Young Small Business Specialist Implementing Strategies For Generation X

At just the age of 28, Sophie Giakoumidis has already helped numerous business owners change their life through digital transformation and implementation of simple processes. Having a digital marketing background, Giakoumidis has taken this experience of working with business owners to assist the day-to-day running of service based companies. Attending conferences and seminars in the United States and touring Europe in December, this Gen Y is teaching old dogs new tricks.

Soyou’re basically a business coach, right?

“When someone says business coach, I just think of failed business owners (no offence) who try and make a living by motivating other businesses to make the same mistakes as they did. Sorry that was rude – I guess the main difference between us/me and a business coach is I look at the owner/manager/directors current situation (and I mean ENTIRE situation), staff, assets, profit and loss statements, family life, background, future prospects, barriers and build a strategy on that. Business coaches generally work on a model or have a one size fits all solution. You need to get to know your clients and everything about them so you can make a judgement on the approach to take. Everything is bespoke, measured and monitored on our end so we can try to get the best outcome for everyone within that business.

You’re 28 and you’re dealing with people double or triple your age has that been a problem?

“The feedback I’ve always received is that clients are impressed by my age and experience. We are living in a time where digital dominates so they’d rather take advice from a 28 year old as opposed to someone who’s experience doesn’t span across that domain.”

You’ve never owned your own business, why should these clients trust you

“Our bread and butter is online marketing so clients contact us when they need to generate more customers through search engine marketing, social media or whatever. The process we go through in order to understand each business is extensive, we invest a lot of time learning about the client and their goals in order to get them what they’re after. Working with them during this process and building a relationship where they rely on the work we do in order to make a living builds the trust. This is how we got started with the business optimisation side of things. It makes sense to not only generate customers but to assist businesses in winning them over, retaining them and ensuring they have the right staffing, processes and systems in place to manage them. Working in an agency environment also means I’ve dealt with so many different businesses, models, personalities so even though I’ve never owned a business, I feel as though I’m part of many!”

So to all the business owners out there, any final words of wisdom?

“Ha. I often deal business owners in the same situation. Over worked, stressed and feeling like they can’t take a day off or the business can’t run without them. Unfortunately it’s probably true and in order to get out of that rut and making the business worth something for the future, you need to let go and take steps back. Obviously don’t just not turn up to work but talk to someone who has done it you’ll see it’s the best decision they ever made. Small steps.