VBE Spotlight on: WSI Digital Marketing

WSI Digital Marketing

Founded 2022

With partners and clients in every corner of the world, WSI is the largest and most experienced digital marketing network of its kind. With Katheryne Womack as Principal Consultant and 25+ years in business, WSI establishes leadership in the industry and a trusted partner for all your digital marketing needs.

About the Business - Excellence & Exceptionalism

What services do you provide?

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer services, digital marketing blueprints and strategy, customer persona development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), website development, advertising, and market research.
 

Who are your primary customers?

Primary customers: established companies in the SaaS/IT/MSP space with in-house marketing teams who need help with longer term and online marketing efforts, like SEO, web development, and rebranding.

Other customers: those who have no in-house marketing teams and need the support of a dedicated digital marketing expert to either workshop or implement digital marketing solutions- this could include anything from advertising to SEO to hosting services.

When and how did you start your business?

After fifteen years of active military service, I sought stability and a deeper connection to a community. Entrepreneurship offered the perfect opportunity to achieve these goals while leveraging my skills and experience. Building a business has been incredibly rewarding, allowing me to contribute to the local economy, forge strong relationships, and enjoy a fulfilling career path.

Business Growth Challenges - Growing Through Challenge and Change

What were some of the challenges in starting your business?

Building relationships in the beginning was the most significant challenge in establishing my business. Growing up as a military dependent, I experienced frequent relocations, making it difficult to cultivate deep-rooted connections. This pattern continued during my own fifteen-year active duty military career. Fortunately, my persistence in getting to know my business community, including building relationships with competitors, and the support of my clients and access to their networks, have helped me build momentum.

What is the key to the success of your business?

Through some seriously extensive competitor analysis, I've identified two core factors driving business success so far: grit and strategic expertise. My military background instilled in me the importance of perseverance and consistent effort, which have been invaluable in building my business. However, what truly sets us apart is our strategic approach. Unlike many competitors focused on transactional digital marketing solutions, we prioritize understanding our clients' overarching business objectives. By aligning marketing tactics with broader strategic goals, we deliver more impactful and sustainable results. 

What lessons learned can you share with people to make their business succeed?

A valuable lesson I’ve learned is to meticulously document daily operations. By analyzing these activities, you can identify tasks that can be delegated or outsourced, freeing up your time to focus on strategic initiatives and high-level leadership responsibilities.

What pitfalls should they avoid?

Cutting your marketing budget is a short-sighted decision. Marketing is your company’s visibility; it's how you connect with customers. Reducing your marketing efforts to save money can actually cost you more in the long run. It diminishes your brand's presence and leaves your business vulnerable to competitors.

What other information about you and your business would you like to share with the NaVOBA Community?

I'm very honored to be able to make these connections with everyone in the NaVOBA community. I'd love it if everyone would connect with me and hop on a networking call sometime in the very near future. I'm in this for the relationships!



Service Information

Branch: USAF 2006-2012, US Navy 2015-2022

Service Years: 2006-2022

Highest Rank Attained: O3-E, Navy Lieutenant

Why did you join the military?

I joined the military to see the world (and also I wanted to be cool like my dad- he was in the Army for 20 years!)

Military Occupation:

• Intelligence Instructor
• Korean Linguist
• Intelligence Officer
• Cyber Operations Planner
• Cyber Operations Analyst
• J2 (intelligence) Team Lead
• J7 (training and exercises) Team Lead

Any significant military achievements / experience you would like to mention?

• Recipient of the Airman Levitow Award (This is the highest honor awarded based on performance tasks and peer stratifications at Airman Leadership School. The John L. Levitow Award is the most distinguished graduate and is included as part of the top 10 percent of Distinguished Graduates. Each ALS class will have only one John L. Levitow Award recipient)
• Navy Achievement Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal

Fun Facts:

In 10 years I see myself continuing to work directly with my clients, but perhaps shorter work days.



People might be interested to know that during my time as an intelligence officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 14 in the US Navy, I cold-called a NASCAR race track and negotiated a flyover of an upcoming race in exchange for pit passes and a suite for myself and my pilots. This was amazing for me, because I'm a lifelong NASCAR fan. Talk about leverage!

If I wasn't a business owner, I'd continue providing education to other business owners or mentoring young people who want to either join the military or get into business for themselves.