CEO conversations – part I: Chief Trouble Maker & CEO Joanna Pineda of Matrix Group Int’l talks shop
November 19, 2008 :: Jill Foster
Who she is: a trouble maker, for starters
Founder/CEO & Chief Trouble Maker Joanna Pineda of Matrix Group International knows tech, winning, endurance, generational team building, and the social media age. And her expertise goes well beyond that list. Pineda’s interactive agency and leadership have been around since 1999; and while helping associations and non-profits with their interactive online presence, Matrix Group has grown to be the 6th largest interactive agency in the DC region.
Listen while you work: 6 minute audio
Work at your desk and hear Joanna talk shop in the background on making trouble, re-perceiving your clients, executing social media, and more. Or read on for the written version of our conversation’s first segment.
WARNING: Keep in mind the audio cast brings a bonus conversation in addition to below. So hey, just follow the hyperlink above and hit ‘play’ to not miss out!
The economy question: “It was just bloody”
You described the 2001 economy as “just bloody” in a Washington Post interview. As a successful small business, what primary steps did you take then – and now – to stay afloat & focused?
Pineda responds:
We learned a lot from 2001 and we’re putting that into practice during this time. You know you’ll have to work harder to keep up w/ your customers. So right now, that smallish RFP on the cusp we were setting aside, we now look at it in every way.
So that’s #1 – looking at every opportunity.
And #2 – staying very close to our customers.
We ask them ways to help that they potentially would not have first thought of. An example: a client recently mentioned their printing budget just got killed. I suggested to just invest in email campaigns to save costs. That helped them look beyond their absent print budget and toward us for a solution.
And #3 – knowing if there are problems so if needed, projections can be changed.
This still relates to staying close to our customers too. Here are things on my mind regarding our financial climate. I’ve been talking about the economy for a while. And right now we are slammed w/ business till end of this year. But I want my team to know why we’re slammed now; our leadership team anticipates some of our adjusted projections for next year; so we have to replace that anticipated loss. That’s why we’re staying close to customers and being busy now.
#4 – not letting up on our marketing.
Coming out with two teleseminars really helped to reinforce what we do. One service we emphasize is, first, hosting – which is good revenue for us. People come to us for mission critical hosting. So to better acquaint clients with our hosting facility, we invited them to see our host plant. I wanted them to see this process as ‘business as usual’.
Proven truth: cash is king
Clients don’t come to us to hear “no” even if in light of current economic times, some clients are starting to slow-pay us. What was true in 2001 is still true now: fiscal strategy becomes to conserve your cash. Some companies go under even if they have profit on books because they go don’t prepare for enough cash on-hand. Cash is still king.
Part 2:
Later this week, Joanna shares more on recent mysteries and successes in social media, the mission of a trouble maker, and a recent win in interactive service.
Update:
Enjoy Part 2 of Joanna Pineda’s CEO Conversation.
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