ABSTRACT
Founders typically point to word-of-mouth as the Holy Grail of success. From their perspective, they don’t need marketing because they already get great referrals. The thing is, when founders truly understand who they are trying to target and why they should want what they are selling, it becomes much easier to attract and keep the right customers. Fairmount Pediatrics was established in 2009 in the Fairmount area of Philadelphia. Fairmount Pediatrics is listed among the top ten pediatric practices in Philadelphia and has grown into a holistic practice that includes adolescents. One of the key stumbling blocks to growth is that without a well-defined brand, a startup cannot build a sustainable company culture. Then, when the time comes to grow, it’s difficult to attract top talent. When many business owners think of marketing, they think in terms of its traditional tenets: advertising and public relations. Social media is critical in the early days of the startup.
