"See challenges as chances to innovate. Get creative and find solutions in every setback."
Brandon Leuangpaseuth is an SEO growth marketer specializing in helping startups thrive through strategic SEO and content marketing.
With a mission to amplify business growth by implementing effective marketing strategies, Brandon crafts compelling content optimized for search engines and customer engagement.
Leveraging extensive experience and a proven track record of success, he drives significant results, including scaling companies, increasing traffic and conversions, and securing partnerships with prestigious brands.
Check out more interviews with entrepreneurs here.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET FEATURED?
All interviews are 100% FREE OF CHARGE
Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: Hey, Brandon here. I’m a seasoned SEO growth marketer specializing in catapulting start-ups into turning their sites into online assets.
I leverage high customer engagement and revenue generation through targeted SEO and innovative content marketing strategies.
My mission is straightforward but impactful: to amplify your business’s growth by crafting and executing your marketing and branding strategies.
My expertise lies in SEO-optimized written content that not only speaks to your audience but also speaks the language of search engines.
Can you share a time when your business faced a significant challenge? How did you navigate through it?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: So, let me tell you about the time when AI started changing the whole game in content creation for SEO. Before AI, making content was pretty straightforward – you had a plan, you followed it, and that was that.
But then AI came along and suddenly, everyone could make loads of content easily and cheaply. It was a big change, and honestly, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
One of the biggest headaches we ran into was this whole trend of people just spinning existing content. You know, taking articles that were already doing well in Google and just rewording them.
It was a mess – search results started getting all clogged up with this kind of stuff, and it made it really tough to keep the quality of what we were doing up to scratch.
So, I had to think on my feet and switch things up. I realized that if we wanted to stand out and actually be useful to our audience, we couldn’t just play the same game as everyone else.
We had to do more than just rehash what was already out there. We started focusing on creating content that wasn’t just different, but really answered people’s questions and gave them solid, practical help.
This meant getting really into the nitty-gritty of SEO – not just the basics, but the finer points that make content not only informative but also something people want to read and use.
We put a lot of effort into making sure our stuff was both interesting and useful. And you know what? It worked. Our content started getting noticed for being genuinely helpful and insightful, and that made all the difference.
How has a failure or apparent failure set you up for later success?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: Looking back at my journey as an SEO growth marketer, there’s this one time that really sticks out to me. It was early in my career, and I was working with this big client.
I put in a lot of effort, but to be honest, the work I delivered just wasn’t up to par. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I ended up refunding the client. That experience really hit home for me.
I didn’t want to just brush it off and move on. Instead, I took a good, hard look at what went wrong. I realized I had a lot to learn about SEO. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
I dove into everything I could find on SEO – I was reading articles, watching tutorials, experimenting with different strategies – you name it.
This wasn’t about just getting better at my job; it became sort of an obsession to really understand how SEO works and how I could use it to genuinely help my clients. And you know what? It paid off.
All that time and effort I put into learning and improving my skills made a huge difference. I started seeing results – and not just average results, but the kind of quick, significant growth that really gets clients excited.
In the end, that whole situation with the refund, as rough as it was at the time, it set me on this path of constant improvement. It was a real game-changer for me.
It’s funny how things work out sometimes – a setback that felt like a failure at the moment turned out to be the push I needed to become the marketer I am today.
How do you build a resilient team? What qualities do you look for in your team members?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: When it comes to building a solid team, honestly, I don’t fuss much about fancy degrees or who you rubbed elbows with at some networking event. And while your past work matters, it’s not the be-all and end-all for me.
What really counts in my book is whether you can get the job done and deliver the goods. That’s what makes a team resilient in this fast-paced world.
I’m big on keeping my team on their toes, always learning and adapting. So, I’m constantly throwing new tests their way and hooking them up with the latest training materials.
It’s like a never-ending boot camp, but in a good way. It keeps everyone sharp and ready to tackle whatever comes our way.
Now, when I’m picking people for my team, there are a couple of things I look out for. First up, integrity. I need folks who are straight shooters, who mean what they say and say what they mean.
No beating around the bush, no sugar-coating – just straight-up honesty. That’s huge for me.
Then there’s the whole ‘going the extra mile’ thing. I’m always on the lookout for people who aren’t just looking to clock in and clock out.
I need team members who bring a bit of fire, who are willing to push a bit harder, think a bit deeper, and really throw themselves into their work. It’s that extra bit of effort that can turn a good team into a great one.
So, to sum it up, it’s not about the flashy stuff. It’s about being reliable, being a go-getter, and being all-in when it comes to your work. Those are the people who help build a team that can weather any storm and come out stronger on the other side.
How do you maintain your personal resilience during tough times?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: You know, when times get tough, I’ve got this little trick I do. I just take a moment and remind myself of all the crazy stuff I’ve already gotten through.
It’s like life’s thrown some pretty wild punches my way, but each one’s just made me tougher.
Take this one time, for example – I was pushing my car on the freeway, and bam, I got hit by another car. Ended up with a traumatic brain injury that messed with my memory and how I think. It was rough, but I got through it.
