This month, we met with Marqus X. Aycart, owner of Forager Brands and Vice President of the LeTip of Essex, NJ chapter, for a Q & A session.
Q: Tell us about your business.
A: FORAGER™ is a full-service Branding Agency specializing in Market Research, Brand Identity, Messaging, Positioning, and Strategies. In laymen’s terminology, we create logotypes, identity systems, responsive websites, social media development, curation, and management – as well as provide name development, taglines / slogans, printing solutions, signage, content creation, and so much more. In brief, we create, we deliver, and we make you look good, so that you can truly communicate with your target audience and demographic. Consider us your Fractional CCO – Chief Creative Officer – the department and directors you want and trust, tackling all your branding, creative and marketing needs.
Q: How has LeTip helped you in your business?
A: LeTip has been wonderful, not only in immediately recognizing my abilities and prowess, but affording me the ability to truly get my message out and create the awareness and outreach for my agency. The community, camaraderie, and connection has truly been bar-none. In just 2 years, I have been able to manifest, and attest – THE POWER OF US. LeTip is what you make it, and my success is a direct result of being a part of a community under leadership that recognizes and listens to its people – This squeaky wheel, has definitely received the grease.
Q: What do you like best about LeTip?
A: COMMUNITY… That is the best part of LeTip! Not just a COMMUNITY, but a community that delivers, and allows you to grow. There are many communities out there, and many can be fun, uplifting, or immersive, but LeTip does all of that and then some. It truly allows you to grow, expand, and evolve!
Q: Do you have a LeTip Success story you would like to share?
A: LeTip success story? There have been several. It honestly cannot be limited to just one instance. My greatest success story has been working with LeTip International, Inc. as the strategic brand partner – re-branding the organization, as well as helping with convention, and totally evolving the social media experience and its outreach and engagement. On the other side of the spectrum, it has been a great experience to go from student to leader in such a short amount of time through my chapter experiences. LeTip offers you the ability to not only be heard, but also act on your concepts and implementations, which will allow your chapter to grow, or you the individual to grow within the nationwide organization. LeTip does something really special in that it lets you evolve properly on a vertical and horizontal level. There is always room to grow and make the LeTip experience what you want it to be. If you want to succeed in LeTip, it is all up to you. With LeTip, the leadership, their awareness and acknowledgment, is bar-none.
Q: What has been your best connection that you have made because of or through LeTip?
A: My best connection? Again, I can’t limit it to just one. It has been with its leaders, the amazing clients I have garnered through LeTip, and my chapter members. Being able to teach, mentor, and help grow or exchange business with one another, really provides satisfaction like no other.
Q: How has being a leader in your chapter enhanced your membership?
A: As Vice President, I get to create many teachable moments, provide guidance, and most of all the ability to help my chapter members from within and beyond – SUCCEED! That ability to mentor, delegate, and create successful connections is just a true positive uplifting experience.
Q: What advice do you have for other LeTip leaders looking to grow their chapters?
A: My advice to other LeTip leaders, so they can grow their chapters, is very simple: “BE CREATIVE.” Be creative with how you attract membership and cultivate your existing chapter membership. Mixers, events, charity events, and connecting with local venues & businesses will truly create a funnel system for your growth. How can people hear about you, learn about you, or want to connect with you, without an event or moments of engagement? Be creative with your events and in how you connect with your audience. Don’t create an environment that is PUNITIVE or CHASTISES its members. Instead, create moments to grow, uplift, teach, and offer methods for member development. There is nothing more boring in a chapter that does not listen, or doesn’t want to evolve, or isn’t ready to be receptive to the new ideas that new members and great thinkers can provide to your group. BE OPEN, BE A GREAT LEADER, and ALLOW FOR AN OPEN FORUM that welcomes ideas and brings about different approaches and opportunities for new ways of thinking.
