Jon StojanAccording to recent data, around 90% of startups fail, with 10% bankrupting in the first year, and 70% going out of business between 2 and 5 years. The report pinpoints lackluster marketing strategy as the reason behind 22% of startups’ failure, emphasizing the importance of business consulting, intentional marketing, and professionally curated strategies.
Owning a business is like having a child—without proper care, nurture, and guidance, it’s more difficult to flourish and thrive. Venturing into the cut-throat landscape at just 19 years old, Blake Carpenter founded Defined Connection, a vibrant and results-driven business consulting company. When it comes to the world of business, technology, and marketing, adaptability is crucial. The digital era evolves at the speed of life, and irrelevant, outdated information and strategies ruthlessly kill many institutions, especially startups.
Targeted marketing requires all-rounded expertise and the ability to adjust to the relentless shifts in the industry. Blake, although younger than most entrepreneurs, is no stranger to acclimatizing himself to new environments. The passionate business owner was born in Texas, US, but spent most of his childhood in China, eventually settling in Ukraine for four years. Due to the war, Blake’s family temporarily evacuated to Slovakia, from where Blake moved back to the US, and started university.
Currently a second year student of international business, Blake used to imagine a future in sports. When COVID-19 hit, he was forced to shift to outdoor sports and started playing soccer. Coming out of high school, Blake aspired to play football professionally and attended a few international sports camps. Both his parents were teachers, supporting him in his athletic career choice. Unfortunately, the sports route fizzled out, and Blake began university, embarking on a journey to find his passion.
“Before university, my brain was locked in on playing sports. However, I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I just didn’t have a clear path that led me to achieve that dream,” added Blake. “International business allows me to merge my lifelong experience of living abroad with my unwavering desire to help businesses grow. I’m excited to keep learning, keep growing, and offer high-quality services to businesses in all industries.”
Although Blake is only 19, Defined Connection is not his first business venture. When the drive for entrepreneurship kicked in, he started a marketing company. After nearly a year of hard work, many failures, and even more lessons learned the hard way, Blake made a shift from marketing to consulting. One of the main differences between Blake’s first company, and Defined Connection, is the approach to outsourcing. Focusing more on building a team that’s sustainable, well-rounded, and experienced in different areas, Blake works on improving the environment around him, rather than outsourcing.
At the beginning of establishing Defined Connection, Blake was bootstrapping the entire business. “Starting a new business with little experience, I faced many challenges, but the only way I learned how to run a successful business was through obstacles, failures, and lessons,” shared Blake. Currently, Defined Connection’s team is much smaller, but the growth that’s happening is more organic and sustainable.
The digital world is constantly evolving, calling for innovative, vibrant, and fresh perspectives that understand the ever-changing landscape. Although Defined Connection offers just that, the young age of Blake and his team proved to have been a tough barrier to overcome. As noticed by Blake, many people stick to their roots and find it difficult to take advice from someone half their age. That changed as Blake gained more experience and exposure, solidifying his reputation in the industry.
Blake Carpenter stormed onto the scene with innovative ideas, unswerving determination, and a fresh outlook. The 19-year-old entrepreneur overcame many roadblocks and steadfastly committed to improving Defined Connection, offering top-notch growth, marketing, and finance strategy consulting services to aspiring business tycoons.
“Although the path to tasting success has been long and filled with many traps along the way, I’ve never lost my confidence or motivation. Being young is what pushes me to improve. I didn’t start a business thinking I’ll succeed overnight, and expecting crowds of customers. I’m still learning, I’m still studying, and I believe failures are a necessity for growth. Everything I went through has been a valuable lesson and allowed me to grow, both as a person and a business owner,” expressed Blake.
Looking to the future, Blake highlighted opening up a brick-and-mortar facility that would allow him to connect to customers on an even deeper level. Blake plans to open up offices in Chicago, Dubai, and many other places worldwide. He’s looking forward to the expansion of Defined Connection, trusting the process and taking it one day at a time.
Currently, Defined Connection operates remotely and offers business consulting services. “We’ve seen a lot of success in terms of helping people with their pitch decks and gaining with investors. It’s all about connecting them with shareholders, putting them out there, and helping them get the necessary funding,” stated Blake.