Headquarters: Maryland
NaVOBA Accolades:
2024 LGBT Veteran's Business Enterprise® We Love
NaVOBA / Certified Veteran's Business Enterprise®
Business Accolades:
NGLCC Certified LGBT Business Enterprise
Company Web site: www.wsiworld.com
Blog Layout
Aug 01, 2024
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.
The 2024 LGBT Veteran's Business Enterprise of the Year recipient has been announced! On the last day of July. NaVOBA held their Awards Ceremony at the 2024 National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Conference in Palm Springs to present the award to the 2024 LGBT Veteran's Business Enterprise of the Year (VBEOY). The event was generously sponsored by Capital One and held at the Palm Springs Convention Center. NaVOBA's award ceremony & mixer was attended by corporate sponsors, diversity allies, and other veteran business owners to celebrate several businesses for their achievements and contributions to the veteran business community. NaVOBA celebrated the guest of honor, President & CEO of Facilities Partners & Solutions, LLC, Kathleen Waters. She remarked, "The two things I embrace when people discuss diverse buckets are being a Veteran and being LGBTQ+. I am so very proud of these two indicators and being able to have a platform with my business and being involved with both the NJ Veteran Chamber and the NJ Pride Chamber to strengthen our voices for doing business with diverse companies. I am open with our staff concerning our culture within the ranks - that being of respect and support for all. It is truly a value woven into my daily interactions in the business and my personal life. Providing a working environment where people are safe and feel safe is at the root of our success. In the first year of business, FPS has only had one employee turnover out of the 45+ employees we have - that is a testament to our walking the walk." After Kathleen's acceptance speech, we gave an exclusive invite to our Joint Forces Forum event in October. It didn't stop there. In attendance for the event was the C-suite from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). President and CEO Pamela Prince-Eason announced that Kathleen would receive certification as a women's owned business. Mimi Lohm, NaVOBA's Vice President of Corporate Relations & Chief Development Officer, opened up the event and awarded two people who have gone above and beyond for the veteran community. Justin Nelson , the Co-Founder & President of NGLCC, was presented with the 2024 Alliance Excellence Award. Kevin Moedt, Digital Sales Manager from Townsquare Ignite, sits on NaVOBA's Marketing Committee. He was announced as NaVOBA's 2024 Community Champion for all the work he has done. "It's important to recognize those who volunteered to serve our nation in the military. Not only have they served our nation honorably, they have taken those skills and attributes they’ve learned in military service and paired them with passion, talent and hard work to become successful entrepreneurs," Mimi remarked. Reuben Essandoh , Capital One's Director of Supplier Diversity and Procurement & Enterprise Supplier Management (ESM) did the honors of presenting the awards. There were two recipients of the 2024 LGBT Veteran’s Business Enterprise® We Love. Brian Auden, CEO of Superbeo remarked "At Superbeo, we are incredibly proud of our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and excellence, which we believe makes us deserving of the 2024 LGBT Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year award. As a veteran-led company, we actively recruit and support LGBTQ+ veterans, and underrepresented communities, creating a safe and innovative workplace. Our tailored staffing solutions provide top-tier talent both locally and globally, and our effective retention strategies ensure fair compensation and comprehensive benefits for all employees. Our white glove service approach and community engagement initiatives set us apart as industry leaders. With a proven track record of delivering significant cost savings and maintaining high service standards, we are confident in our qualifications for this prestigious recognition." Katheryne Womack, Principal Consultant at WSI Digital Marketing remarked, "My dedication to empowering businesses and giving back aligns perfectly with NaVOBA's Veteran's Business Enterprises® of the Year Award. My story exemplifies veteran strength. After nearly 20 years serving in the military's intelligence community, I transitioned to entrepreneurship in 2022. Thriving Business, Strategic Approach WSI stands out with a unique approach, prioritizing long-term strategic marketing plans over short-sighted tactics. They equip small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with long-term growth tools and data-driven processes. A thriving veteran-owned business with a deep focus on community, WSI empowers businesses through their innovative, strategy-first approach." This event was one for the books. The energy and camraderie in the room was tangible. Thank you to our sponsors, allies, and partners. As always, thank you to our VBEs who make events like these happen.
Facilities Partners & Solutions LLC (FPS) is a company exemplifying diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the facility management sector. Led by Kathleen Waters, a seasoned expert with over two decades in the industry, FPS is redefining the workspace by valuing and uplifting its diverse workforce. Learn more about FPS in this week's VBE Spotlight
Superbeo, established by Brian Auden, is passionately devoted to maximizing diversity and inclusivity opportunities for both candidates and clients. Built on the principle of equitable access for everyone, Superbeo identifies the best talent by considering their intrinsic values, experiences, and skills. They offer immediate job openings for candidates, efficient staffing solutions for clients, and maintain 24/7 support, ensuring real-time assistance for all stakeholders.
Thank you for your interest in the National Veteran Owned Business Association’s Certified Veteran’s Business Enterprise® (VBE) and Certified Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® (SDVBE) programs. This initiative creates a nationally recognized gold standard in certification for veteran-owned businesses of all sizes and enables corporate America to proactively source and confidently utilize businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by U.S. military veterans.
OUR MISSION
NaVOBA’s mission is to create corporate contracting opportunities for America’s Veteran’s and Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprises (VBEs/SDVBEs) through certification, advocacy, outreach, recognition and education.
NEWSLETTER
