Transparency: Staying True to your Core, to your Strategy and to your Passion

Perry Nalevka, CEO at Penguin Strategies, has almost 20 years of working in technology at various start-ups, with the last 10 years in sales and marketing. For the past 5 years, he has run Hubspot's first Israeli Partner, Penguin Strategies, a niche agency for technology firms with its "packages" named for different species of penguins. Why penguins? "They're just a cool bird," Perry says.

Penguin Strategies' website is very transparent on how much a client is buying of what and for what price. Using a system of "credits" enables Penguin to be far more flexible, transparent, and nimble in its response to market conditions. Penguin can adapt its strategy to changing customer goals as needed on a month-to-month basis. Posting the prices for the its services means that, if clients want to add something extra to the mix, they don't have to haggle over what it will cost them . . . they already know. Posting prices also has the benefit that clients can see that they aren't being charged any more or any less than the next client.

Initially focused on Israel's technology firms, Penguin bridged to the international market when tech firms sought it out. Ten time zones between Israel and Silicon Valley proved a challenge, so Penguin opened a subsidiary in the U.S., which has greatly facilitated scaling.

Perry believes that focusing on a niche, "on something smaller, you'll get more." When Perry took on some manufacturing companies, the methodologies he had set up for the tech companies did not work, and his employees started to leave. Perry considered setting up a division to work with the manufacturers, but, in the end, decided to stay true to his vision. Divesting Penguin of the manufacturing companies led to some hard conversations and cut revenue 15 %, to the tune of $25,000 to $30,000 a month.

Perry says most agencies know marketing tactics, how to use the marketing automation platforms, and how to create beautiful designs. Yet, very few agencies have the creative and strategic thinking to help companies get "to the next level." Creativity and strategy are what "really make the difference."

Perry can be reached at his company's website: penguinstrategies.com, or by email at perry@penguinstrategies.com