Richart Ruddie is an Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer of The Reputation Management Co. Richart is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Richart provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of the company. Richart Ruddie joins other leading entrepreneurs taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team is delighted to have Richart join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview.
Let us start by telling us about your business.
As an entrepreneur, I’m deeply involved in so many different verticals ranging from finance, to digital marketing, expert witness for defamation victims in litigation, to real estate lending and development. The most notorious business that I’ve worked on is the brand and online reputation management industry where we help clients promote themselves or their business online while demoting unwanted search or social media content. The business has been such a success that it’s opened the door for numerous other opportunities.
Q: Please tell us how you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
I follow the mantra of Jeff Bezos who’s currently the most financially successful businessmen in the world. Amazon obsesses over their customer satisfaction and happiness as do we. We go above and beyond to deliver stellar results and do whatever it takes to get the job done. While this is almost always a great solution and has kept our business growing thanks to a strong referral base it has also gotten us into hot water with extortionists who are jealous of your success. In the end it’s important to keep your head down, work hard, impress your clients, and outwork the competition. That’s been our formula for success.
Q: Please tell us the one thing that separates your business from the competition.
As said above we go above and beyond to ensure we get the job done for clients. We also are great at managing expectations. If something isn’t possible or is better suited with a different company than we are glad to refer the business over. Honesty and management of expectations has been a great way to showcase that we want what’s best for the client and not just what’s best for us. Few competitors in any industry are glad to do right by the customer initially for a potential pay off much later.
Q: And to finish this section, please tell us what the one major key to your company’s success is?
Innovation. When you have the mentality to take chances and push the limits you can really push well beyond your competition. If you’re afraid of change and don’t innovate than you risk becoming an extinct dinosaur. You want to be the Tesla on the road not the Ford Fiesta.
Q: For our readers just starting to build a company, what advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Don’t be afraid. If you have a current job I always recommend working on your new venture in your spare time and everybody can create at least 1 hour a day to start building up their venture. As you start to gain traction than you can switch over. In the time’s we’re living in now you should have less commuting time and more time at home that you can start building up your business. When you build something from nothing it’s that much more special. I grew one of my first businesses from $550 to over $90,000 a month in less than a year. It wasn’t a smooth start but once you gain traction and momentum you can really run with it. Now some run at the speed of Facebook and Microsoft and others become very successful lifestyle businesses. Just have the business fit your personality and expectations.
Q: For entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what big piece of advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
You must always embrace tough challenges. There will always be challenges but the difference between entrepreneurs and wannapreneurs is the decisions you make when the options are bad and no good. There’s no hard and fast rules playbook for difficult times. That’s the fun of navigating them and coming out stronger on the other end.
Q: In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
There’s so much noise and clutter in the world right now and it’s hard to not get sucked into the abyss of endless click bait articles and political madness. Twelve years ago it was the forums that were the best way to connect with the smartest minds in the industry. Today a lot of the groups have transitioned to Whatsapp, Facebook, and Telegram. While I don’t necessarily recommend spending too much time on any one platform but rather focusing on your work and building a great product, great customer service, and a great customer base. Less distractions and more work is a formula for success.
Q: What is your “Why”? In one sentence, why do you get up in the morning?
Sometimes you wonder why you’re getting up and working on this. The idea of selling and moving on is resonating with you. When the food loses it’s taste it’s time to move on. I enjoy the hustle and challenges presented daily while also helping those who need the help. Moving onto something new that’s bigger and better is in my future. It’s important to do what you love so the cliché of it not feeling like work is of the utmost importance.
Q: In one sentence, what is the most important thing one has to do to be a great leader?
Knowing that you are going to be infallible and admitting when you’re wrong and willing to ask for help when you don’t know.
Q: In one sentence, describe how important your customers are to your business?
The lifeblood. Without customers a great product is never known or appreciated. We all want to be appreciated in life so make your company something every client appreciates having.
Q: In one sentence, describe a positive way that technology can make the world a better place?
Connectivity and efficiency. Humans evolved from spending all their resources on survival and not having the ability to focus on growth. Technology has provided that same luxury to us.
Q: In one sentence, tell us how something positive to motivate our readers?
When you feel like running or dying because things are difficult this is when you can make the biggest impact and mount the biggest come back. Those who try to push you down are not the ones to worry about. Be positive and focus on survival and growth. Apple was nearly dead and grew to be a company worth 2 trillion dollars. Nothing is impossible.
Q: In one sentence, tell us how you start your day to get ready?
The day starts off going through emails, shots of wheatgrass and taking my vitamins. A healthy lifestyle and start is important. Without health you have nothing.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you handle rejection and setback?
Say goodbye to a client or employee and see how it feels. Your body will often tell you things that your emotions may not be able to.
Q: In one sentence, describe what your hiring philosophy is?
There are different levels of employees and workers. We want to hire the very best workers that go above and beyond the job at hand. We consider those level 3 employees and have classiications of 3 levels. You want winners because you want to be competitive and win. Doesn’t mean you can’t play nice but be competitive and strive to hire people that are smarter and harder working than you are while always showing appreciation.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you keep your sanity in a competitive business environment?
The daily chaos is what keeps it fun and exciting. Without the thrills, the panics, and the headaches it would be dull and that lowers my drive. The continuous stream of curves keep it exciting.
Website
http://richartruddie.com/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/RichartRuddie
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richartruddiestanford
Richart Ruddie , thank you so much for participating in the DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We appreciate you participating in this important roundtable interview series, and helping our readers learn more about what it takes to build a great company and become a great leader. We wish you, your family, and of course The Reputation Management Co., nothing but the best.
