Highstoke Media: Danny Tran Spills the Beans About His Rags to Riches Project

Achieving a goal doesn’t happen in an instant. But with proper planning and dedication, it is possible. The face behind Highstoke Media, Danny Tran, shares his success story and gives tips to young entrepreneurs in this talk.

His inspiring 18-month journey to success wraps up much needed mistakes, tips, and requisites for those who look forward to a booming career in Digital Marketing.

Did you always have digital marketing aspirations in mind when you stepped in the industry? Were there forces holding you back?

I don’t think most people take the first step with concrete ideas in their head. For me, even if they do, they should be receptive to change. The digital marketing success story happened step by step for me after receiving enough setbacks.

Hailing from a traditional Asian upbringing and society, I was susceptible to making ordinary choices and the people around me expected me to fall into traditional careers (doctor/engineer/lawyer).

I was eventually suffocating in the corporate 9-5 grind. Before I would begin to appreciate it or hone my skills, I lost my job and steady income. Setbacks stacked one upon the other and I had no choice but to think outside the box. I believed I could create something from scratch, putting everything I’ve learned along with experiences over the past couple of years. I eventually went ahead with my gut feeling that I could put out something valuable to the marketplace.

Do you think philosophies or certain guiding principles see us through? If yes, what have been the core principles for you?

For me, it comes down to one real truth. No matter how clichéd the saying gets, it is true that "Nothing great ever comes from your comfort zone". I have lived by the adage and have always put my best foot forward. I haven't hesitated taking risks and I've crawled back from the worst of my days. Uncomfortable and testing situations have sparked the best results out of me at times.

Do you want to know a secret? I keep reiterating this line to myself. It keeps me rejuvenated and helps me get kick-started a little better each day. There are a lot of other philosophies I believe in, a lot many tips that I wish to share with young people looking forward to new opportunities and lucrative careers.

Has it been a cakewalk or do you just make it look like it?

I'll be very honest, with enough dedication and drive, it can turn into a one, but even then I love the day-to-day in the business and changing the industry with our amazing clients. After almost two years, we’ve grown tenfold especially with building a great company and team around the world.

What do you think has been your greatest moment with Highstoke Media so far?

For me, I think I cherish Highstoke Media for the opportunities it carves for young students, learners, and entrepreneurs. I think that a “good deed”  or legacy lives only when it’s impactfully passed on for the better.

When I was starting on this journey, I took some time understanding the nuances of digital marketing. It didn't come home to be all on its own. But it opened my eyes to so many of the opportunities out there. One of our recent missions is to maximize the impact that we’ll have in the modern world of digital marketing. Knowing that we are able to impact thousands of lives on a daily basis means the world to me.

What has Highstoke Media done for young entrepreneurs?

I've always been passionate about this subject. From the very beginning, I've tried to set out to do things that benefit the younger generation. Now, we even have scholarships that help students across the globe, in so many different countries and have access to the fundamentals of digital marketing and entrepreneurship. I love being present and guiding curious people down the rabbit hole of digital marketing. We’ve also created The Digital Entrepreneur Community which is a group of over 12,000 members dedicated to teaching aspiring entrepreneurs the latest tips and resources in the digital world.

Which key factor sets you apart? What are your thoughts?

I personally think that Highstoke Media has earned its place in the market because we essentially focus on problem solving and not product selling. We’re not just another“generic marketing agency.” That initiative alone is extremely important to me. I think that people prefer working with us because we create a different outlook and try associating with them on a more human level. In addition to that Highstoke Media has created a proprietary platform called the Clients-on-Demand system that is unique to our strategies.

What is all the buzz about the Client Takeover Program?

We have come up with a myriad of programs for aspiring entreprepreneurs looking to get into the digital marketing space. Talking specifically about the ‘Client Takeover Program’, it’s an initiative through which we have been trying to help young entrepreneurs grow as we coach them on setting up their own businesses and monetizing social media skills in the real world.

Would you like leaving behind a few tips for those in the field of digital marketing?

When young entrepreneurs start their first businesses, the one thing that shakes their morale is lack of persistence. They are unwilling to rise back up from failure. The key to success is learning to stay alive in an ambience at first. I began doing just that in a cut-throat corporate environment in Silicon Valley.

The tips that I would like to leave behind are the values of persistence and commitment. Along with these, it is important to research and revisit your ideas, to identify your target audience, and to employ the right methodology to achieve the best results. In the digital world, strategies and tactics are never evergreen. To be persistence and commitment to your journey to continually learn and innovate will be the key to success.

Have you achieved "your idea of success"?

To be honest, I never expected Highstoke Media to be where it is today. I knew I was working towards something great, but it’s still unreal to see all that we’ve accomplished so far. Even though we’ve hit major milestones such as becoming a 7-figure agency, spent over a million on advertising on local businesses, and  worked with clients around the globe, these are just stepping stones to what we are truly capable of. I do not think success is a destination, or that there is a fixed idea or face to it. I want to keep striving and I want to keep helping people along the way.