Tech CEO endorses business plan

Terry Redmond, IBI Marketing CEO says you need a business plan to be successful.

Writer: Sharon Bennett

Terry Redmond hoped to play NFL football af

ter playing in three Rose Bowl games and winning a national championship with University of Washington Huskies. Instead, his leadership selling and speaking skills led him to real estate, owning and selling a business and then pharmaceutical sales management, which brought him to Florida.

Today, his company IBI marketing Ibimarketing.com provides Search Engine Marketing (SEM) , (PPC), e-commerce, reputation management, website design/management, and business consulting. He is a Google Certified Partner, and an instructor for SCORE’s Marketing Certificate program.

Terry credits Palm Beach SCORE and mentors Jim Sellman and Jerry Steinberg with helping him set up his successful business. Today, IBI Marketing has 13 full time and 16-part timers.

“I was lucky, being older and a minority. I realized I had life experience and could talk to people,” Terry says.

“Jerry insisted that I create a business plan – even though I previously owned a business and it wasn’t too much of a learning curve to get my business going and start making money. I’m happy that I have that business plan. It turned out to be an important resource,” Terry says.

“Jerry asked deep questions that I couldn’t answer. I knew what to expect in business, but had more to learn.  Although the tech industry usually takes seven years to turn a profit, we were profitable in two months,” says Terry.

Terry Redmond’s advice for a new business owner: “Keep your day job if you can start a business on the side. Even though you know people, customers aren’t always ready to use a start-up.”

We are a faith based company, so I will always help other small businesses and give back to the community.”

Palm Beach SCORE offers “Writing a Winning Business Plan” workshops several times a year.

#socialmediachamp