Advertising Company Helps Entrepreneurs Find their Story
FIK Advertising Corporation of Hillsborough County
Terryl Humphrey had a vision: to empower entrepreneurs by helping them share their stories. Little did he know that he would later create a business out of his passion, as he helped his clients gain exposure and learn how to connect with their audiences with podcasting content.
“I chose to launch this business because I produced over 893 podcast episodes and I’ve learned like yes, I can podcast, yes, I can talk, yes, I’m a good communicator, but at the same time, if I’m just following my passion with no business plan, with no marketing plan, with no communication plan, it’s like I’m just doing it for fun,” Humphrey explained.
Once he stepped back and realized that his passion was making an impact within the business community, Humphreys sought out business guidance in order to turn his vision into an actual business. That’s where the Florida SBDC at USF stepped in.
With the guidance of Florida SBDC at USF business consultant, Scott Carpenter, Humphrey received invaluable support throughout his entrepreneurial journey. From navigating the complexities of business registration on Sunbiz to delving into the tough questions that shape a successful business owner, Scott provided the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.
“The calls that I had with Scott, he was able to help me and guide me along the way. Yes, I had questions, I had different concerns, but he was able to answer them like, ‘hey, just focus on one thing. You know what you’re doing and now use it, just start doing it.’ So, I started the challenge to really put myself out there to say, okay, Scott is helping a lot and the Florida SBDC at USF is helping a lot but if I don’t act on the knowledge, it does nothing for me,” Terryl Humphrey said.
One of the key areas where Carpenter’s expertise proved invaluable was in identifying FIK Advertising Corp’s target market. By pinpointing the specific audience that would benefit most from Humphrey’s services, the business was able to focus its efforts and maximize its impact within the business community.
“Scott helped me really understand the importance of clarity and recognizing the importance of it. So, Florida SBDC at USF helped me gain more clarity and have a better understanding on who I’d like to serve and how I can go about helping them,” Terryl Humphrey said.
After establishing his business in August 2024 and learning who his target market was, the business owner decided to start a personal 90-day challenge to make $100,000 in his business. This would push him to learn how to become the best version of himself, as a business owner, and leverage all of the resources available to him.
“I started, officially, on August 1st of 2024. Scott told me how to register my business with Sunbiz, the tax websites, the different requirements for that. So, I was able to register everything by following the steps. And then September 1st, I was like, okay, I’m going to do a challenge. If I’m going to do a challenge to make 100,000 dollars, what does that look like? I have no idea, but I’m going to use the information that I already have because I have clarity,” Terryl Humphrey said.
His business has now grown from a concept to a reality with clients coming in the door to use his services. “And so, October 1st of 2024 I got my first customer, and it was an entrepreneur looking to launch their podcast so they could share their story,” he added. The creative business owner goes on to mention that his biggest success included positively impacting the life of his client. “My biggest success so far is that I was able to work with my first client and see the impact and see the change,” Humphrey said.
Humphrey also lets it be known that he will continue using the Florida SBDC at USF and hopefully give back one day to new entrepreneurs seeking help, as he once was. “I will continue to use the Florida SBDC at USF to give back and to continue to seek guidance as well,” he said.
His advice to other small business owners? “What I would say to other small businesses who attend the Florida SBDC at USF, is to come in open-minded. You’re not going to know everything; you’re not going to understand everything but continue to ask questions,” Humphrey said. “Don’t be afraid to fail because failure is knowledge’” he added.
Thanks to the support of the Florida SBDC at USF, Humphrey has not only launched a successful podcasting business but is also making a significant impact on the lives of aspiring entrepreneurs. “A big thank you, a big shoutout, not only to Florida SBDC at USF, but to Scott and to Stephanie. You all have been great help to make the process of starting a business, learning a business, and identifying a problem to be solved and that I can be the one to help solve it,” he said.
