Simple Secrets to Exponential Growth
The Kool Source, a full-service digital marketing agency, fuels fast growth by listening to clients, delivering results, and investing in employee well-being
The Kool Source, a digital marketing agency in Atlanta, Ga., grew more than 540 percent between 2017 and 2019—almost entirely by word of mouth. “When a client respects and values what you do for them, they will shout your business from the rooftop,” explains Eric Woodson, founder and CEO.
Clients love The Kool Source because its methodological digital marketing approach gets them “visible, found, and paid,” Woodson says. Many agencies offer marketing services, but results can vary. The Kool Source takes marketing a step further by really listening to its clients and creating solutions that drive meaningful results. “Give somebody a hammer, nails, and wood, and they will build you a box,” Woodson explains. “Give someone else those same tools, and they will build you a house.” The Kool Source builds houses—and relationships—by taking the time to connect with clients and employees.
WHEN GROWTH COMES NATURALLY
In 2013, Woodson used his expertise to help a friend create a steady stream of qualified prospects for her apartment community. She spread the word, and companies reached out to Woodson for marketing support. Initially, Woodson and his brother-in-law, Oscar Montgomery Jr., handled everything, but as the client base grew, Woodson knew it was time to build a team. Today, eight full-time employees and a team of contractors support hundreds of clients across 40 states.
Part of what makes The Kool Source team unique is that Woodson intentionally hires people with an entrepreneurial mindset. This creates an environment where employees not only listen to clients—they also relate to their journey. Woodson explains, “The clients’ needs are our number-one priority. We put ourselves in their shoes, spending their marketing dollars like our own, which helps foster lasting relationships.”
EMPLOYEES ARE FAMILY, BUT WORK ISN’T LIFE
It might sound counterintuitive, but a defining aspect of The Kool Source’s culture is that work isn’t everything. The team is close-knit, but Woodson encourages people to find joy outside of work, too. “I’m a husband and a father first,” Woodson says. “My family is top priority.” To support employee well-being, the agency covers 100 percent of health benefits and offers 401(k) plans and continuing education so the team can keep up with emerging trends.
Clients are like family, too. Prior to COVID, clients would pop by just to say, “Hi”. COVID changed things, but as brickand-mortar businesses shifted online, the pandemic proved an unexpected revenue accelerant. Woodson is proud that his clients recognized a digital marketing opportunity. “When there is an economic hardship, marketing is usually the first thing cut. If the whole world cuts back and you expand, you have the opportunity to increase your market share,” he explains.
The Kool Source plans to further increase its market share, too (by referrals, of course); however, Woodson doesn’t want to accelerate so quickly that it jeopardizes client relationships or company culture. “Our goal is to do amazing work and have fun doing it.”
After high school, entrepreneurship teacher Erin Meagher read about coconut oil’s health benefits, and she saw an opportunity. In 2009, few U.S. companies sold coconut oil. The products weren’t organic, and brands didn’t share sourcing information. She launched Beneficial Blends, her own coconut oil brand, initially relying on an outside manufacturer to produce and bottle her product. But mistakes and late orders became problems. To retain complete product control, in 2014, she opened her own manufacturing facility in Tampa.
When Meager’s retail customers heard about the facility, they wanted in. Beneficial Blends’ white label product business was born, as the company started blending oils, customizing formulations, manufacturing, and packaging their products, staying with the “beneficial for you” product theme.
SMALLER MEANS RESPONSIVE AND INNOVATIVE
About 60 percent of Beneficial Blends’ business is now white label turnkey production, mostly for U.S. retailers.
The manufacturing business isn’t glamorous, but it’s a good niche. “During the gold rush, everyone wanted to mine for gold. We’re selling the pick-axes and shovels. We do the nonsexy stuff, and we’re really good at it.” The company expanded from edible oils and fats to dietary supplements and cosmetic products like topical lotions and serums. It then began producing home goods, formulating candles, diffusers, and mask sprays.
Beneficial Blends is positioned well for the rising interest in cannabidiol (CBD). The company’s NanoLyte™ certified organic, broad spectrum, water-soluble CBD emulsion can easily be added to food and beverage products. Clients can create their own CBD formulations or sell Beneficial Blends’ custom retail product line Chillax’n™ CBD.
Meagher attributes the company’s growth to being innovative and customer-focused. “As a smaller manufacturer, we have to be responsive to our customers,” she says. That means allowing smaller minimum orders, especially for new products; more customizations, and faster launches than larger manufacturers can do. They also offer top-quality ratings and certifications. Beneficial Blends maintains an SQF Level III rating, a FLDBPR cosmetics permit, and an FDA-compliant facility, while holding a variety of other certifications.
A BUSINESS CULTURE FOCUSING ON PEOPLE
Meagher approaches her business differently than most traditional CEOs, she says. “We talk about heart, doing things differently, and improving our employees’ lives through our company.” She wants to offer opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them. Some of her most dependable employees were hired through Tampa’s MacDonald Training Center, which supports people with disabilities. At Beneficial Blends’ production facility, these employees perform repetitive and labor-intensive projects like repacking beverages into multi-flavor packs. “They show up every day, on time,” she says, and are a big part of the employee community.
As a Fair for Life certified company, Beneficial Blends undergoes regular audits on working conditions and sustainable practices for employees and vendors. “In the beginning, I thought it was just about business. I understand 100 percent now that it’s all about people, and business is second.”