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After receiving his undergrad at Northeastern University in Boston, Maciej Fita spent a number of years trying a variety of industry and career moves as many young minds do when they enter the fast paced business world. Ever since the the 6th grade, Maciej, knew that he had a passion for branding when he attempted to start a skateboard company. He’s now taken his immense passion for branding & marketing and started Brandignity which helps others spread their branding message online.
Brandignity is a Boston based white hat search engine optimization (SEO) & marketing firm that is devoted to helping clients build their brand and market their business websites online with their expert search engine marketing services.
Maciej’s other company, Boston Knucklehead Clothing is a mash up of Boston history, pride and culture offered with a unique presentation offering high end clothing with an urban twist.
MO: How were you able to start and grow Brandignity with just $600?
Maciej: Very little sleeping and lots of elbow grease. With all joking aside I had an advantage because what I offer as a service is what many companies struggle to acquire. Being an Internet marketer by profession gives me the ability to really conserve cash flow by not having to spend that resource either hiring or outsourcing. Being able to market my own start-ups with up-to date web marketing efforts allows me to use my budget in other areas I am not knowledgeable on, like accounting (shiver). I also sleep very little.
MO: Can you give us an example of common marketing mistakes new (or old) businesses make and how they can avoid them in the future?
Maciej: I think the biggest thing is lack of consistency. When you start marketing your company image you want to be consistent with your message and branding. I sometimes get a flier in the mail from a company using one color and then two weeks later I get another with new colors that don’t even exist on the website. Branding and messaging consistency is one area I always see being butchered in the business world.
MO: How do you manage to find the time to run two very different companies? Do you have plans for any other future businesses or are you too busy to even contemplate it?
Maciej: I have a cloning machine in the back room. The real me is actually resting right now! It really just comes down to good time management. I have a master to-do list that changes everyday and that is really my bible. I follow that religiously everyday. Like many entrepreneurs you can quickly find yourself running out of time throughout the day so it is important to be able to visualize what it is that you have to do each day to keep the train moving along. Boston Knucklehead is evolving and there are now a few people involved in the growth which makes it a little less time consuming. I have new business ideas almost every single day. It can be challenging trying to pursue all your ideas but I am still young and I think there are some more projects on the horizon. This horse is not done racing yet.
MO: How did you discover that you had a passion for branding when you were only in sixth grade?
Maciej: I’m not exactly sure but I was a big skateboarder growing up and I used to absolutely love seeing these skateboard brands put their logos on t-shirts, and skateboards and everything else in between. I used to have a few brands that I followed and I would watch the team riders rolling around all logo’d out in contests and magazines and I realized then just how powerful branding can be for a business. That is when I attempted to start my own skateboard brand and ultimately the curse began.
MO: What inspired you to create Boston Knucklehead Clothing and did you have any previous experience or background in the clothing or design industries?
Maciej: I have a fierce passion for this city. It is not a large city nor a small one either but there is a certain youthful energy in this city that cannot be denied. Everything from the history to all the college kids walking around I realized that there was not that many local urban clothing brands really pushing the culture of Boston. There are tons of townie t-shirt stores and a few brands like Johnny Cupcakes doing there thing but I thought there could be room for just one more. I didn’t have direct experience in the clothing industry prior to launching Boston Knucklehead Clothing but I was always into urban fashion. I tend to learn what I need to when I get there.
MO: What do you most love about living in Boston and how does it keep you inspired?
Maciej: It really has to be the youthfulness of this city. We have one of the largest concentrations of Universities and colleges anywhere on the globe and with that brings hoards of young professionals into the city every year. It creates an energy that you can almost smell and it is something that really pumps me up to be here. The inspiration really comes from the energy of the city and the people around me. It is something that just gets stronger each and everyday for me.
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