Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Procida.
Hi Lee, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I actually started my career as a newspaper reporter. I loved writing in high school, studied journalism at the University of Delaware, then graduated and spent six years reporting on local news in South Jersey. I wrote nearly 2,000 articles in that span and had a lot of fun adventures – including meeting my wife at The Press of Atlantic City – but it was clear after a while there wasn’t much future in journalism.
That’s when I decided to make the leap to “The Dark Side,” as journalists referred to it – marketing. I applied to every marketing agency I could find in the Philadelphia area, and got an opportunity at a small but respected agency in Center City called Braithwaite Communications. The founder, Hugh Braithwaite, was an incredible inspiration and mentor, who pushed everyone to be constantly learning about the craft. I consumed as many marketing books, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, etc., as I could. I also got some invaluable experience working with huge brands like Wawa and Wynn Resorts, and lots of other types of businesses, ranging from law firms to industrial services companies to non-profits.
That exposure to lots of different types of companies and marketing techniques was the perfect training ground, but I found myself wanting to have a greater impact by going in-house at an enterprise, where I could be more hands-on in more aspects of the business. So, when I got recruited to be the Director of Content at Dorman, a major auto parts brand based in Montgomery County, I jumped at it.
I started with one direct report in a small marketing department; five years later, I was leading a team of 16 designers, writers, photographers, video producers, web designers and project managers, operating like an in-house creative agency for the global organization. I learned a ton about being a leader and effectively managing a complex portfolio with tens of thousands of products. My team won a bunch of awards and really reinvented the brand, both internally and externally.
At the same time, I would occasionally have friends and family reach out for marketing help with their own small businesses, and I would provide some guidance and help on nights and weekends, building websites, running digital ads, writing copy for sales materials, and whatever else they needed. When I actually had some money coming in from that work I created an LLC, originally just calling it Procida Media, but when we moved to the Mountwell section of Haddonfield, NJ, I rebranded it to what it is today: Mountwell Marketing.
As fate would have it, Dorman hit some financial struggles due to COVID supply chain disruptions, tariffs on imports, rising interest rates, etc., which led to them laying dozens of experienced professionals, including myself. After a couple months of interviewing for other roles, I decided to bet on myself and go all-in on Mountwell.
Turning a side-hustle into a full-time gig was a little scary for the first few months, but now I can say it was the best decision I could’ve made. I’m now working with dozens of different small and medium-sized businesses locally and throughout the country, with a reliable network of partners, and a lot of extremely exciting opportunities on the horizon.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Changing careers multiple times has been both exciting and nerve-wracking. Going from journalism to marketing was a big leap, as was going from an agency to in-house, then again going out on my own. Running your own company is not for the faint of heart, and it’s given me so much more respect for anyone who’s brave enough to do it. I’m still learning and growing every single day, but fortunately I’m a self-starter with a flexible mindset who’s able to both roll with the punches and roll up my sleeves when I need to get things done.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My vision for Mountwell Marketing is to be one of the only agencies in the country that specifically caters to small and growing businesses. Every other agency I’ve encountered is always just chasing larger and larger clients, charging unreasonable amounts of money.
Meanwhile, 90% of the businesses in America have 1-5 employees, and there are tens of thousands of new LLCs started every day. That means the enormous majority of businesses in America can’t find professional marketing support they can afford. It’s insane.
So, what we do is start with very small projects or retainers, which thanks to my experience I can do quickly and affordably, for small businesses. For established businesses looking to grow, I join them as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, working like a member of their team in a part-time capacity, handling everything from strategy to marketing operations to hiring. I strive to meet business owners where they are, and give them the support they actually need, not try to constantly upsell and overcharge them.
Fortunately, taking that genuine approach has led to retaining and growing my clients, who have then referred me to lots of other businesses, and helped me exceed my initial goals in less than a year. Now, I’m building up a network of partners to help me continue growing and helping more small businesses.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
There’s definitely a lot to figure out when running your own business that goes well beyond just finding and delivering work for customers. Bookkeeping, healthcare, software, taxes, and just getting into a consistent workflow are all jobs in and of themselves that you don’t have to think so much about when being a W2 employee. Frankly, I’m surprised as many people start businesses as they do when there are these kinds of hurdles to overcome just so you can actually make a living doing what you want to do. There are some aspects of these things I wish I figured out sooner to be more efficient from the get-go.
I’ve also found success in some places I didn’t expect from just constantly networking. Every week I’m talking to different people about different topics, often with no specific agenda in mind besides getting to know potential partners, and those conversations have frequently led to opportunities that would’ve been impossible to predict. At times I’ve been reluctant to have some of those conversations, feeling like it might be a waste of time, but so often those meetings have resulted in new clients months down the line. I can definitely say you can’t lose by putting yourself out there and being open to all kinds of conversations, even if it’s not clear where it’ll go.
Pricing:
- Local-Business Micro-Retainer: $500 a month
- Small Business Strategic Parntership: $1,500 a month
- Fractional Leadership: $1,500 a week
- One-Time Projects: $150 an hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mountwell.marketing/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountwell.marketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mountwell.Marketing
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mountwell-marketing/
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pNHPxbpZ1YqzJu1b9
