Entrepreneurial Insights: Interview With Bill Michelon

Bill Michelon is the quintessential example of the entrepreneurial spirit. He has become known as an industry leader in the media industry and a digital marketing analyst in high demand. He has climbed the rungs of his field with grit, determination, and dedication, starting at the bottom and working his way to the top.

Graduating from the University of San Francisco with a Master's in Internet Marketing, Michelon was most certainly on a defined career path. Perhaps Michelon's initial foresight was being able to see the writing on the wall in terms of the age of digitization and the crucial role that online advertising would play. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Michelon spent time as a marketing consultant and has spent more than the last decade as a digital media buyer. In this role, he helps smaller companies develop a solid digital marketing strategy through the application of analytical tools such as Google Adwords and Google Analytics. Michelon enjoys the mentoring process to stay centered and give back to his professional community. We recently sat down with Bill Michelon to gauge some of his entrepreneurial insights.

How do you define the term 'entrepreneur'?

At a basic level, an entrepreneur is a person who organizes or forms a business, usually at their own financial risk. What an entrepreneur, a successful one, really is to me is an adventurer and a dreamer. They are someone who has an idea and works backwards from that end-goal. There is no 'trying' with a successful entrepreneur; it's all 'doing'. To me, an entrepreneur is also someone who is always curious and stays on top of innovations and new ideas.

What are some of your favorite entrepreneurial tools?

I love Google, crazy about Google. When it comes to analytics, Google has numerous tools to help businesses and entrepreneurs figure out what's hot and what's not. I also love automation and organization software that helps keep my business strategies, goals, and numbers clean, neat, and organized.

What are some good resources for those aspiring to become entrepreneurs?

I love the Startup Magazine as a resource for learning and sharing entrepreneurial ideas. Why make the mistakes others before you have made when you can learn from them and move forward? Also, sharing tips, tricks, and ideas with like-minded individuals is a great way to solidify yourself in your chosen niche, as well as help others starting out. Getting yourself out there in your chosen online niche or community is something we all have to do, and believe it or not, it gets easier the longer you're doing it for.

What is one piece of advice you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

It always comes down to that question, doesn't it? There are numerous levels to that answer, but first off, I would say to maintain an appetite for curiosity. Entrepreneurs are always learning from their mentors. Never close yourself off to potential learning experiences. You never know where, or from whom, the next big idea is going to come from.

Once you have reached a certain level of success, it's important to think of your mind as a precious resource. As such, it needs to be preserved, taken care of, prioritized. I've seen many a good businessperson burn themselves out, and that is a real shame. Finding a positive way to blow off some steam and recharge is crucial if you want to handle the stress of playing in the big leagues. It is all about maintaining balance. Check out my blog at BillMichelon.com to learn more of my marketing and entrepreneurial insights.