Young Business of the Year finalist: Digital Image Business Solutions

As the business manager for Digital Image Business Solutions, Gregg Anderson develops custom business plan solutions for clients with 50 or fewer employees that do not house their own marketing departments.

Last year, DIBS was nominated for the “Technology and Innovation” category for the Frank G. Berlin Sr. Small Business Awards. Although it isn’t a technology company, DIBS fit into the category because it took an aggressive role in combining social media mobile applications and using technology to develop a new business model for the industry. This year, DIBS received a nomination for “Young Business of the Year.”

“The business has changed dramatically in the last year,” Anderson said. “We have completed our ongoing integration of complete marketing communication services and are now doing seminars and training programs, complete website and social-media strategies. We have integrated mobile applications and tagging technology and are combining that with a strategy for the client.”

DIBS isn’t just about selling clients a service — it’s what fits best and how they are going to measure the return of investment.

“I love the opportunity to develop custom solutions for every client that allows them to be more successful at a lower, competitive price,” he said. “We don’t sell them a service, we help them set a budget and identify their market niche, then develop a custom marketing, advertising and sales strategy based on their size and available budget.”
 

AT A GLANCE

Start date: 2007

Address: 7216 21st St. E., Sarasota

Number of employees: Five (30 strategic partners)

Advice for small business owners: “Have a flexible plan that is adaptable to market conditions,” said Gregg Anderson, business manager for Digital Image Business Solutions. “Control and direct your financial resources so that you have a budget that you set and are able to establish an expected return on investment for every project and/or service area.”

Biggest challenge: “The real challenge we have right now is providing support tools and procedures to handle clients outside of the local market. We’ve brought on clients from New Jersey, Chicago and Texas, and through electronic media, have been able to respond to them as if they are local clients.”

Best place to go for a power lunch: “Mediterraneo. The food’s great, the atmosphere is great and it’s not overly busy for lunch.”

First day on the job: “It was an acquisition, so it was total chaos. We were putting in new equipment, new computers, changing job descriptions and readdressing employee responsibilities.”

If you could have any job for the day: “I would like to own and captain my own 44-foot yacht.”

Who is your business hero: “Sam Walton. He has revolutionized products and the retail industry.”

What is one advantage of having your business in Sarasota: “The quality of life. Sarasota is very unique, so you have an opportunity to deal with some of the leading-edge intellectuals and design concepts based on the business here. You can develop on both short- and long-term relationships.”

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].