The History Behind Poetica Marketing I wish I could say the true spark of inspiration behind Poetica Marketing was my idealistic belief that marketing can and should be customized for every business inside agency life, but that wouldn’t quite be the case. I also wish I could say it was because I felt a burning desire to launch something completely my own, but that wouldn’t be the complete truth either. I started Poetica Marketing because I’d been hurt. While working in Downtown Pittsburgh at another agency for a year and a few months, I endured countless leadership changes and management shifts—all of which ended with me suddenly laid off. I remember standing at the bus stop on the corner of Liberty and 7th, calling my wife to tell her the news: I was out of a job. As I returned home and nursed my bruised ego, I realized I couldn’t simply go back to work for someone else; I was too scarred to trust another company with my future. A week later, I started Poetica Marketing. It was exciting and terrifying to commit to a new venture, but there was one constant, nagging worry: Did I miss something? Did I file all of the right paperwork? Do I have the right insurance plan? Am I constantly putting my best foot forward to generate new leads? Why Startup Pittsburgh Is So Powerful for New Businesses At the time, I wished I had something like Startup Pittsburgh to guide me through the early stages. Today, however, I’m proud to be part of an organization that provides completely free consultations to new businesses throughout the Pittsburgh region. Growing and maintaining a business is hard work, but it’s much easier when you have the respect and support of partners who readily provide the best advice possible while simultaneously looking out for your best interests. What Poetica Marketing Provides to Startup Pittsburgh Clientele Inside the Startup Pittsburgh ecosystem, Poetica Marketing specializes in social media, using Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other platforms to help local businesses grow. That helping hand is important because social media has grown harder and harder for businesses to compete. It’s not exactly the fault of businesses. Instead, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have simply made it harder for business page content to appear in large numbers without paying for ads. By partnering with Poetica Marketing, you unlock years of experience in social media management and content creation with an emphasis on engagement—a factor critical in expanding your reach on social media without spending thousands of dollars on digital advertising. My goal is simple: to put you in the best position possible to leverage social media in conjunction with the rest of your marketing efforts. That means with Poetica Marketing, you can receive: Simple social media consultations Regular coaching sessions Consultations Content creation and management Focusing On What’s Important All of this goes back to the core idea of Startup Pittsburgh: If you’re running a business in Pittsburgh, sound guidance and support should be readily available. As a member of Startup Pittsburgh, I’m offering my time and services so that no other entrepreneurs have to go through the same growing pains I went through. Together, we can make sure all Pittsburgh businesses put their best foot forward when it comes to chasing success.

Like every startup, Startup Pittsburgh was born out of an idea: To build a one-stop all-purpose resource for Pittsburgh startups to spur growth throughout the region. Founded by a group of like-minded and idealistic Pittsburgh professionals, Startup Pittsburgh exists on two important beliefs: Pittsburgh is a great place for businesses—and it’s consistently getting even better every year as the community attracts new talented professionals. Resources for building businesses in Pittsburgh should be readily accessible and, more importantly, consultations and education for startups should be free. By keeping these two beliefs in mind throughout every action we take, Startup Pittsburgh aims to become the region’s go-to resource for startup leaders looking for professional assistance, guidance, and vendors who can assist in generating sustainable growth for years to come. How Startup Pittsburgh Is Structured For maximum impact, Startup Pittsburgh is a collective of professionals and businesses specializing in every area a startup may need advice, guidance, or services. This includes: Legal Guidance - From product patents to partner agreements, our legal experts can offer the advice and services you need to get started. Insurance - Businesses are open to liability, and insurance protects you from serious legal and financial issues. Risk Management - Reducing your risk is a powerful way to protect your company. Graphic Design - From business cards to logos, Startup Pittsburgh can put your best face forward. Marketing and Advertising - One of the most challenging issues of starting a new business is getting the word out! Web Development & Content Creation - Building a website is an important step in launching or rebranding a business. Hiring - Sourcing top talent is a difficult task if you’ve never done it before. Human Resources - Leading a team is a complex challenge, and proper human resources assists in managing employees. Employee Benefits - Keeping employees happy extends far beyond paychecks. Commercial Real Estate - Whether you need an office or a new location for a factory, our team is here. Information Technology - Does your company have the IT infrastructure necessary for success? Investing - If you’ve never worked with investors, you’ll need to learn what they’re looking for! Much more! Who Startup Pittsburgh Is For? As the name suggests, Startup Pittsburgh supports new businesses with limited resources. Although the word “startup” has evolved to generally focus on tech-focused companies with big ideas, Startup Pittsurgh also offers services to traditional businesses getting off the ground. Beyond that, however, we work to serve businesses that are already established and simply need a little extra help. Whether you’re looking for advice on a tax issue or are contemplating your first major marketing campaign, we can help. Growth-Focused Services From Startup Pittsburgh As we continue to assist Pittsburgh’s startup community, here are some of the services and events you’ll find from Startup Pittsburgh: Complimentary Consultations for Pittsburgh Startups Starting and running a business is a complex endeavor, and we believe advice should be free. By completing the form at the bottom of this page, you can address your most pressing startup questions with a member of our team. That specialist will provide expert guidance based on your input. If you decide to follow through on that advice, you can then choose to do business directly with that specialist and his or her company. If you’d like to use someone else, we may be able to recommend a third party you can rely on. Networking Events for Business Leaders As everyone within Startup Pittsburgh knows, running a startup is a chaotic, lonely endeavor. We remove some of the stress by connecting you with like-minded professionals who understand your journey and can offer resources to help you through each day. Follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to remain informed on each and every Startup Pittsburgh event! Educational Conference Calls for Pittsburgh Businesses Our monthly conference calls are open to the public and serve two purposes: To educate the startup public about an important trend or factor in business growth and to answer the most pressing business-related questions founders present in the meeting. Questions are answered on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to jump in and participate! Training Sessions for Pittsburgh Leaders Our annual seminar is designed to help founders tackle the biggest business challenges to navigate the growing pains common in business. Contact Startup Pittsburgh If you’re ready to jumpstart your business, visit our Resources page or contact us .

