Since starting this company earlier this year, I’ve run the spectrum of emotions.
It’s been challenging, exciting, gut-punching and rewarding. This isn’t the first company I’ve founded and operated, so one would think that I would be accustomed to the chaos. But OrangeWIP is a bit more special to me as it came out of solving a problem I was experiencing as an entrepreneur and founder myself.
As I voiced my frustrations trying to navigate my local entrepreneurial ecosystem, I discovered that founders and entrepreneurs all over the country are entrenched in the same struggle. And, voila, the idea of OrangeWIP was born. Finally, an unbiased, bold voice and online resource dedicated to founders at a local level.
I’ve been asked, “Why a media company?”
Well, I’ve spent much of my marketing career engulfed in media – from media strategy, planning and buying, to understanding the complexities of the media landscape and consumption trends. Now, it is exciting to sit on the other side of the table.
And, as defined in our business and revenue model, we found that publishers were moving away from selling the audience to the advertiser, and instead selling content to the audience. Another shift was toward branded or sponsored content, which was becoming one of the highest revenue streams for publishers and media outlets.
So, instead of putting our stories and resources behind an annoying paywall, cluttering your user-experience with banner ads, or using a profit-motivated membership model, we’re building our revenue stream in partnership with organizations that share in our mission of supporting local entrepreneurs.
Many of the biggest brands use sponsored content as an essential aspect of their digital marketing campaigns. And according to a study by Inc.com, almost all publishers and media outlets have published sponsored content on their platforms. It is predicted that the branded content industry will more than quadruple from about $85.83 billion in 2020 to a staggering $402 billion by 2025.
That’s why we’re confident that “if you build it, they will come” is a true mantra for OrangeWIP. By serving founders and entrepreneurs, we help inspire and nourish the local enterprising spirit. And we do that with the support of like-minded organizations that need new ways to connect with and celebrate the founders at the center of it all.
