If you have been operating your business for five years or more, you’ve already beaten the odds. Statistics show that only about 20% of businesses survive their first year, and 50% face closure within five years. By the end of a decade, only 33% remain successful startups, so there’s still a journey ahead.

Businesses fail for various reasons, but the root problem often lies in finding more customers who are a perfect fit for your services and getting them to commit.

When I built my first service-based local business in the auto glass industry, I took a different approach. Instead of seeking new business at gas stations and car washes, I focused on developing an online lead-generating machine.

The challenge I faced was the lack of professionalism and attention to detail from local web designers. Many claimed to know what to do, but few delivered.

Growing up in a household of multimedia professionals—my father ran a video production agency in Brazil, and my brother taught me web design and internet basics—I immersed myself in learning web design and online lead generation systems, including local listings, backlinking, and search engine optimization (SEO).

In a short time, I began generating online leads organically without spending on online advertising. My business quickly reached the first page of Google, outpacing the competition.

This was the start of an 18-month journey that led to the sale of that business. Although I wasn’t passionate about running a contractor-type business with constant insurance company battles, the website continues to generate organic leads today.

Since then, I have focused on helping other businesses grow. I doubled the annual revenue of a 7-figure local fence business in Sarasota within nine months, primarily through sales management and customer service. I also developed an exceptional home cleaning business with my mother, which now generates over a million dollars in annual revenue. While my mother manages the business, Sozo handles online advertising, client acquisition, and lead generation.

We are proud to have helped many local Sarasota businesses achieve their client acquisition goals. Our approach goes beyond comprehensive marketing solutions that generate leads and convert to sales; we build brands that your audience can relate to and trust.

Our journey has just begun. Our team is more capable than ever of taking our clients to new heights and helping them dominate the local market in their industry.