Meet Mark Cardwell

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mark Cardwell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mark below.

Alright, Mark thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

My business Cardwell Communications LLC is a full-service marketing consultancy that serves solopreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

I decided to focus on these groups after spending some time working in the evenings as a business plan instructor for a small Church based CDC in my hometown of Columbus Ohio. The program was 8 weeks long and assisted people that wanted to start a business and seek funding with learning how to write a business plan. The individuals in the classes were low-income and had many hurdles to overcome to realize their dreams of becoming business owners. Some were formerly incarcerated some were immigrants, some had no education past Highschool and some less. Most were people of color.

All of my adult life I’ve been involved in some type of community service. I was really able to live this intention out helping these amazing individuals with their business plans. For most of my professional life, I used my talent and skill in marketing to help corporations make money and those profits usually didn’t really improve anyone’s life except the bosses I guess. The experience I had at the CDC was the catalyst for me to create a marketing consultancy designed to help small business owners and nonprofit organizations with marketing plan development.

The individuals and organizations I serve often have the least marketing knowledge, skills, and the least financial ability to pay big ad agencies for professional marketing services.

My experience at the CDC showed me that if I put a curriculum together I could teach business owners what they needed to know to do marketing themselves. And my business began doing just that. I created a 10-week essentials of marketing planning course and quickly found interest from various business owners and non-profits.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I actually went to college for art and graduated with a BFA in Retail Advertising. However my junior year I took a required marketing class and absolutely loved it. I knew from that one class I wanted to be in the marketing industry. Upon graduation, I sought out and started an unpaid internship with a small advertising agency. I learned so much from that experience and while there I took extra marketing classes at another University in town. My career from there included time in radio and print media from there I became the marketing director for a local nonprofit arts organization and after that more time in marketing and communications for a large teaching hospital.

My best capability and interest in marketing has always been strategy development. Its always been how I created and added significant value back to my clients. Being able to think in a very strategic manner enabled me to design solid and effective campaigns for my clients. I focus on understanding my client’s big picture and their business objectives. What has set me apart as a marketer has always been my ability to design effective strategies that move business needles, not just look good but convert for the client.

What I am most proud of is the impact I have been able to have on the lives of the people I work with. Whether they are students taking my marketing course or clients receiving my consulting or coaching services…I believe our engagements have gone beyond just business and that in some way I’ve been an inspirational force, a mentor, an encourager, and an ally. I am proud that I’ve been blessed to play a role in the evolution of people that are becoming their best selves. It’s been my greatest honor.

It’s important to me that people understand my consultancy is different. That this consultancy cares and is not only concerned with their bottom line but that we care about our clients’ personal development as much as their business success.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

When I started my consultancy I had to do it part-time because my family needed the health insurance that a company could offer. I worked from 4 am to 11 am in a warehouse-type job because they offered health insurance and part-time hours. Sometimes I’d be so tired from the day’s work I could not do anything on my business. Over time I was able do more on my business and after almost 4 years I was able to leave the job and do my business full-time. I did this in my 50’s! I know it’s not easy BUT it can be done. I was frustrated many times, and exhausted often but I never gave up hope on my desire to run my own business…then with the acquisition of a key client I saw my chance and I jumped.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

So far the most effective strategy for growing clientele has been word of mouth. The people that take my courses often develop very strong personal and business connections with others in the cohort and they are the ones that share with others to check out our offerings. I am actually personally at capacity for clients and am looking to bring on additional consultants to help the business grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cardwellcom.com

• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cardwell777