In the heart of Buffalo’s burgeoning startup scene, you’ll find Rightly Marketing – a solution-based marketing firm with a proven track record for driving traffic, increasing leads and helping businesses grow. Fueled by his passion for working with startups and his desire to build his own business, Chris Keller launched Rightly Marketing in 2016. Today, his business provides on-demand marketing and educational consulting services to a diverse client list.
After experiencing a period of rapid growth in 2018, Chris needed financing to keep up with his business’s increasing demand. Due to his immediate financing needs, Chris decided to seek the help of an alternative lender, as opposed to a traditional bank, and was fortunately connected to Pursuit through the KeyBank Business Boost & Build Program. “The timing of being able to get the funding was really, really paramount for me, because I had opportunities in the pipeline that would’ve went away had I not been able to pursue them right away,” says Chris.
Shortly after applying, Chris was approved for a $20,000 SmartLoanTM through Pursuit’s Minority and Women Revolving Loan Trust Fund (MWRLTF), which provides up to $50,000 in affordable financing to minority- and women-owned businesses in several regions across New York state. With his loan, Chris will be able to scale his business from a one-man, home-based operation to an established agency with a dedicated office space and staff.
“I knew how to scale my business, I just didn’t have the time or resources to execute it with all of the clients that I had,” explains Chris. “And that’s where the funding came in. The financing I received from Pursuit allowed me to spend more time growing my business than just servicing my clients. I also received one-on-one consulting from Pursuit in the areas of strategic growth and human resources to help solidify my plans on when and how to bring on new employees.”
As his business grows, Chris plans to expand Rightly Marketing by further developing his client-base in Buffalo and transitioning his business from a fee structure to an annual retainer model.