Today we’d like to introduce you to Bismarie Plasencia.
Hi Bismarie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Bismarie Plasencia, and I am a 25-year-old Cuban-American born in Miami, Florida. Ever since I familiarized myself with a laptop, I dove in and taught myself many programs. I became well-versed with all of Microsoft’s and Apple’s programs. Some of the programs that grew my passion for the creative sides of advertising were ClipArt, MovieMaker, and iMovie. I remember spending hours glued to my computer, at times skipping dinner if I could, to continue working on projects.
It was incredible, all I could create with the touch of a button. That is when my love for design and creativity began. As I grew older I always found myself becoming the leader of group projects and assignments, always wanting to be the one to put it all together. I found myself creating a connection with everything I worked on.
Fast forward to college, I had just switched my major from broadcast journalism to advertising and was searching for a job or internship to gain experience in the field. As an advertising sales rep, I applied and got a position at the Independent Florida Alligator, the University of Florida’s student-run newspaper. Though I didn’t have much passion for print advertising, I enjoyed the connections I built with our various local clients.
I was also noticing an opening to offer better services to clients that didn’t see the value in print. Thus, the idea for an in-house advertising agency was born. I founded SparkIt Creative and led it for a little over a year, and while doing so, I realized that running an advertising agency, and assisting with the growth of small businesses was exactly what I wanted to do.
I wanted to run my advertising agency, build relationships with business owners and assist smaller businesses that couldn’t afford a larger agency. This drove me to apply for a master’s in entrepreneurship at the University of Florida. I applied during my last year of undergrad and was accepted into their program.
Following my graduation in the summer of 2020, I took on my first freelance client, which was a telehealth hematologist called Heme Onc Call. That was the first business to have confidence in me and my marketing services. I then accepted a full-time position at SPARXOO, an advertising agency; however, that career path was short-lived. I continued working with Heme Onc Call as a freelance marketing consultant.
As I continued to onboard more clients, I need a reliable place to work. I transformed a family room section into my office and began helping my clients grow. A company’s name is crucial for its business because it is the center of its brand, so I immediately started brainstorming a name. The name-selecting process took about a month, and I sent out two rounds of surveys to see which name resonated better with audiences.
Finally, in late April, I decided on GetBissy Marketing. It was a play on my name, Bismarie, and it also represented who we were as an advertising agency. I wanted to help turn businesses into busier and better brands. We were getting busy as an agency and for our clients.
When more work started coming in, I knew I needed a strong team to produce high-quality work. I knew exactly who I wanted on my team; they were all people I had worked with in the past. I did not doubt in my mind that they would help boost my agency to the next level. Most of the team would be working remotely, while some would accompany me to in-person client meetings.
Now that I had my name, my team, and a handful of clients, it was time to make it official. branding was the next step. Balancing client work and working on building my business’s brand was a challenge. I would dedicate the majority of my time to my client’s work but still, work on my branding after work hours.
I officially launched my company with the completed logo, social profiles, and website on August 13th, 2021. GetBissy Marketing is currently servicing 15 clients, from fitness centers, boutiques, yoga studios, medical offices, and realtors, to cupcake shops, and much more. We have even expanded into servicing clients in Gainesville, Florida!
GetBissy Marketing will work with any small business that is looking to expand its brand online. We work personally with our clients, guiding them every step of the way. We not only monitor their performance online, but we monitor their business sales as well to make sure our efforts are successful.
I am fortunate to have a bright, young team brimming with talent and new ideas. I pour my heart and soul into this business and into making sure our clients are meeting the goals they need to meet. I owe a lot of my success to my personality and speaking ability. Like I say, when you beam positivity, success will follow.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business is anything, but smooth. It’s more of a roller coaster, if I had to compare it to something, I’d say Space Mountain in the Magic Kingdom. As someone who thinks positively as much as she can, some struggles bring you down. Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. You have to sacrifice your flexibility, holidays, mornings, nights, and more. This is especially true during the first year of your business.
Even if you have a fantastic team behind you, the only person who is going to put 110% into your business is yourself. Realizing that may be a tough pill to swallow for some. This is why you need to want it and work your absolute hardest to make your dream come true.
I can openly say I’ve had breakdowns, frustrations, and doubts, and questioned if this was the right path for me. Whenever I have these moments, almost immediately something unbelievable happens and I am reminded why I do what I do. Whether it’s a client calling me to tell me their sales have increased by 50% this last month because of our work or if it’s because I receive a referral from someone who gave them a glowing review of our services, every worry is just pushed away.
I am truly making a difference. Being reminded of that is all I need to keep going. I feel, as a Cuban, I have a unique drive that not many people have. I have always been a person that works hard and doesn’t give up until something is the way it is supposed to be, its best. My family worked so hard to arrive here from Cuba, Once they arrived they had to work even harder to make a living.
My grandfather was an entrepreneur and one of the strongest people I knew. We push ourselves beyond our limits to achieve our dreams when we come from nothing. We do what is necessary. That is what it takes to be a business owner. I promise you the payoff is so rewarding when you realize what a difference you are making.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
GetBissy Marketing works personally with each of our clients. From the initial meeting process, we sit down and dive deep into the history of their business and how they are looking to market their business. Our team researches our potential clients before the first meeting.
We then brainstorm as a team to provide them with an in-depth marketing proposal. What sets us apart is that we listen. We customize each proposal to properly fit their business and budget. Once they sign on as our clients, we contact them weekly, making sure to update them with our new ideas and checking in to see how our marketing efforts are working.
These abilities and principles, along with our commitment to our client’s success, make us a formidable partner. Our clients praise our employee’s professionalism, attentive relationship, knowledge, and innovation regularly. We understand that our client’s success is a measure of our success. That makes us a special agency you cannot find anywhere else.
Recently, GetBissy has expanded to North Florida and we have our first official client in Gainesville, FL. This was all because of my reconnecting with a past client I worked with when I was a student at the University of Florida. The owner of the business appreciated and loved the work I was putting into his business and he was ecstatic to start a business with me once again.
We have team members up in the area and travel to the city to collect content whenever we need to. This is an exciting time for the company and just shows a bright future ahead. This just goes to show that the connections that I build are true what sets us apart from every other agency. We not only get to know your business but the business owner(s) as well.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
GetBissy Marketing continues to expand and acquire incredible clients across Miami and now Gainesville. Here is to us continuing to build busier, better brands.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getbissymarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getbissymarketing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getbissymarketing
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/getbissyagency
Image Credits
Alexander Milian
