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The success of a company is almost always attached to money. Most entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs connect the likelihood of success to lots of start-up capital. However, with the advancement of online platforms comes opportunities. We had a chat Dean Aguilar to discuss what it takes to scale a business to seven figures with little or no money.
A Little Bit About Dean
Dean Aguilar is a powerhouse entrepreneur. He is the CEO of a leading brand consulting agency known as Digital Muse. He is also the founder of two real estate companies, the Xavier Dean Realty, and the Dean Aguilar Group. Dean is a national Speaker. He has delivered hundreds of speeches at Universities, business conferences, and online platforms. Most of his speeches center on matters of marketing and mindset coaching. So far, Dean has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs elevate their businesses to new heights.
Dean understands the value of hard work. He started his business with little money. However, in just four years, he managed to move his first business venture from zero transactions to 140 transactions. “My career started on the East Coast. I am originally from Washington, D.C. I started as a personal trainer in the fitness industry. However, along the line, I ended up in real estate. I am no stranger to failure. I’ve lost houses, and I had to declare bankruptcy at some point in my life. I’ve been laid off and unemployed. Those dark moments of my time were learning moments. So by the time I became a brokerage in real estate in California, I had already identified my strengths. I was working with little money. But I got my team to move from zero transactions to 140 transactions in about four years,” he says.
Dean was previously the subject in “Dose of Truth.” This is an online documentary series that highlights what it is like to be a CEO and public figure in today’s digital world. His real estate company, Xavier Dean Realty, has made over 300 million in sales in 4 years.
Tips on How to Scale a Business to Seven Figures with Little or No Money
Dean progressed from nothing to a seven-figure earning entrepreneur. He did this by harnessing the power of online platforms. He is on his way to 20,000 followers on Instagram, plus a growing number of followers across other channels. This serial entrepreneur has used social media to build his brand influence. “With confidence and knowledge comes growth in any business. I saw an opportunity in the digital space, and I pursued it. I did this not only in setting up a business but also in using social media platforms for marketing,” he says. Indeed, social media has become a crucial aspect of digital communications strategy. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, Tik Tok and LinkedIn have a growth penetration rate of 45% across the globe. Dean’s Digital Muse company helps CEOs to leverage the power of social media to scale up their performance.
While building his brand, Dean developed a content strategy by producing pillar shows such as Daily Truth and Dose of Truth. These shows contributed to the rise in the popularity of his businesses. This popularity spilled over to YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. “I pursue my business with three core beliefs — the mind, body, and action. For a business to reap a seven-figure success, you must have a team that shares your vision. This is a team of people who have their mindset right, as well as their health and fitness. A team that is ready to take action no matter what the situation,” he says. The need for effective teamwork is critical for business success. However, collaboration and cooperation remain the most widely ignored tip toward business success.
Knowledge and Strategy
There is no doubt that Dean has a resilient spirit. He experienced the 2008 market collapse in the housing industry. “I was making $20 million in real estate annually. However, with the collapse, we moved from riches to rags. I had to reinvent myself. So, I moved from real estate to fitness. I did this for a while, and then I went back to real estate,” he says. Dean advises entrepreneurs to learn from mistakes. This business shark picked up his business from the ground after the market collapse. He scaled his business team, “Dean Aguilar Group,” and started making $70 million in sales annually. He advises business aspirers to pursue knowledge. “You don’t need to go to college. All the information you need is online. It’s on Youtube and Google. Understand that with knowledge, with confidence, comes growth in any business. And if you listen to all these entrepreneurs, there is a reason why they read all these books. There is a reason why entrepreneurs follow all these people on let’s say LinkedIn. It is so that they can soak up all the knowledge they need to succeed in the areas they want to be in,” he says. He also cites strategy as an essential tip to scale up your business. “You need to plan on how you will get back up. You need to bootstrap by saving every cent and focussing on making your money work for you,” he says.
Through all this, Dean is passionate about helping others. He offers coaching to business professionals and CEOs who would like to take their business to the next level. The entrepreneur’s ambition is to impact and inspire millions positively.
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