Enterprenuer
Mark Whitman is a serial entrepreneur. He has been a serial entrepreneur and has scaled up, sold, and founded several businesses.
He is the current CEO and Founder at Contentellect. This agency specializes in productized content marketing.
Contentellect was launched in 2018 and focuses on the fundamental elements of successful websites: Quality Content and Powerful Links.
Mark is also the founder of Mountain IQ, a booking platform for adventure travel.
What is the story of Contentellect?
Before Contentellect, I managed an extensive portfolio of content websites.
A large team of editors and writers is necessary to scale content websites.
It is also essential to have streamlined processes and systems for keyword research, editing, publishing, and writing tasks.
Because people were always asking me how I created great content at scale, I knew there was significant demand for quality SEO content.
Contentellect was a natural step since I had all the necessary ingredients.
How do you stay productive?
I usually get up between 06:30-07:00. My baby boy is my priority in the morning.
I then get to work around 9:00. I work remotely, so there is no commute.
My days are mostly filled with sales calls and meetings with my management team.
These calls are usually done in the morning. Slack is another great tool for me to chat with my team.
Slack is an excellent tool for collaboration as we have more than 100 people within our company.
My wife often brings me snacks, but I don’t take breaks for lunch.
I usually stop working around 17:00 to take my son to his park and get him ready for bed.
After finishing work at 19:30, I typically sit down for dinner.
Sometimes I end the day with an hour of reading or a Netflix movie.
My only exception to the above is that I now go to the gym three days a week in the afternoon.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I believe in just launching. I don’t enjoy spending too much time planning.
If I feel an idea has legs, I get to work and throw it.
Michael Masterson’s Ready, Fire, Aim is my favorite idea.
Launching is the best way to validate and test ideas in the real world.
This methodology has helped me launch several side hustles such as KeyClusters, a keyword clustering tool, and SerpsBot, a SERP API.
If I overthought the details of making these ideas a reality, they would be impossible to make into real businesses.
I launch without thinking about it. If they get traction, I invest more to develop the idea further.
This method can lead to many unfinished projects and missed opportunities.
My focus can sometimes get blurred, but the result is that I can launch ideas.
What’s your favorite trend?
AI writing software is the trend in our industry that both excites me and scares me.
The scary part is that AI could render writers redundant, my business, and many other professions and trades.
It’s exciting because I see the potential for AI to play a significant role in our industry.
AI is not something I see as a threat but rather an opportunity to provide better and more timely content at scale. If you can’t beat them, join them.
What habits make you productive?
I don’t use social media. I don’t use social media.
This allows me to do more work in a single day and deepen my knowledge.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
There are many things I wish to share with my younger self. This is one of my favorites.
Long-term games are a good idea. My 20s were spent trying to make a living.
I was always on the lookout for shortcuts and would do anything to make quick cash.
While this is an excellent way of learning quickly, it’s not a good idea to do this for too much.
None of the businesses and projects I started in my 20s have survived.
Your investment is compounded when you play long-term, strategic games.
This holds for business as well as in your personal life.
This applies to everything, whether learning a new language, investing in money, or engaging in meaningful relationships.
You are more careful about where your time is spent if you have a long-term outlook.
Your concern for long-term results is less important than immediate results.
Instead, you are more focused on sustainability, growth, and long-term outcomes.
If I had committed to a business idea in my 20s and spent ten years growing it, I think I would have been a lot farther along the path.
You can’t just leap on the butterfly wings, but who knows?
What is one thing we can all agree on?
While I believe many things are true, most people agree with me.
So, unfortunately, I don’t have any good ideas.
The illusion of free will is a truth I believe many people struggle with.
It is thought that we have agency, but all things are deterministic.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
What can I do to get rid of myself? I am constantly looking for ways to remove myself, whether through automation or delegating.
This is what makes me a better entrepreneur.
What’s your rich strategy?
Our growth strategy has expanded into complementary services such as link building.
Our clients, who use our content creation services, also require high-quality backlinks.
This service allows you to sell more products to existing clients and cross-sell/up-sell to new customers.
This service diversification strategy has helped us to double our business more.
How do you overcome Failure?
My greatest failure is being naive and partnering with someone without integrity.
This cost me three years of my life and a lot of stress.
When entering into a partnership, be careful.
Buffet wisely stated that you should be looking for intelligence, energy, integrity in a partner.
Don’t bother with the other two if they don’t possess the first one.
Can you share a business idea?
A marketplace that allows business owners to trade reviews is an idea that could be viable.
You could request reviews for an App you own or a marketplace where you can exchange thoughts.
You could also exchange reviews with someone looking for a Yelp review of their restaurant.
If this idea is feasible and works, please drop me a note.
What’s your recent best buy?
My wife and I spent quite a bit more than $100 at an incredible restaurant the other night.
It has been months since our last dinner out.
This was the most expensive $100+ I have ever spent. The food and ambiance were terrific.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
Slack. Without this software, we would be lost. We have over 100 employees and are a collaborative team.
Slack is the best tool I have used to keep in touch and be productive with my team.
Many integrations and paid upgrades are available, but we only use the free version. It is incredible.
Which book would you recommend?
Derek Sivers – Everything You Want. And everything written by Derek Sivers.
What’s your favorite quote?
Seneca
TL;DR by Mark Whitman
- Launching is the fastest method to validate and test ideas in the real-world. Follow Michael Masterson’s Ready, Fire, Aim.
- Your investment compounded when you play long-term casino games. This holds true for business as well as in your personal life. This includes learning new skills or languages, investing in money, growing a company, and committing to important relationships.
- Continuously look for ways to automate or delegate your business. This will help you free up time, increase productivity and accelerate your growth.
