Want to know how to build your online presence and grow your business fast? UBS Digital is here to help!
By Kemi Mobuse - Wednesday, April 20, 2016
One of the things I learned is that small businesses do not have the tools to compete with the ‘big dogs’, when it comes to the digital marketing. This is ever more evident in Nigeria. Small businesses simply can’t afford large IT departments, specialist contractors, consultants, etc. that the big firms do. Yet, they still need to compete in the same space. Thus, I and a few partners, decided to come together and build a set of tools that will provide small businesses the opportunity to also compete online.Those are the words of the CEO of UBS Digital; an indigenous technology company on a mission to get local businesses online by providing quality, affordable digital products and services that are accessible to everyone to help them get ahead in today's' competitive markets.
He talked more about his brand in the interview he had with KMB, excerpts below;
Can we
meet you?
My name
is Ubong Isemin, and I am Nigerian, from Akwa Ibom state.
What do
you do?
I help
provide small businesses with the tools they need to effectively compete
online. I am the MD and Principal Consultant at UBS Digital.
What
inspired your going into this field?
I have
worked in the digital space for a few years, before settling down in Nigeria.
One of the things I learned is that small businesses do not have the tools to
compete with the ‘big dogs’, when it comes to the digital marketing. This is
ever more evident in Nigeria. Small businesses simply can’t afford large IT
departments, specialist contractors, consultants, etc. that the big firms do.
Yet, they still need to compete in the same space. Thus, I and a few partners,
decided to come together and build a set of tools that will provide small
businesses the opportunity to also compete online.
What is
the name of your brand and how old is it?
Our
company is called UBS Digital. We are about 4 years old, but we’ve only been
operating in Nigeria since 2014.
How has
the market reception been?
The
market reception has been fair. We’ve opted for an organic growth process,
rather than splash out on advertising and publicity. So far, it is working for
us. Our clients come to us already believing we’re the right people for the
job, and we much prefer that. Today, we’re being featured on a well-read blog.
I’d call that success J.
You kept
referring to tools, what and what does that entail?
The tools I’m referring to include a range
of products and services, designed to help small businesses perform better
online. These include business websites, social media pages/accounts, search engine
optimization, online directories, display advertising and more. Put together,
these go a long way to boost a business’s online presence.
Did you
receive any special training to build up your brand?
I
wouldn’t call my training, “special”. I learned through experience. I started
out as a developer, having studied computing at university. And over the years,
my roles became more client-facing. This has given me a good balance of skills
(technical skills, management skills, customer service skills, and otherwise)
to build the brand we have today. To add to that, I have the best support
structure a budding entrepreneur could ask for. My mother is a seasoned
entrepreneur, having founded several companies in her time. She is currently
the president of the Uyo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture
(UYOCCIMA). Now, I’d say that’s not a bad person to have in your corner. She is
my mentor.
What
major challenges have you experienced since starting out?
As with most start-ups, a lot of our
challenges revolve around funding. However, instead of letting it become a
stumbling block, it has taught us to be creative. We’ve learned to find
interesting solutions to our problems, rather than simply throwing money at
them. Besides funding, infrastructure poses a bit of a challenge also. A lot of
our work is done online, so we depend on ISPs to deliver on their services.
Sometimes, they don’t.
What and
what exactly do your services entail?
Our services are tailored to specific
clients. Each client has different needs, resources, and what they hope to
achieve. Thus, we try to make our services fit around them. Although each one
may get a website, the type of website, the mode of delivery, the process, etc.
may differ to suit the client’s needs.
We also offer consultancy services, SEO,
display advertising, social media marketing, content development, and online
directory services. Clients may pick and choose what they want (and how they
want it) to form their package.
Can
you name some companies or brands that you have serviced?
Some of our more recognizable clients
include the Uyo Chamber of Commerce (UYOCCIMA), Theresa Edem (Actress), Uforo
Small Business Owners Association, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Science Teachers Association
of Nigeria (STAN) and Full Life International Schools, to name a few.
What
advice do you have for future entrepreneurs?
Read “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries. It
will save you a lot of grief.
Lastly,
how can you be contacted?
You can reach me via email at ubong.i@ubs.com.ng or info@ubs.com.ng
Our website is: http://ubs.com.ng.
Phone: 08091936036.
Ig: @ubs_digital
Some pictures of their works below:
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