Meet Seth Geoffrion of Vrrb Interactive in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Seth Geoffrion.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 2007 I was living in Boston, working a corporate sales job which paid well, but left me feeling burnt out and uninspired. I had always been interested in technology and design, but it wasn’t until I read Tim Ferriss’ “The 4-Hour Work Week” that I finally had enough courage to turn my passion into a legitimate business. So I said goodbye to my corporate job and figured that if I put the same 50 hours per week into marketing myself, there was no way I could possibly fail.

Like many, I started out as a freelance designer. It didn’t take very long for the projects to start rolling in. In the beginning, I was doing everything myself – marketing, closing deals, producing work for clients, billing, and maintaining the relationships. As time went on, I began to delegate certain aspects of the work to other people who were better at it than me, which freed up my time to focus on marketing and selling our services to new clients.

In 2010, I made the decision to leave Boston for the sunny skies of Los Angeles. When people ask me why I chose to move, I tell them it was just for a “change of scenery,” and that’s really the only way to explain it. I came here with no friends or business prospects, but the idea of venturing outside of my comfort zone is what exhilarates me and pushes me to grow. The risk paid off. Since moving to LA, my business has grown consistently year-over-year. We went from a team of 3 people to a staff of 18, supporting an ever-expanding roster of fantastic clients all over the globe.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a perfectionist. Because of that, I had an especially hard time learning how to hand off my work to other people (because nobody can do it as well as me, right?)

About three years in, I was burnt out again. I had become so bogged down with the day-to-day activities of talking to clients, managing the design team and answering an endless stream of emails, that I lost sight of the bigger picture. Not only was I providing a poor level of service to the existing clients, but I didn’t have enough time or energy to go out and look for new ones.

The business had plateaued, and it wasn’t going to improve until I gave up some of the control. I realized that I simply couldn’t do it all. Promoting my then-assistant to the newly created role of Project Manager turned out to be the most important step in my business’ growth that I had taken up to that point. With someone else handling all of the project management work, I regained 30 hours per week in my schedule. I was able to stop working “in” my business and start working “on” the business again. I focused my energy on soliciting new clients and building relationships with other agencies. Annual revenue doubled. Needless to say, I got over my fear of handing things off to others, and now consider it an essential part of my success.

Vrrb Interactive – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Vrrb is a digital agency offering web design, development, and marketing services. We also design and build mobile apps.

People often ask what ‘Vrrb’ means, which is a great segue to answer your question about what sets us apart. Our name is a play on the word ‘verb,’ which connotes *action*. When we approach a new project, we always begin by asking what action or outcome the client is seeking. Do they want more sales? More followers? Better visibility in the marketplace?

When we know what our client is after, we can build products and experiences that align with those goals.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
By my definition, the most “successful” person is one who has the freedom and flexibility to spend their time however they choose. My goal has always been to live an independent lifestyle where my physical location is irrelevant to the success of my business, so I’ve structured the business in a way that allows me to work from anywhere.

For me, the true marker of success is closely tied to how “free” I’m feeling. There’s nothing more valuable than time – it’s the ultimate luxury. I have moments where I realize that I’ve pulled off my dream of being able to choose how and where I spend my time, and that makes me feel extremely successful.

Contact Info:

• Address: 925 North La Brea Ave.
  West Hollywood, CA 90038
• Website: www.vrrb.com
• Phone: 888-988-8772
• Email: [email protected]

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.