Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Miller.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story starts with my exit out of military service…
Having served the better part of a decade in the US Army and deploying twice to Iraq, I thought it best to get out and get an education. Little did I know that I’d end up in the social media industry, which is where I landed after finishing my degree in 2013.
I spent the better part of 4 years growing from intern to manager, all while becoming something of an expert in social media. On top of that, I had helped more than a handful of Veteran Service Organizations set and optimize their social and digital marketing efforts. Throw in a few thousand Sears and Kmart stores in need of local SEO citations with me being at the helm of the project, and you can start understanding how all these skills came together for me.
Fast forward to November 2016, I’ve lived and breathed social media and local SEO and have now become a huge fan of local small businesses (thank you for the inspiration, Austin, TX.) Reputation preceding me, I was asked by a veteran friend of mine to help him get his social off the ground, and then his digital local listing… and it hits me: I can help out more than just one a friend in need! And just like that Digital A.O. was born.
So here I am, with my own little boutique digital consulting company, ready to empower the small businesses of my local world with large voices in the digital space. It’s challenging, it’s enjoyable, and most of all it’s rewarding.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever simple or easy in life, and I’m grateful for the obstacles I’ve had to overcome.
Leaving the military, I had to endure reintegrating into civilian life, which was one of the biggest obstacles I’ve ever had to overcome. Going from that ‘tribe’ mentality to being on my own and having to tell myself what to do and how to do it was incredibly difficult. Of course, I struggled for quite some time during this period, but I found comfort in my veteran peer groups at school, namely my student veteran group, and leaned heavily on mentors and teachers for direction into a new career.
By the time I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree, I was well prepared for civilian life. So much so, that I went from being an intern to managing nearly a dozen direct reports within a span of two years. I also became a father of two in that 3-4 year period of going from recently separated veteran to student to intern to manager, so to say I overcame my obstacles during that time could be a bit of an understatement. Still, I believe that true success isn’t possible without the opportunity to overcome obstacles, so I’m extraordinarily grateful for the challenges I’ve had to endure to get to where I am now.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Digital A.O. – what should we know?
I think it’s safe to say that my company is really more or less my ‘side hustle’ right now, but it’s something that I love to do, and it keeps me connected with friends and family, and of course local businesses.
I mainly focus on providing small and local businesses with a digital presence, from social media pages/accounts, to listing their business on Google, consulting on best practices for continued social media engagement, and even consulting on websites and other digital tools that can help a business preform more efficiently.
There are so many AMAZING local businesses out there that don’t yet have a social media page to connect with their communities, let alone a verified listing on Google to be found by others. I help with things like this, bringing my knowledge of social and local SEO to the table, as well as the experience I’ve gained in setting up digital tools for many of the veteran non-profits I’ve volunteered my time with.
I guess this is partly what I’m most proud of, and what sets me apart from these other huge business listing companies out there; I’m a real person, I understand what it’s like to manage a business and do everything myself, and I put out an amazing service that is not only of quality design, but also quantifiable… measurable. That, and I treat people like people, and not some account number in a database.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honesty and integrity are the two characteristics that I would say are most important to my success and the success of my business. Of course, these are two characteristics that come directly from the 7 Army Values (why reinvent the wheel, right?) but because I served for so long in the military, I’ve incorporated all 7 of the Army Values into my life and do my best to remain true to them: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.
Pricing:
- $500/location for local SEO citation services (upkeep included for 1 year)
- 20% discount to veteran owned and operated buisinesses
- $150/hour for consulting on social best practices, digital tool setups, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.digitalao.net
- Phone: (630) 557-6524
- Email: justin@digitalao.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalareaops
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DigitalAreaOps
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DigitalAreaOps
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/digital-a-o-villa-park
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-a.o.
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
