Out-of-home advertising is made up of more than 100 different formats, totaling $6.99 billion in annual revenues in 2008 in the USA.* Using vehicular platforms to establish a mobile brand presence is common place, however innovation is not.
The medium influences how a message is received – and for many brands developing the right prioritization, defining where to be, when and how often is not an easy recipe to bake. However, ingenuity and innovation drive the performance of today’s top industry newcomers.
At 28, Devin James, Founder & CEO of The Devin James Group endeavors to leverage creativity with a diligent pursuit of purpose to set media in motion. For many businesses, the greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. James’ entrepreneurial gusto, coupled with diligence and commitment has proven that while setbacks may be a part of business — they ultimately set you up for success.
Company: The Devin James Group
Founder/Age: Devin Sean James, Sr., 28
Location: Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, Cocoa Beach & Mumbai, India
Startup Year: 2004
Startup Costs: $40,000; including a substantial time investment during the first 4 years of operations
How I Got Started
One of my mentors, who was like a grandfather to me, asked if I wanted to share his office to get started. I agreed and was so diligent I practically lived in the office until I developed a business model that complimented my lifestyle. A few months later I outgrew my side of the office and his; making the entire space my office. At that point The Devin James Group was officially launched.
Best Success Story
One of the largest personal and professional was the creation, brand development and official launch of AutoHood Media – a media firm, co-owned by the Devin James Group. We deliver vehicle advertising using a patented hood cover [the Autoglove] that is applied on the hood of vehicles in 5 minutes and can be removed in 30 seconds.
Since I created the entire brand concept, AutoHood Media, that you see today, I have also watched and been a part of the rapid growth in acquiring the rights to taxis across the country (Market List: Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Galveston, Austin, San Antonio, Memphis, Little Rock, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Long Island, Birmingham and St. Louis).
I have also led the creative development of campaigns including the Country Music Hall of Fame/Ford Motors Dealership sweepstakes, the Ford Game Day Swap sweepstakes, the Beale Street Merchants taxi tourism advertising program, the 2010 NBA All-Star Taxi Takeover campaign, various corporate, high profile political campaigns and many others.
Biggest Startup Challenge
Managing my time was the biggest challenge in the beginning because my ambition just kept me going. It took time, many mistakes and guidance for me to finally realize, understand and implement effective time management skills.
Tips for Entrepreneurs
Don’t learn everything from trial and error! There are enough people that have stumbled before you that you can learn from. Become diligent, read everything, study your craft, analyze yourself, set realistic goals and have someone in business other than yourself to bounce things off of. Failure is a part of business so redefine your perception of it and learn from others so you can turn your flaws into attributes.
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