The importance of building relations for a startup – Jonas Muthoni

I’m excited to introduce you to Jonas Muthoni – the CEO of Deviate Agency and SomeFuse. 

Jonas has been in the Digital Marketing industry for quite some time. Considering his expertise in the industry and his experience in building and scaling companies, he has an in-depth knowledge of the startup world.

In this exclusive interview, I’ve asked him about his thoughts on business relationships and tried to understand how important it is for startups to build relations.

Jonas Muthoni, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview. Before we get into the specific questions, could you please introduce yourself, both personally and professionally?

My name is Jonas Muthoni. I was born and brought up in Africa. I moved to the States in 2006. During the initial days here, I worked as a DJ and traveled across the nation.

I also used to run a bar in downtown Fullerton, before taking a job at a Fortune 500 company. 

I worked as a Quality & Sales Analyst for almost seven years. Later, I switched my career and started focusing on digital marketing. 

Currently, I operate Deviate Agency, which is a digital marketing agency based in Los Angeles, SomeFuse, which is a PR agency also based in LA, and Busy Body Tribune, which is a news portal providing news reports mostly from the crypto & tech industry.

Okay, with that, let’s dive into the specific questions, based on the theme of this interview – business relationships. Are you ready?

Yes, go for it.

What do you think is the importance of building relationships for startups?

Relationships in business are like investments. I’m saying this on a positive note. You should take the time to build good relationships with your clients, employees, other business owners, and industry leaders.

If you are starting a new enterprise, it is less likely that you will have a lot of contacts. You may know a few people and a few people may know you. Try to establish healthy business relationships with as many people as possible to gain initial traction as a startup. It will help in setting you up for the ride ahead.

How important do you think is forming a good relationship with your clients? How do you do that?

In business, your clients are your priority. If you have a positive relationship with them, you can create a long-lasting business relationship, which will ultimately result in a regular stream of income for your business.

The best way to establish good relationships with your clients is to talk to them and take their feedback. Make it easy for your clients to reach out to you. Check for online reviews and work towards solving their queries and try to make amendments wherever needed.

Is having a good relationship with your employees important too?

Absolutely, yes. Your employees are the driving force of your company. Without them, it won’t be possible to run your company.

Make sure to have a healthy relationship with your employees. Provide a good working environment for them, offer them learning opportunities, and make them part of the decision-making process whenever possible. These are some of the most crucial aspects of any business.