Lessons in Entrepreneurship: Robin Eldred’s Path to Owning Wulver Digital Advertising

Starting early, Robin Eldred saw firsthand the dedication and determination required to succeed as an entrepreneur. Raised in a family where serial entrepreneurship became tradition, Robin drew inspiration from his father’s journey into business ownership.

Through his father’s experiences - celebrating success and navigating pitfalls - Robin gained valuable insights into the world of entrepreneurship. 

Today, Robin stands as the proud owner of Wulver Digital Advertising, a dynamic digital agency specialising in driving business growth through cutting edge digital advertising strategies. Wulver’s diverse portfolio spans national energy associations, multi-million dollar e-commerce brands, local festivals, real estate developers, and travel and tourism businesses. Robin leverages his extensive expertise to help companies generate leads and boost sales effectively.

Robin sat down with us here at Guildstreet to talk about his entrepreneurial journey, exploring his experiences, successes, challenges, and the valuable lessons that have shaped his approach to business.

Entrepreneurial Drive

“Serial entrepreneurship runs in my family,” Robin begins, thinking about his entrepreneurial roots. Inspired by the ventures his father modelled for him throughout his childhood, he embarked on a path that led him to establish and manage two distinct companies.

His initial venture, a website development firm founded in 2002, aimed for growth in both clientele and employee base. Despite the challenges of managing a growing team, Robin’s ambition persisted until he eventually sold the business after a decade, marking a transformative moment in his career.

“Getting ‘turfed’ from that role turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me,” he says candidly.

From this emerged Wulver, Robin’s current endeavour. Established during the pandemic, Wulver is a fresh take - a solo operation focused on digital advertising. “Now it’s just me, no employees, no contractors,” Robin explains. This shift allowed him to tailor his business exactly as he envisioned, prioritising personal growth and professional satisfaction.

Evolution of Wulver

 After selling his first company, Robin returned to his digital advertising roots, initially serving a small network of contacts. Gradually, this side venture evolved into Wulver Digital Advertising, his full-time pursuit. Looking at the growth of Wulver, he notes, “In my first year, revenue was around $100K - a good start. Last year, it got close to a quarter of a million.”

The key to this steady growth was Robin’s strategic focus on serving small agency owners, leveraging his expertise in digital advertising to cultivate lasting client relationships.

 Comparing then to now, Robin identifies strong processes and a shared Calgary workspace as pivotal in sustaining growth. Having robust processes and templates has allowed him to effectively manage projects and attract new clients through his efficiency and ability to provide clear expectations.

Additionally, working from a Calgary co-working space has provided unexpected networking opportunities. “I realised all of these small agency owners were working there too so I’m able to get new business through word of mouth. The amount of business I’ve gotten through working in a shared space is remarkable.”

A Day in The Life 

Robin’s workday revolves around maximising efficiency and maintaining a healthy balance. Mornings are dedicated to operational tasks and client campaigns, with afternoons reserved for meetings and one-off client work such as campaign development and strategic planning.

“I aim to keep my workweek manageable, around 30-35 hours a week, and only 2-3 meetings a day,” he explains. This deliberate approach allows him to remain focused and productive without sacrificing personal time.

Entrepreneurial Success

Robin attributes much of his success to fostering strong client relationships and achieving a level of freedom uncommon in traditional employment. “Having partnerships with 10+ agencies means I spend less time on business development,” he notes. “Another success is the freedom that I have, I don’t have a boss and I never will...”

This freedom has allowed him to prioritise what is important to him, specifically, having a life. “There’s no such thing as work-life balance. There is only life and you fit in what you can every day.”

“I hate trading my time for billable hours, I don’t want to ask for permission to live.” he asserts, reflecting on his journey towards a fulfilling entrepreneurial lifestyle.

Milestones

The milestones Robin has his sights on are clear, “I’m aiming to hit $30K a month (revenue),” he shares, “Long-term retirement is also a goal, although I don’t know if I will ever be able to do it fully. I'm leaving for a two-week trip to the UK soon and that’s probably the closest I will get.” Although he admits that his laptop is tagging along.

Work With Guildstreet

“I was introduced to Guildstreet by a colleague,” Robin recalls. In the early years of Wulver he had worked with bookkeepers but found that their work wasn’t as robust as he needed.

 “The first thing Guildstreet did was set up my chart of accounts.” This provided him with much needed financial clarity.

“You have to know your books and understand your books,” he asserts. “You can’t treat your business accounting as mysterious. You have to know how to read all of your standard reports.”

Not even a month after finalising his first service with Guildstreet, he was back to explore the rest of their offerings. “It’s been wonderful because Keren and Lori are so responsive, they do all of the things I need them to do and they answer all of my questions quickly.”

 Guildstreet’s focus on process has also aligned perfectly with Robin’s own business structure. “It’s really streamlined. I don’t have to do any reconciliations; my books are all done. I get exactly what I need and it’s worth every penny.”

“Out of the small handful of vendors I work with, Guildstreet is my favourite.”

Words of Wisdom 

No fair-weather freelancers and no part time entrepreneurship: Robin stresses that if you are considering venturing down this path, to do so wholeheartedly. “If you want to start a business, if you truly want to be an entrepreneur, you have to lean into it completely.”

Next comes the operational aspects that are oftentimes neglected but critical to success. “It’s important to ask yourself a few questions, are you aware of the trickier things that aren’t your strengths? Are you keeping an eye on financial statements?”

He stresses that anyone thinking about starting their own venture understand that being an entrepreneur requires skills to be successful outside of the marketable assets that inspired the business in the first place.

He also stresses the importance of understanding what success looks like to you so that your path can be a focused one. “Understand how big you want to be and if you want employees. You can always hire experts to help with the rest.”

Considering his journey as an entrepreneur, Robin’s story highlights the resilience and adaptability needed to navigate a journey filled with highs and lows. From learning invaluable lessons through successes and setbacks alike to embracing the freedom and focus of solo entrepreneurship with Wulver, Robin’s story exemplifies a critical combination of perseverance and strategic growth.

Looking ahead, Robin remains committed to refining his processes, nurturing client relationships, and achieving new milestones. As he continues to chart this course, he will undoubtedly remain a source of inspiration for fellow small business owners, emphasising that with determination and a clear vision, even the most challenging paths can lead to reward.

Connect with Robin and Wulvy Digital Advertising:

Website: https://wulver.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robingeldred/

Written by Justine Beaulieu