Find out what's holding your small business back
Hi, I'm Jonathan. I made glasses in the back of an optical shop and ended up running the store, so I know how a small business actually works. Now I work with owners across Southern California on the things that decide whether the business grows: the numbers, the plan, the website, and whether anyone can find you. I explain the work as I go, so when we're done you can run it yourself.
Jonathan Mejia, MBA
FrameScale Inc
- MBA
- Marketing concentration
- UC Riverside
- Bachelor's in business
- Small Business
- Who I work with
- San Diego
- Home base, I come to you
Where most owners get stuck
Most owners I meet have at least one of these, and the ones with all four are the busiest people I know. The hard part is telling which one you've actually got, because from the inside they all feel like being short of time.
You Only Look At Profit
You check what's left at the end of the month and run the business off that one number. What came in, what it cost to bring in, and which part of the business earned it never get a look, so every decision gets made after the fact.
Money Comes In And You Can't Say From Where
Some of it is repeat customers, some walked past, some found you online, and the split is a guess. Without it you can't tell what to do more of, so you keep paying for all of it.
No Plan Past This Month
You're busy running the week and there's no plan for the year. Every problem gets dealt with when it lands on you, and the same ones keep landing.
Posting Online And Calling It Marketing
You post most days and a few people like it. The people ready to spend money are on Google looking for your hours and a way to book, and your website and your listing haven't been touched in years.
What I Do
Owners call me about one thing and it turns out to be another, so the first call is for working out which of these you need and in what order.
I started on the floor, not in an office
My first job was making glasses. Then I started working on the retail side, selling them and running the store as a manager.
I worked in corporate stores, in franchises, and even in small optical practices. It was a long road that led nowhere, and I had to find a way out of the rat race.
So I went back to school. I got a bachelor's at UC Riverside and then an MBA in marketing, because I realized working with people was where I enjoyed the work most. My aim was to help small businesses grow and thrive in their respective industries.
Most owners think marketing means posting on social media. That's one small piece of it. Marketing is also who your customer really is, what you charge, what your website says, whether anyone can find you on Google, and whether you can tell which of those brought the money in.
Social media managers and marketers rarely explain any of that. You get a monthly report and an invoice, and you still can't say what either one did for you. They also never work out the exact things your business needs to fix, so you end up with general tactics that would suit any company on the street.
I use my experience to run proper market research and identify where the growth actually is for your business.
I work with you one on one to understand where the business is struggling, what to do about it, and how to keep it growing after that.
I explain all of it as we go, because I want you to understand it yourself. You need me now, and the aim is that eventually you won't.
Jonathan
- You Work With MeYou call, I answer, and I did the work you're calling about. The person going through your numbers is the same person who built the thing.
- You See The Homework FirstI study your market and your customers before I tell you to spend anything. If you don't need what you came to me for, I'll tell you on the first call.
- Built For Your BusinessI won't hand you something I built for someone else with the logo swapped out. I start with how you actually take work in, because a website that fights the way you run things gets abandoned in a month.
- You'll Understand Your Own NumbersIf you can't explain your marketing to someone else when we're done, I did it wrong. I'll sit with you and go through the reporting until it makes sense.
Questions I get a lot
The things people ask me before we talk. If yours isn't here, put it in the form and I'll answer it.
What does a small business consultant actually do?
I find out why the business isn't growing, then I fix it. Usually that means a better website, showing up on Google when people search, and reports you can read on your own.
Do you only work with San Diego small businesses?
San Diego is home base, and I work with owners across Southern California. Being able to come and see how the place runs tells me more than a phone call does, so I stay close enough to do that.
What does it cost?
It depends on the business, so there's no price list. Some owners need one thing fixed. Others need the whole picture rebuilt. We talk first, then I give you a number and what it covers. The first call is free.
How long until I see results?
Research takes a few weeks. Website work depends on the size of the job. Google takes a few months, because that's how long it takes for anyone to notice you changed something. Anyone promising faster is guessing.
Can you promise I'll be number one on Google?
No, and nobody can. What I will promise is that you always know what I did and what it cost.
Do I have to sign up for something ongoing?
No. Some owners bring me in for one job and that's the end of it. Others keep me on month to month once things are running. Both are normal, and you decide which one you want after the work is done.
What happens on the first call?
Half an hour, just the two of us, at a time you pick. You tell me what isn't working, I ask a few questions, and you come away knowing what I would tackle first. If I'm not the right person, I'll say so then.
Tell me what isn't working
Half an hour on the phone is enough to find where I'd start. Pick a time, or write it down and I'll come back to you the next business day. If I can't help, I'll say so on the call.
Book A Free Call- 01I read it myself.
- 02We talk for half an hour.
- 03I tell you whether I can help.
- 04You decide. I won't chase you.
San Diego, CA. Working with owners across Southern California.
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 Pacific.
Send me a note
Three boxes. It doesn't need to be long.
Know an owner who's working every hour and still stuck? Send them this page.