Step into the world of Joseph Plazo, an entrepreneurial maverick who’s an attorney, an author, and a game-changer in the realms of machine learning, digital marketing, and business development. His story isn’t a curated brag sheet of titles and diplomas; it’s a transformative journey from humble beginnings, replete with trials and tribulations that forged his business acumen and shaped his meteoric rise in the world of commerce.
Plazo’s entrepreneurial odyssey spanned multiple frontiers, as a partner, advisor, or investor to a slew of burgeoning start-ups, including Exceed Global, Empowered Development, Sumosam, Midasoft LLC, United Travel Group, and Plazo Sullivan Roche. His hands-on leadership breathed life into the brand and marketing departments of industry behemoths like Convergys, goFluent, TTEC, and ISW, all listed among the coveted INC 5000.
Plazo’s journey is not a fairytale of perpetual success. He knows first-hand the sting of business collapse. But from each setback, he draws resilience and an unflagging will to inspire and encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship. To understand his magnetic drive, we asked:
“When did the entrepreneurial spark first ignite?” Plazo traced back to his teens, a time of side hustles and small entrepreneurial ventures, tutoring fellow students and buying low to sell high in Quiapo’s bustling jewelry market. These early experiences ingrained in him the entrepreneurial mantra – “profits are better than wages.”
The global pandemic brought forth an unforeseen challenge, robbing him of nearly all income sources. Yet, in this bleak landscape, Plazo’s entrepreneurial spirit found fertile ground. Teaming up with fellow machine learning enthusiasts, he birthed a fully automated trading system that became a beacon for 150,000 followers on a Telegram Channel, offering invaluable market predictions.
So, what fuels this relentless entrepreneurial fire? “Beyond delighting customers and making money, it’s about pushing the boundaries of growth,” Plazo muses. It’s the thrill of setting audacious goals, meeting them head-on, and relishing the exhilarating climb.
In a nutshell, how would he describe his entrepreneurial life? One word suffices – exciting. The ceaseless quest for knowledge, the exhilaration of shaping a startup’s destiny, and the evolution of his role amidst the headwinds of challenges make this journey worthwhile.
What stirred his business inception? Three potent motivators – the allure of being his own boss, the thrill of steering a company’s destiny, and the tantalizing prospect of limitless growth. They form the bedrock of his every entrepreneurial pursuit.
Starting and running a successful business, according to Plazo, hinges on three pillars: comprehensive research, hard work, and profound knowledge of every facet of the business. Above all, he warns, always be prepared to spend more than budgeted.
Growth, he acknowledges, is a complex, challenging labyrinth. He has grappled with time constraints, the quest for the perfect partners, and the pursuit of scalable technology. His secret weapon? A laser-focus on priorities and a ruthless elimination of anything that doesn’t yield value.
Leadership, for Plazo, is a tightrope walk between respect and honesty, always treating people with dignity and upholding truth. His motto – “Never send troops to fight a battle you wouldn’t fight yourself,” underlines his commitment to lead by example, in tasks big or small.
Plazo’s forecast for the global business world in 2023 is a stormy one – a deep recession fueled by post-pandemic inflation and crumbling financial structures. But even in this grim outlook, he sees a silver lining – a forced evolution in thought, where businesses, armed with artificial intelligence, venture into new markets, innovate, and ultimately thrive. In Joseph Plazo’s world, adversity is just another springboard for opportunity.
