it's like we are not like, but we do a good job of getting inside the heads of the consumer and the customers and trying to figure out what they're after.

[00:09:23.60] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. So, I wanted to switch gears a little bit, and, I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So that could be like an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what do you feel kinda sets you apart and makes you or what do you feel, is something that you feel makes you more efficient?

[00:09:37.89] – Larissa Uredi

So, I should become their poster child, but I'm not. But, like, I live and die by my bullet journal. I have tried every single thing. Right? And, like, all of it. I mean, pick a thing. Right? You know? This timer and that this thing, and I'm like, nothing worked as effectively for me, and it's something that, like, I get off track with that. And if I, you know, misplace it or if I can't sit down, I don't and I stop making that time for myself. Like, everything just kinda starts to implode. And so I have, you know, sort of against my inclinations, you know, found that the value of sitting down with a pen and paper, you know, every day and going through some of that, you know, process. Right? And figuring out, you know, what's on my list? What can I, you know and giving myself that time to that intentional thinking time, has been critical, setting down what you think. Yeah. Because I think that I mean, it gets overlooked. So

[00:10:44.50] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. You're right. So, I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So that could be, like, a word of wisdom or piece of advice, could be around, digital marketing or storytelling, or it might be something you would tell a client or or maybe your younger business self.

[00:10:58.79] – Larissa Uredi

Oh, man. If I could tell my younger business self anything, and I think this goes for clients too, it is do the work to figure out who you want to work with and who you're speaking to. And that sounds easier said than done. Right? And and and and, honestly, a lot of it, you're not gonna be able to get done until you kinda throw yourself in there and figure out who you don't wanna work with, right, or what you don't wanna do. Do. But it is it cannot be overstated that, like, putting that time and attention into not just who your target audience is. Right? But, like, what do you value? What do you love to do? What do you love to talk about? You know? And it goes beyond passion. Right? It's, you know, what are you good at? Right? What's your zone of genius? All those kinds of things. Sit down and do that work and continue to do that work.

[00:11:41.20] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. And stick to it. So yeah. Because it's ultimately what you want. You just have to sometimes make those, pivots and difficult decisions in order to make that happen. So, I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're open to having different quote-unquote CEOs on this show. So, Larissa, what does being a CEO mean to you?

[00:12:01.00] – Larissa Uredi

So that is, that is a great question and one that, I think is also sort of an evolution. I think I used to think that being a CEO was being in control and, in charge quote unquote. And I have found that it is actually not the case. For me being the CEO is about leadership and it is about vision, but it is about both internally having that, you know, sort of self-guidance. But being a CEO is really about finding the right team to surround yourself with and then understanding how to remove barriers for them. And so I think it really is, you know, chief executive officer or whatever sounds super fancy. Right? But it is more about, you know, being that person that has the ability and the foresight to remove barriers and get out of the way, but then it's about getting that team out in front of you and saying, okay. You guys struggle with that. Right? And I'll go do something else.

[00:12:55.79] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. No. That's extremely powerful.

[00:12:58.29] – Larissa Uredi

I think the idea that everyone has a voice and a vote, is super important. You know? And, yes, that decision does sometimes fall on your shoulders to say, like, alright. You know, fuck stops here. And you have to be willing to do that. But at the same time, you know, it really is just about, like, how quickly can I get myself out of this role and into something into something else, right, onto something else? How do you constantly put yourself out of a job in your business?

[00:13:22.50] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Yeah. You kinda have to have that perspective and that mentality. And I think too, I don't know if you find this as well too, is that it's kinda like, you know, which you are and you start to attract. Because I know you start to begin with in the beginning about how important it is to kinda do that work and have that, perspective within yourself and then also within the organization itself. But when you have that within yourself, it also seems to attract somewhere people, not different, you know, different talents and interests and so on and so forth with the same type of people when you do that. Yeah.

[00:13:52.10] – Larissa Uredi

We tend to be, you know, intrinsically motivated or driven. Right? You know, who are looking for better and faster and more efficient ways to get things done and, you know, more effective ways of doing things and then, you know, and who have that drive to evolve. Right? So I think that really maybe that's what it is. Right? Is that being a CEO is all about personal and professional evolution Mhmm. And not so much about whose name is on what door and the title itself. You know? It's about, you know, being, yeah, being so in charge that you know when you don't have to manage something. Right?

[00:14:25.60] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, You can just walk away. Yeah. Being so in charge that you're out of charge if that.

[00:14:27.50] – Larissa Uredi

Exactly. Right. Right. Yeah. It's like being enough in control, you're not actually gonna have to control everything. Right?

[00:14:33.20] – Gresham Harkless

Exactly. Exactly. That's that's true piece for sure. So, Larissa, truly appreciate that perspective and that definition. What I wanted to do is passion the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you want to let our readers and listeners know, and of course, how best they can get a hold of you and find out about all the awesome things you're working on.

[00:14:49.50] – Larissa Uredi

Yeah. So I would invite everyone to check out our website. It is no dash where dot net, n o dash w h e r e dot net. We are, doing a good job or at least a much better job of sort of, you know, getting our own, successes and wins out there, as we've been evolving over the last, you know, five years. You know, so the latest and greatest is always there. And then, I am working on a book called The Mindset of Marketing, or I'm sorry, The Marketing Mindset rather that, that I'm looking forward to getting, released here coming up in the next couple of months. So basically, just talks about some of the things, you know, that we've learned over the years about how to effectively grow and market your business, by starting, you know, internally and sort of checking in with yourself and saying, you know, what does this mean to me and then what do I need to do?

Where does my head need to be for this to be successful? So that when you do hire somebody or decide to take that in-house, you have a really good barometer for, you know, what works, what doesn't, and how to know the difference. So keep an eye out for that. We will be putting some information up on our social channels, as well as our website as that becomes more of a reality.

[00:15:55.10] – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Well, definitely appreciate that, Larissa. We will have the links and information in the show notes just so that everybody can follow-up with you and and connect with you, via social media and and, of course, the website. And I truly appreciate you for obviously creating that playbook. I think so many times, people are trying to figure out how best to kinda navigate their marketing, trying to figure out how to understand exactly who they're trying to target. And I definitely appreciate you for creating that and working on that as well too.

[00:16:18.70] – Larissa Uredi

Mhmm.

[00:16:19.10] – Gresham Harkless

So, I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

[00:16:22.29] – Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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