Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
My name is Andre Oentoro and I am the founder of BreadnBeyond. BreadnBeyond is an explainer video company specializing in producing animated explainer videos. We create engaging animated explainer videos that help you introduce your brand, product, or service to the world – all from scratch, with no template.
We help businesses tell their story by illustrating their points. The animation we create breaks down even complex ideas into more manageable chunks. This is why companies with quite techy topics like blockchain, healthcare, and real estate rely on service to get their message across to their audiences more effectively.
What's your personal history and the inspiration for your business?
It certainly did. I always like to build things from scratch digitally. During my early childhood, I was lucky to be exposed to using computers and the Internet. Growing up as a quite tech-savvy person, the initial idea of designing marketing materials (graphic designs– which then involved animated explainer videos) came naturally to me.
Describe the process of launching your remote business
I started as a one-man business in 2008. I did everything from finding clients to bookkeeping. I hired my first employee after five months of establishing the business and adding more workforce gradually since. I didn’t actually conduct an initial, ‘formal’ market test. It came all naturally. I started by helping with my friends’ branding projects, and it developed from there with the power of referrals and word of mouth.
Our company was initially stationed in an office, but has since switched to a remote culture that started when the pandemic struck in 2020. We completely went remote for our safety for about a year and offered strong company support and a structured work-from-home policy.
Now that everything is going back to normal, we have our creative teams working from the office (since we have robust computers and software they need for projects), while the marketing and sales team can work remotely. We’re a hybrid company now.
What has worked to attract customers and earn their loyalty?
For our marketing channel, we use our own website and social media (i.e., YouTube, Medium, Behance, TikTok, and Instagram). While the website is best for conversion and lead generation, social media has been helping us with brand awareness and building an audience base.
We try to keep our content calendar full on every channel. From video content to in-depth resources like infographics and e-books, we tirelessly provide value to educate our audience and attract them. Maintaining our website traffic and generating leads is key to a steady stream of new clients for us. And to earn our previous clients’ loyalty, we often offer them discounts or special prices.
Knowing what you know now, are there things you would have done differently when first starting out?
I was satisfied with everything that Breadnbeyond had accomplished. When it first started out, I provided training and learning resources for all of the employees. That’s one thing that will always be one of my top priorities until now.
Since we deal with a wide array of clients from different industries, we must keep up with the latest trends in all those industries to craft high-performing videos for them. In this fast-paced, techy world, this is a constant challenge; I have to keep educating myself and make sure that every member of the team also understands what’s currently trending.
We have a training session every week for each department. After all, the goal is not only to produce a visually stunning animated explainer video here– but also to connect more with clients by having an in-depth understanding of their business and industry.
What has been the best part of starting a remote business?
The best is to have access to a larger talent pool. We’re not limited by geography, we can tap into a larger pool of talented individuals and hire the best person for the job, regardless of location.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
What have been the most influential books, networking groups, podcasts, or other resources you've found?
I’m a big fan of Andrew Warner’s Mixergy podcast. I’ve been listening to it for the past six years, at least. When it comes to books, I often get inspired by startups and entrepreneurship stories. The Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson is fantastic. I also enjoyed reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to build a remote business of their dreams?
Don’t wait for the opportunities to come. Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them. You don’t need to wait for the perfect time to get started. You just need to take the leap, connect with the right people, and work on the right tasks.
Are there any positions or internships you're hiring for now?
Where can we go to learn more?
Website: https://breadnbeyond.com/
Social media: https://breadnbeyond.com/links
Email: info@breadnbeyond.com
