Leveraging Hustle with Justin Gerena

Keep Hustling

In this episode, Aaron Gordon talks with entrepreneur Justin Gerena about his unconventional career trajectory. Justin shares his decision to avoid the corporate grind by starting his own business with his partner in 2004, embracing a remote-first approach long before it became popular. They discuss the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, highlighting the critical moment of losing a major client and the lessons learned from that experience.

Justin also emphasizes the importance of leveraging personal skills and the growing trend toward entrepreneurship post-COVID-19. The conversation delves into the benefits of remote work, the significance of maintaining a long-term vision, and the essence of authenticity during tough times.

Enjoy the show, and keep hustling! Get To Know Justin Gerena

As the Co-Founder and CEO of SiteSwan Website Builder, Justin Gerena is a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for helping small businesses thrive in the digital landscape. With a keen understanding of the challenges faced by local, privately owned businesses, Justin founded SiteSwan to provide a user-friendly and effective platform for creating professional websites.

Justin's journey in the tech industry began in 2008 when he was selling websites to small businesses around his neighborhood in Long Island, New York. He built the sites however he could, but realized there was a better way - and created it. SiteSwan was launched in 2011 with the goal of simplifying the web design process for building and managing beautiful small business websites.

Under his leadership, SiteSwan has rapidly evolved into a leading website builder that comes with a very unique suite of tools, training, and support - that enables ANYONE to start their own web design business simply by following the framework he developed and lays out.

Justin combines strategic insight with a hands-on approach. He is committed to fostering innovation within the website design space, ensuring that SiteSwan remains at the forefront of industry trends. Justin's leadership has been instrumental in SiteSwan's mission to make awesome award-winning websites super affordable for small businesses through their network of website resellers.

Outside of his role at SiteSwan, Justin is an advocate for entrepreneurship and regularly shares his insights at industry events and conferences. His commitment to community engagement and education reflects his belief in the transformative power of a strong digital presence for businesses.

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3 Episode Key Takeaways 1. Embrace Entrepreneurship: Justin Gerena emphasizes the importance of leveraging even a single valuable skill to create something meaningful for oneself. His decision to start a business over pursuing a traditional corporate job highlighted the potential and independence that entrepreneurship can offer.

2. Thriving in Remote Work: Operating a business without a dedicated office since 2004, Justin underlines the financial and operational benefits of a remote-first approach. By investing saved resources into marketing and advertising, his business experienced significant ROI, showcasing the innovative edge of remote work setups.

3. Persevere Through Challenges: Facing the loss of a major client and navigating through initial phases of non-profitability defined Justin's journey. His story serves as a testament to the necessity of resilience and staying true to long-term vision, underscoring that difficult periods often lead to growth and eventual success. Show Overview: 01:00 Meet Justin Gerena 05:33 Encouragement to pursue ideas and take risks. 08:35 Timing of office space spurred financial insight. 10:34 Challenged authority, obsessed with car audio. 13:10 Empowering individuals to start their own business. 16:30 Changing demographics and COVID drive business shifts. 20:27 Failures teach, listen to yourself, say no. 23:08 Family business legacy, challenges, and validation. 26:09 Trials reveal authenticity, force self-reflection and honesty.