When it comes to marketing and telecommunications, one of the noteworthy names out there is Andrew Dorko. He is both the owner and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Total Marketing Concepts, Inc. He founded Total Marketing Concepts back in 2004 after being employed by Yellow Pages where he gained knowledge and experience in direct sales, marketing and telecommunications.
Total Marketing Concepts has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing privately help companies in America. Total Marketing Concepts is one of the leading companies in providing strategic marketing solutions for high profile clients like Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Spark Energy and many others.
Andrew Dorko believes that the success of the company lies in the amount of talent within. This holds very much true with Total Marketing Concepts that houses talented personnel with a wide variety of skill sets ranging from direct sales to political surveying. One can say that Total Marketing Concepts competitive edge lies on its team of talented individuals.
Total Marketing Concepts has been growing for the past 12 years and is going to continue to grow.
What was your favorite subject in school?
Being an entrepreneur, it’s easy to say math but I think I have to go with history. Essentially, history is a collection of great stories. Regardless if they’re true or not, they’re fun to learn about.
Where and how did you first get into the industry you currently work in?
For many years, I’ve been working for the Yellow Pages. This is where I learned the foundation of many business concepts that affected facets of my career, including the present. My years with the Yellow Pages enabled me to gain the appropriate experience and know-how with regards to business concepts like direct sales and customer service.
Total Marketing Concepts is one of the culminations of my years spent with the Yellow Pages. Considering my experience and familiarity with marketing concepts, I’d say it was a natural development.
How have those jobs prepared you for what you do now?
My training with the Yellow Pages not only gave me the knowledge and experience that continue to affect my business decisions to this day, it also dawned on me that I can do it well. I have realized that I have so much more to offer with regards to sales and marketing. I have come across business and marketing concepts that prove to be an essential foundation for Total Marketing Concepts.
Describe the best day of work you’ve ever had.
The best day was when my company, Total Marketing Concepts, experienced rapid growth. Being named as one of Inc. Magazine’s 500 Fastest Growing Privately Help Companies in America is like an icing on top of an already sweet cake. It was an exciting time indeed.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
You know what, I was never big on motivation. Sure, it can give you that extra push when it matters. Motivation is simply a mindset. The real thing that matters is how you act when you’re motivated. For me, what matters most is discipline because it instills good habits. If you want to consistently put out good work and customer service, you need to have good habits, a consistent daily effort.
What kind of business idea excites you most?
As an entrepreneur, it is always to find solution to the people’s problems – even the ones that haven’t been identified yet. People like solutions to problems, even if they don’t know what those problems are yet. If you can insert passion into finding those problems and solutions, you’re on the right track.
Have you ever tried any unorthodox techniques to attract attention to your business?
Part of being an entrepreneur is always to go out of your comfort zones, always taking risks. One of the greatest times when I followed unorthodox techniques paved the way for Total Marketing Concepts. Yes, me and my team do have a stable and unique business model.
What personal achievement are you most proud of?
It’s definitely the establishment and success of Total Marketing Concepts. Businesses come and go and my vision would have easily gone the other way. However, it clearly went my way and now I’m working with some of the most talented people in the industry and providing excellent service to our clients, some of which belong to the Fortune 500. There’s no greater feeling than that.
What wisdom would you have liked to share with yourself when you first started out?
I would of liked to advise my old self to surround myself with talented people. I was naïve enough to think that I can do it all, but running a business is all about picking the right people to help you out. This is especially true if you are aiming to do something big like growing the business.