Darren started Thrive Management so he could have more free time to volunteer for a non-profit called the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. He travels around the country to train teachers on how to educate kids about drugs. He wanted a business that would allow him to grow it and then educate as many kids as he wanted.
Thrive Management is currently focused on helping local businesses get found in online searches without spending a lot on advertising. They have figured out how to master this and their clients are getting more local searches, customers, calls, and walk-ins. Darren mentioned that the company is "still pretty lean" with a "fairly small team," and running the team and business is expensive.They are super busy maintaining existing clients and getting new ones, and they haven't put enough attention on creating a community for their customers yet, but that is next in their marketing strategy.
Darren saw an ad for Revenued when he was looking for a line of credit and trying not to use his personal credit due to major purchases at the time. He was drawn to Revenued because there was no personal credit check; it was based on his business's income. He appreciated that it was an easy, quick process, and he had access to a decent line of credit within about a week. He has used Revenued to get out of "a couple of jams" when unexpected expenses came up, allowing him to avoid dipping into personal funds. He also likes being able to see his credit score on the Revenued website and the cash-back bonuses. He uses the Revenued card for rental cars when traveling, which helps him avoid using personal credit cards and simplifies his QuickBooks accounting. He suggested that Revenued integrate with QuickBooks to make accounting even easier for businesses like his.
The digital marketing industry is essential for helping small and local businesses compete in an online-first marketplace. Agencies like Thrive Management specialize in local SEO, ensuring businesses get found in Google searches, attract new customers, and increase walk-ins without relying heavily on paid ads. As competition online grows, many marketing firms face challenges in scaling teams, maintaining client relationships, and managing operating expenses. Flexible funding and access to business credit are critical for digital marketing agencies to cover technology, payroll, and growth initiatives while continuing to deliver measurable results for clients.