Rising StarOEN Member Spotlight – Rob McCready of Blue Collar Interactive

Blue Collar Interactive is a full-service Interactive Marketing & Advertising Agency that provides custom creative, marketing & technology solutions to unique business challenges. OEN talked recently with Senior Partner Rob McCready for our latest OEN Member Spotlight and discovered this Hood River-based company’s cause marketing effort focuses on the startup community!

Q: What problem does your company/service solve?
A: Blue Collar fulfills the digital marketing needs of product & services companies that need to develop brand identity, promote offerings and leverage creative & technology solutions in B2B or B2C markets.

Q: How did you come up with this business idea?
A: The three founding partners have stockpiled over 40 collective years of interactive marketing experience. After working at much larger agencies, we decided to branch out on our own to create Blue Collar.

Q: What are your biggest challenges?
A: We need to stay committed to evolving with current marketing & technology trends. We compete with much larger agencies that produce the same level of work that we do but on fewer resources to pitch new work.

Q: What are your goals for the company?
A: Five-year revenue growth to $5MM in billings. Expand into vertical markets that we are not currently in such as healthcare, computer technology & automotive/motorsports.

Q: Do you have any news to share about your company’s evolution, new products or partnerships?
A: We have recently launched a cause marketing effort that awarded $100K in agency services to a start-up company most in-need. Read about it here…

Q: Are you looking for funding?
A: Currently, no. We are organically grown with capital from owners.

Q: Have you been an entrepreneur before?
A: No.

Q: What brought you to OEN?
A: The nature of the events is very interesting to us. We love being involved with emerging companies and the culture of a start-up organization. We feel that we have something to offer in terms of potential content for PubTalk and/or workshop events. The networking potential is also appealing.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise in your entrepreneurial experience to date?
A: Human Resources. Although we have done it, finding the best talent has been a bigger challenge than expected.

Q: What has been the best entrepreneurial advice you’ve received?
A: Grow responsibly.