Originally posted in Forbes and updated for this blog.

Frank Rojas is a Managing director of Miami SEM, an SEO agency in Miami, Florida.

2022 marked the 10th anniversary of since I started working as a digital marketer. Before that, if someone had mentioned marketing back in my homeland of Cuba, someone else would reply with a phrase: “el marketing es un monstruo” (“marketing is a monster”).

Over the years, when asked by my colleagues if there is anything I would like to pass on to a newcomer, my Latino heritage comes into full swing, and I propose to discuss it over a sobremesa — the Spanish word that describes the conversation that happens over lunch or dinner and that implies familiarity and a sense of comfortability among friends.

So on the premise that you, the reader, and I, the author, have hopefully enjoyed a hearty Spanish meal (and after that, some tapas and at least one glass of the finest Rioja), we are both in the mood to hear the “wisdom” of a decade of work from this humble veteran. Here it goes:

1- The team is the lifeblood of a company.

When I started learning about SEO and Google Ads and running rudimentary website analysis in 2012, we were but a handful of people — not the current thriving organization that Qode Media has become. We currently boast a division for social media marketing, have expanded into the U.S. as miamisem.com, and have offices on more than one continent, with a culturally diverse employee force that speaks English, French, Spanish, Punjabi, Portuguese and Korean. Back then, and more strongly now, team dynamics have been key to the success of the agency.

We are our people, their shared objectives, visions, values, and attitudes. As an organization grows, so does its complexity. But regardless of the hierarchy and titles, the lifeblood of a company that gives it purpose and life lies with its members, and we should never lose sight of that fundamental fact.

2- Getting more sales (and clients) requires a focused approach.

“We need clients; we need sales!” This is a given for any business, but it requires a focused approach. Any agency owner will tell you that client retention and new sales are what marks the difference between achieving success or failing miserably.

If I have one piece of advice to impart on sales, I would choose this one: Say “no” to clients who don’t fit. “No” is a taboo word in marketing, where all messaging is largely positive, but it is one of the strongest tools at your disposal. Once you learn what clients align with either your goals, vision, and/or values, then you can focus on getting those clients instead of exhausting your efforts on unqualified leads, and sales will assume significance beyond simply the financial goals of your company.

I can distinctly remember the first client I signed on a few weeks into my new job as an SEO manager. The elation of that first sale still pumps my heart. The fact that the sale was modest in terms of its actual value is irrelevant (although I see our CFO shaking his head in disagreement right now). Back then, we would do anything to get clients, and our prices were ridiculously low. It was a learning curve. But as the agency has grown, the need for new clients has increased accordingly. By now, we are more seasoned, our prices are a reflection of the value we bring to the table, and our combined expertise, knowledge, and service level have grown exponentially.

3- Hire a person, not a resume.

As a managing director, I am directly and indirectly involved in the recruiting, screening, interviewing, and hiring process. I have had the incredible opportunity to meet and work with extraordinary people, where intelligence, creativity, and resourcefulness have been aplenty, but I have learned a couple of lessons.

Lesson № 1: Intelligence is important but can be overrated. It should not be the main trait of a hire, as any experienced manager will tell you. Unless you are hiring someone to work out of their own silo, you should be looking for team leaders and contributors who can get the job done but also people who are not toxic to the team.

Lesson № 2: Trust and performance are key indicators of a good hire. Simon Sinek mentions his experience with the Navy Seals and their famous graph with intelligence and trust, as axes of the grid. Someone on the top left of the grid, where you find the most intelligent people and the least trustworthy, is an indication of a toxic leader. And the Navy Seals, arguably one of the most efficient organizations in the world, would always prefer someone with a lower level of intelligence but a higher level of trust. Digital agencies should operate under the same paradigm.

4- Don’t let the numbers take the fun out of it.

When you join an agency like Miami SEM, it’s about the excitement, the learning, the team, and the opportunities. But at the end of the day, it is a business. And beyond noble and humane ideals, a business has to make money. So, yes, there are meetings to discuss finances, projections, sales, etc. My advice is not to let the numbers take the fun out of it. The best team and the most successful agency is one where employees have fun doing their work, and digital marketing is propelled by creativity, innovation, and data. A new sale is a reason to applaud, but a new ad idea should also be worth applause. Praise the growth of your employees, celebrate the victories, and learn from the failures.

I cannot say for sure how the phrase “marketing is a monster” originated in Cuba, but I can tell you that it means that, for better or for worse, there is no aspect of modern life that has not been touched by marketing. This I know. I count myself lucky to be working in a field that continues to be a source of passion, enjoyment, and learning, and I am looking forward to the challenges of the next 10 years with high hopes for the future.