COVER STORY
LESSONS IN
TURNING PASSIONS INTO
MODERN PROFITS
By Kathryn McHenry
T
here are moments in our
lives which alter our entire
perspective forever. For Ross
Williams, Founder of Mod-
ern Profits, it was the day he
realized to stop chasing the money and
to redirect his pursuits towards fulfilling
his passions. But the story doesn't be-
gin there.
Rewind back to the mid-90s when on-
line marketing was in its infancy—web-
sites were more of an optional adver-
tising channel for local businesses. In
today's economy, times have changed
and digital marketing and entrepre-
neurship are now at the forefront. And
every business needs marketing.
Technology is now leading the way.
"Let's face it. The work is going digital,
and if you are not a part of it, you're leav-
ing money on the table," explains Ross—
receiving his most important lessons in
business and setting goals before digi-
tal even factored into the equation.
AN UNEXPECTED LESSON
Ross recounts the early beginnings
behind the start of the Modern Profits
concept: “My entrepreneur journey has
not been easy; but it has been wild-
ly rewarding and not how you would
think. Have you ever had your dreams
crushed or limited by others outside of
your control? All your hard work under
appreciated and pushed aside? I did! I
knew I had to make a change but I had
no idea what I was going to do. I had
been doing the same sales job for 15
years—and I was scared to leave that se-
curity of a paycheck.”
But at one point, the decision was made
for Ross. Since becoming the #1 sales
rep nationally, he remembers the day
he expected to hear the news about re-
ceiving a bonus. Instead, his pay was cut
in half; bonus qualifications taken away;
and territory decreased. All because
Ross had hit the ceiling—the point where
he couldn't rise any further income-wise
in that job. He loved his job and would
still be there today if things hadn't
drastically changed. But the change
suddenly pushed him forward to find
his way and begin his entrepreneurial
journey in a new direction.
Ross acknowledged, “Working for an-
other company would start me back
at ground zero or put me in the same
position again in five years. I knew if I
wanted to change my life, I had to do
it myself. So, I took a vacation. Not to
the Caribbean or a fancy European trip.
I used all my vacation days and spent
a ton of money to go to a marketing
conference by myself in San Diego. I
did not know one person attending this
event, or what I was getting myself into.
This turned into the best decision I ever
made. While at this event, I met amaz-
ing people and heard amazing stories
from every walk of life about their jour-
ney to entrepreneurship.“
FINDING A NICHE
Throughout the digital marketing
conference, Ross was asked about his
niche: “My answer: I would shrug my
shoulders and say 'I don't know'. I felt
like I was the only person who didn't
know what my next steps were. I was
lost, but I was hungry. So many peo-
ple offered to help, but one in partic-
ular opened my eyes to the future and
gave me the confidence I needed. As
I was waiting for a drink at the hotel
lobby bar, the girl in front of me turned
around and said, “What are you drink-
ing?” “Rum and Coke,” I answered.
She ordered a drink said, "My name is
Amanda Dake," and we struck up a con-
versation. What Amanda didn't know is
that I had seen her all over the internet
for months. I heard her on podcasts;
she was featured in videos; she was ev-
erywhere – I knew exactly who she was!
After a short conversation she said to
me, "I don't know what it is about you,
but I can tell there is something special,
and you are going to do great things."
"Then she invited me to dinner with
a small, incredibly talented group of
entrepreneurs. Amanda and I became
great friends, and she was the one that
started the spring board of my journey.
Amanda was the person who I needed
to meet all along—introducing me to
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