And then there’s my high school wrestling days. Man, I lost some matches that really broke my heart. But you know what? Those losses just made me stronger. They toughened me up for the real world.
I’ve also had my share of professional knocks – losing big clients, missing out on opportunities, and yeah, the usual heartbreaks.
But every single one of those setbacks, I see them as gifts from the universe. Sounds corny, I know, but it’s true. Each one’s taught me something, made me better, stronger.
Now, when I hit a rough patch, I just think back to all that stuff I’ve already beaten. I give myself a little smile and think, “Is that all you got?” It’s like a mental game I play with life’s challenges.
It keeps me going, keeps me fighting, and reminds me that I’ve already survived a lot. So whatever’s in front of me, I know I can handle it.
What strategies do you use to manage stress and maintain focus during a crisis?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: When things start getting too hot to handle, I’ve got a couple of go-to moves to keep the stress at bay and stay sharp. First up, I’m a big fan of solo walks.
Just me, my thoughts, and the open road. It’s amazing how a simple walk can clear the cobwebs in your head. It’s my time to breathe, to appreciate the good stuff like being healthy, and to really soak in all the positives in my life.
And then, there’s boxing. If you’ve never tried punching stuff to deal with stress, you’re missing out. It’s like all the day’s tension just flows out with every punch. It’s controlled chaos, you know?
You get to let out all that pent-up energy in a way that’s just so satisfying. It’s not just about physical release; it’s like hitting the reset button on your brain, too.
So, yeah, that’s my strategy. A bit of quiet time to reflect and some good old-fashioned boxing to shake things up. Works like a charm every time.
How do you communicate with your team during a crisis?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: Alright, so when things hit the fan, the first rule for me is to keep a cool head. I’ve been through enough storms to know that freaking out doesn’t help anyone.
So, I stay calm and think clearly, no matter how wild it gets. This helps me manage the stress not just for myself, but for my team too.
Now, let’s say someone on the team drops the ball. It happens, right? I don’t lose my cool over it. Instead, I focus on how we can fix it.
It’s all about finding solutions, not playing the blame game.
I’m pretty upfront about my ‘hire fast, fire fast’ policy. My team knows where they stand with me. I’m all about honesty, especially when it comes to areas they need to improve.
But it’s not just about pointing out what’s wrong; it’s about helping them get better.
The key thing I always drill into my team is the importance of staying calm. In a crisis, that’s your superpower.
Keeping a level head means you can think straight and make smart decisions. So, that’s the vibe I try to set – we’re all in this together, let’s stay cool and tackle this thing head-on.
What advice would you give to other CEOs on building resilience in their organizations?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: Remember, there’s a way out of every jam. You hit a snag? Well, that’s your chance to get creative and find a fix.
Business, at its core, is about solving problems. The better you get at navigating those problems, the stronger your business becomes.
Now, if you really want to build resilience in your team, don’t be afraid to put them to the test. Challenge them, push their limits. It’s like training muscles – a bit of stress and strain makes them stronger.
This isn’t about making things hard for the sake of it, but about helping your team learn to handle pressure and come up with solutions under fire.
So, keep throwing new challenges at them, keep them on their toes. It’s all about fostering a mindset where obstacles are just opportunities in disguise.
That way, when the going gets tough, your team won’t just survive; they’ll thrive.
How do you prepare your business for potential future crises?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: When it comes to prepping my business for whatever curveballs the future might throw, the key is staying sharp and in tune with what’s going on in the industry.
Trends, new tech, you name it – I keep an eye on all of it. Take AI, for example. It’s a game-changer, and it’s everywhere. So instead of trying to go against the current, I look for ways to ride the wave. How can AI make my business better? How can we adapt to use it to our advantage?
It’s all about being flexible and ready to pivot. You see a new trend or technology popping up?
Dive in, learn about it, figure out how it can fit into your business. That’s how you stay one step ahead and ready for any crisis that might come your way.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about leadership in times of crisis?
Brandon Leuangpaseuth: The biggest thing about leading in a crisis? It’s all about keeping your cool and staying level-headed, no matter how crazy things get. Think about it: when you’re all stressed and anxious, how well do you really work? It’s about staying clear-headed and keeping that positive vibe, even when things are falling apart around you.
And you know what really hammered this lesson home for me? Boxing. Yeah, boxing. In the ring, when someone’s literally punching you in the face, you learn real quick the importance of staying relaxed. It’s all about fighting against that knee-jerk reaction to panic and just keeping your composure.
Boxing’s more than just throwing punches, it’s about remembering the basics under pressure – your breathing, keeping your balance, moving your head. It’s chaotic in there, but you’ve got to stick to your fundamentals.
That’s exactly how I handle leadership in tough times. When everyone’s freaking out, I try to be that calm voice, the one who stands firm and says, ‘Hey, we’ve got this, we’ll figure it out.’
Just like in boxing, it’s about not letting the chaos get to you. You keep your cool, remember what you know, and just work through it. That’s how I’ve gotten through some real tough spots and kept my team moving forward.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Brandon Leuangpaseuth for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Brandon Leuangpaseuth or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
