Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Sonnenberg.
Hi Ryan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I grew up, I have had an entrepreneurial spirit. My family and friends can recall me running around the house putting SKU’s on anything and everything in sight and coercing them to play “store.” As an early adopter of marketing principles, data analytics, and my ‘hand-drawn signs”, I quickly learned that in order to be successful I had to keep my head down, study hard and ask all the questions in the world. My entrepreneurial, people-loving spirit is what guides me to this very day.
I have always been a creative type – helping business create a moment in time for their clients while tell complex stories in a compelling, heart-wrenching way that drives business value and creates a true conversation. It all started with #LifeAt, a tag-team storytelling campaign that brought viewers to the heart of companies all across the world who utilize technology at their core. Those companies ranged from Harry’s, Schoolhouse Electric, iP2, and American Hotel Register. My career then grew to film and produce international videos from Canada to Japan and even coordinating remote video shoots on boats in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. I have produced stories with the world’s largest brands conferences in the world, including SXSW, SAP Sapphire, and Adobe Summit. I have had the fortune of teaching marketers around the world how to tell a better story and to make the impossible possible.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing is ever a totally smooth road. The biggest challenge for any business owner or project owner is getting the buy-in for a project or idea. I remember when I was very first starting my business, meeting with other companies and realizing that they are trying to do the best they can the same as I was while making a true impact. I remember working with a marketer from a partner we were working with, who told me point blank that this project was a make or break for her career and that she went all in on an activation we were designing. That’s a lot of pressure for a small organization like mine to take on, but I am fortunate to have an incredible team of partners and supporters who help push projects like that forward.
One of the other struggles I have found as an entrepreneur with a full-time job is managing the 9-5 while growing your own business and the constantly managing expectations on two fronts. Then you have the added worry of cash flow with your business while watching executives make decisions you wouldn’t choose to make. It shows a true disconnect between someone who works for a large organization and the struggles of entrepreneurship.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My company helps brands create a moment in time for their customers or clients. We’re your local agency, we know the areas we work, we thrive in the communities, and we engage with the citizens in an authentically genuine way. We specialize in social media, content development, strategy planning, video and photography work as a larger part of our portfolio.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The biggest quality I have seen in my relationships is trust and communication. Without creating a foundation of trust between two companies, you can’t get into the weeds and understand what a client truly wants. Without communication, you can’t understand the direction a client may want to go with their projects.
Contact Info:
- Email: business@ryansonnenberg.com
- Website: www.ryansonnenberg.com
- Instagram: ryantsonnenberg
Image Credits:
Weston Carls, westoncarls.com
