If Instagram went away tomorrow, would you still be good?
“Yes.”
What about Facebook? What if it went away tomorrow, would your business still be good?
“Yes.”
I asked these questions to Ryaan Tuttle from RJT Carpentry and Tile and he remarked that his business would stay fine without social media. He explained further that it’s possible for social media to go away, because 90% of his business comes through his website and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Ryaan is on fire, and he shared his story on the podcast. Get ready to be inspired, and motivated in your own business, as you listen to this show!
Humble Beginnings
Ryaan grew up in East Boston and recalls moving around a lot with his family. His father was a housepainter and worked odd jobs just to get by. Because they moved around, he didn’t have a very stable childhood and didn’t finish his education.
He was exposed to carpentry early on during his younger years. His father would let him climb the ladder for chores even if it was a bit dangerous for him. He was exposed to watching local TV shows about construction and carpentry, and he loved it. When he turned freshman in high school, he was more focused in the shop class than his other subjects. He knew his future would no doubt include some form of carpentry or another.
Ryaan admits that during his younger years, he was hanging out with the wrong crowd. He was misinformed and got into trouble many times with his friends. He realized that he had to get out of the situation he was in. Somehow, he saw an opportunity to set himself straight and took that last shot. He didn’t look back since.
Starting His Business From Scratch
Ryaan and his team have been in business for 10 years… However, it took him sweat, tears, and hard work to get where he’s at. Since he didn’t finish his education, and the only skill set he knew was being a laborer, he started taking odd jobs here and there. Eventually, hanging out with the wrong crowd got himself into some trouble, and he knew that being a laborer was not panning out, so he let it go.
Like everyone else, he wanted a future. A stable future. And because his passion is carpentry, and he wanted to run his own carpentry business someday, he had to start from scratch. He worked as a part-timer, an apprentice, then took CSL or construction supervisor class, then unrestricted license course. Thankfully, he passed both courses! Later on, he got his own insurance. Soon, clients started pouring in and he has been blessed with working for big clients here and there.
Truly, hard work does pay off!
“I was so hungry. I wanted to have a future, and change my road. And the only way I knew how to do that was through hard work, and staying true to myself.”
How does a person learn to stay true to themselves? By following his or her own intuition. Ryaan learned that it’s best to listen to the voice from that “little wise person” inside of him and simply follow it. Obey it. Once he understood that, everything became easier.
Every business goes through hardships – and he acknowledges that. His worst moments in business are:
- Not listening to that gut feeling (or intuition) in the beginning.
- Simply kept on going to work since he didn’t have the education.
Eventually, he learned that a person has to experience humility to go forward in business. And he says that you cannot be afraid to reach out to people to seek help and guidance.
By simply following the mantra of “listening to one’s voice”, trusting himself, and always staying humble, he reaped the rewards along the way. He also stressed that his rewards are the positive reviews he received from his clients – mostly 5-star online reviews and he’s been given more than 100 reviews already.
His business get’s reviews on all of these online platforms:
When asked why he is so passionate about the carpentry industry, he said:
“I LOVE the opportunity to go into somebody’s home, in which they’ve dreamed about this project for years, and they pick me to come and work on their home.”
If Ryaan was given a chance to start over again and do things differently, he would like to finish a college degree.
Online Branding and Presence
Like every other business, you need to have an online presence.
Ryaan knew this from the beginning and has worked tirelessly on his own website, running it for over 7 years now.
He is now getting 90% or more of their leads through the website.
He knows that his website can reach people “anywhere and everywhere” in addition to the traditional “word-of-mouth” approach. He understands that marketing strategies change over time and there is a need to be consistent. As he suggests, pick one thing and stick with it.
It’s not an easy task running your website and having it rank on the top pages of search engine sites. However, He is smart enough to trust those who taught him, especially his website provider. It took some time, but it worked! Eventually, they experienced hockey-stick growth in their business because of the website.
How Does RJT Carpentry and Tile Rank for Local SEO?
- Title is huge
- Blogging is so important.
- Target your niche area through your blog
He says to know the direction of your business and how you want to move forward with it. For example, if you love bathrooms or kitchens, write about that.
Having a website is a must-have for his business; however, he also saw the birth of social media and has enjoyed becoming more active on social media recently. He has really enjoyed using Instagram stories to connect with his audience. It provides him an outlet and an opportunity to show his clients behind the scenes of his craft and handiwork.
For Ryaan, having an Instagram account for his business refreshes and revives him.
Favorite Book?
Favorite App?
- Apple, apple, apple… everything is Apple and Mac.
Favorite Website?
- Youtube
Where You Can Find Ryaan and His Business?
Final Thoughts
What would you tell a young carpenter who’s just getting started?
“Get ready to work hard. Be ready to sweat, cry, and bleed. And get down on your knees. Have the humility to reach out and ask people if you need help. Stay dedicated.”