Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1513950
20 Worcester Business Journal | January 8, 2024 | wbjournal.com BY EMILY MICUCCI Special to WBJ I f it seems surprising Tara Os- tromecky, founder and CEO of creative marketing firm Makin' It Marketing, is 22 years old, consider what she was doing as an elementary school student while brows- ing the aisles at big-box retail stores. "I'd be in Walmart looking at buy-one, Makin' It Marketing centers around a strong personal brand get-one deals," Ostromecky said. "I was always trying to deconstruct what those sales and marketing tactics meant." By age 15, Ostromecky considered how to wed her love of art with her pas- sion for marketing to launch her career early. Aer taking classes in marketing and entrepreneurship at Wachusett Regional High School, the Paxton native knew she wanted to attend college local- ly and quickly landed on Nichols College in Dudley. Ostromecky chose the school for its strong focus on business education and found a network of professors who hired her for digital marketing projects or referred her to other clients. And so, Makin' It Marketing was born in 2020 while Ostromecky was still a student and became a full-time business in October 2022. At any given time, Ostromecky works with a team of three to six freelancers, and she's in the process of hiring a full- time staffer. With clients across the U.S. BEST NEW BUSINESS Makin' It Marketing Worcester www.makinitmarketing.com Top executive: Founder & CEO Tara Ostromecky Founded: 2022 Employees: 6 Notable runner-up: Venture X Worcester Tara Ostromecky, founder and CEO of Makin' It Marketing B E S T O F B U S I N E S S M U L T I M E D I A as well as Greater Worcester, her niche is service-industry businesses. "Anyone selling a service and not a product," she said. Makin' It Marketing services include social media marketing; website de- sign and maintenance; search engine optimization; copywriting; and email marketing and newsletters. "e biggest thing I say to everyone is, 'We are the strategists and then we execute,'" Ostromecky said. A fully remote company, Ostromecky still considers the business Worces- ter-based. She's never lived anywhere but Greater Worcester, and she's usually in or around the city. Local clients, she said, include Dorr Aviation Credit, a Paxton lender, and Skilled Trades Partners, a construction recruitment agency in Sturbridge. But Makin' It Marketing serves dozens of clients of all sizes and from further flung locations. One example, said Ostromecky, is the largest casino in Texas, which found her services through a social media post. It's proof she practices what she preaches to her clients. Ostromecky said she's dogged about networking, both online and in person. Whether it's sharing marketing tips through a Linke- dIn post or speaking at a conference, Ostromecky said personal branding is at the heart of her business and client strategy. "Your personal brand is so important, and my business wouldn't exist and be what it is today if I didn't have such a strong personal brand," she said. Ostromecky has set her sights high. Her goals include becoming one of the top marketing firms in New England, and then in all of the United States. W BEST IT SERVICES PROVIDER ClearCom IT Solutions, Inc. Sturbridge www.clearcomit.com Top executive: CEO Rob Cleary Founded: 2001 Employees: 24 In 2023, ClearCom made a strategic shift and removed employees not aligned with team goals and values. The result was a more cohesive and productive team, leading to increased success and achievement of its organizational objectives. ClearCom remains committed to proactive, client-centric IT support, with rapid response times and tailored solutions. Notable runners-up: Cinch I.T. n BEST WEB DESIGN FIRM PENTA Communications* Westborough www.pentamarketing.com Top executive: Founder & CEO Deborah Penta Founded: 1989 Employees: 16 PENTA's approach to website design and development integrates technology with results-driven strategy to optimize visitor experience, elevate client websites, strengthen analytical approaches and tracking data, integrate video, and achieve real-time results for clients of all sizes. Notable runners-up: Ladybugz Interactive Agency, Worcester Interactive, Jade. n BEST VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY Munq Shrewsbury munqcreative.com Top executives: Tim Hally and Justin Matsen, co-founders Rob Cleary, CEO