Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patrick Schober. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Patrick with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Most of my work ethic was born out of necessity. When I graduated from college, I was lucky enough to have a full-time job in writing, but I was loaded up with student loans.
At the end of the day, I was making enough money to pay for loans and gas to get to work.
And it was depressing.
So, I got a second job, and I wound up working five days and four or five nights every week for about four years.
When I started Poetica, that work ethic (and the self-discipline behind it) was critical. I wasn’t working two jobs anymore, but I knew how to get 12+ hours a day out of myself.
Zooming out, a good portion of my work ethic also came from my parents. Like me and my wife, my parents were partners in life and partners in business, and they used to trade long, long shifts while raising five kids.
Years ago, I listened to my mom tell her story about starting their first business and the endless hours that went into it. And I asked her, “Why did you work so hard?”
Her answer was a simple one: “Because we couldn’t fail.”
I think about that a lot.
When failure isn’t an option, you dig down for that extra 10% of effort.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a content marketer, which is a fancy way of saying I’m a marketer who writes with strategy.
The best part of my job is the writing; I have a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, and my first job out of college was in journalism.
I just love writing.
Most people don’t realize how valuable great copywriting really is—even though we’re exposed to it almost every second of the day.
From the billboards that flash on the highway to the 30-second commercials on the TV to Amazon descriptions, the mark of a copywriter is everywhere.
And when it’s really good, you don’t even realize it. You just know you’re clicking “Add to Cart,” and you’re excited about your new purchase.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
When I started Poetica Marketing, I was still pretty green. I could write (and I’d been writing professionally for nearly five years at that point), but I only had about a year and a half of marketing experience under my belt.
In retrospect, it was probably too early to set off on my own, but it felt like the best choice at the time.
The skills that served me best on Day 1 are the same skills that still serve me best today:
1. Writing. Am I the greatest content marketer in history? No, not at all. But I can write circles around most people, and I can craft content that gets my clients (and their audiences) excited. And since I’m writing and reading every day, I’m constantly getting better at it.
2. A mind for numbers. I was a math fiend in grade school and early high school, and that interest in numbers is critical in an industry fueled by data. Almost everything I do for clients starts on the creative side, but it’s measured by hard figures on the other side.
3. A natural curiosity. I think great marketers and entrepreneurs are a curious bunch. We want to know how the world works, what makes people excited, and how to get better every day.
As an honorable mention, a strong work ethic has been just as valuable and important as 2 and 3, and you could replace either one of those with that!
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
At the risk of sounding overly romantic, my wife. Regina is now the Events Coordinator at Poetica Marketing, so I have the privilege, honor, and fun of working with her every day. But her support started long, long before she joined the company.
Starting a business is exciting, but it’s also scary and stressful and nerve-wracking. Regina has been supportive since the first time I brought up the idea of starting my own agency.
In fact, when I first mentioned the idea for Poetica Marketing, her response was simple:
“Go for it.”
That sort of whole-hearted support was invaluable early on. Knowing that she was going to support me 100% made me determined to make Poetica Marketing work, but it also assured me that we were going to be OK if it flopped and I made an absolute embarrassment of myself.
In many ways, her support was a green light for me to put in the extra hours to build my skills, work on my sales pitches, and meet with clients. It wasn’t always easy, but she was always supportive.
And that was liberating.
That’s why I always have the same advice for anyone who’s thinking about starting a business: Make sure your life partner has your back.
And if they don’t—or if you don’t have a life partner—find a support network that does.
On the tough days (and there will be plenty, trust me), you need someone to lean on.
And I’m lucky to have Regina for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.poeticamarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poeticamarketing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoeticaMarketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poetica-marketing/
Image Credits
Dominique Murray