One of a startup’s top priorities is exposure. Yes, a successful startup needs strong leadership, a standout team, and a stellar product, but none of those will stay around for long without marketing that reaches the target audience, that group of people who are most likely to buy your product. The temptation to pour money into today’s most common marketing strategies is a strong one. Marketing directors will quickly point to the opportunities on Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and email marketing as low-cost, high-win strategies. In some industries, a startup may even find it appropriate to explore direct mail, billboards, or even TV ads, depending on the audience you’re trying to reach. Here’s the problem: Every single one of these avenues costs money. Even worse, you’ll need weeks or even months of dedicated testing to really hone in on your strategy and start seeing a return on your investments. For some startups, that’s the right move. Others, however, may want to explore additional options for reaching their target audience.

The startup scene has never been bigger in Pittsburgh. From Downtown to the Strip District and from the Strip District to East Liberty, Pittsburgh neighborhoods are seeing explosive growth as more and more startups decide to call the city home. The influx of new businesses has created a greater need for high-quality office spaces. But as founders start their search for their company headquarters, they face challenging questions: Where can I get the best price? How can I get tax breaks? Can I find a landlord who will accept a lease for less than three years? What can I afford? How much do similar companies spend on rent?" These are all important questions, and they can all be resolved with the help of a commercial real estate broker.

“So I have hired the first of what I hope is many employees at my business and they need health insurance!” I cannot count the number of times I have received that call in the past. And then the mad scramble begins to discuss network options, to get rates and plan information, and to have the plans in place for the first of the month. Oh, and the employee has a doctor’s appointment at 8:00 AM on the first of the month. Great. This is usually how a new startup ends up introducing their employee benefits program. Rushed, last minute, and without the preparation and thought that went into every other decision they made for their business. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it shouldn’t be this way. Look, we all know that time flies and life would be great if we had the time to do everything. We know that is not the case. You are working at the business and on the business at the same time. The right benefit advisor will help guide you through the process, but here are just a few things you should think about and do before starting an employee benefits program. 1. Decide on your benefits philosophy. Yes, your philosophy. Do you want an employee to work for you because you have the best benefits in town or because they believe in your mission? Do you want an employee to leave your company, even though they love the mission, because of the benefits? This will help determine what benefits you offer—medical, dental, vision, life, disability, 401k, tuition credits, etc.— and how much an employee has to pay for the benefits. 2. Decide your budget. How much can the company afford to spend each month? It is very much like our home finances. If we want to buy a new car, there has to be money in the budget. Can the company sustain the benefits once offered? 3. Consider the finer details: As most of my clients find out, there are other decisions to be made: Do you offer more than one plan to choose from? (Yes, that is an option as a startup.) Do you pay toward the employee only or toward the cost of the dependents? Do you cover a domestic partner? Do you cover a dependent after age 26? Do the employees pay for their portion of the premium with pre- or post-tax dollars? Do you have the Plan Document Required to withhold the employee’s premium pre-tax? What does your handbook say on this? 4. Remember the overlooked items. Probably the most overlooked items when offering group insurance plans are the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the requirements a business takes on as a result of offering the employees benefits. There are a minimum of 12 documents required under ERISA and the ACA that need to be distributed and evidenced to the employees when you have a group benefit plan. Not only are these the most overlooked items but they also carry per-day fines for not being in compliance with laws. Simply put, the fines for not administering benefits correctly could put you out of business. There is a meme out there with “The Duke” John Wayne that says, “Life is Hard, it’s Harder When you’re Stupid.” The quote is most likely fake, but the message is very real. Be smart with your business and contact an employee benefits advisor months before you need the coverage to start and not a day or two before.

The startup life isn’t easy. For founders, a startup means fighting an uphill battle to success—if success ever comes. Sitting in such a high leadership is a lonely endeavor. That’s why we focused on the importance of finding a mentor in the first episode of the Startup Pittsburgh Podcast. After we wrapped up our discussion on mentorship, our members took turns discussing some of the biggest challenges startups face in the early days of their business.