Black Business 3.0: Clutch Magazine Online

By Alexis Garrett Stodghill, BlackVoices.com

The Black Business 3.0 series profiles young, black entrepreneurs who are using the power of the Web to create successful online businesses. The lower overhead costs and flexibility of the online world can help the business-minded create their own opportunities, even during tough economic times.



Here is how Deanna Sutton, founder of Clutch Magazine Online, created her own dream job.

What made you start Clutch Magazine Online?

I started Clutch in 2002 after I graduated from college and I was going through a difficult time in my life. I couldn't find a job and my best friend passed away... my father. One day, my best friend at the time let me come over his place, and as I sat on his couch I began to look through his magazine collection. As I flipped through the pages, I was like "where are my sistas... I am going to burn down this apartment!" My tough love friend said: "Stop complaining man! If you don't like it, stop supporting it and start one." At first I wanted to curse him out or start crying -- at that time, those were the only two emotions I was capable of expressing. But after his sarcastic comment I started to smile, and said "I will." For the first time in months I saw hope and light in my life. It took two years to put my plan into action. At first, I was kind of scared... but I got over it and here we are!

How did you acquire the capital to start your Web site? How do you generate revenue?

I will say that I am very blessed to have a very supportive family. I saved up for a year to be able to have enough money to launch Clutch the right way. Also, I worked in Corporate America until I got to a point where I could do Clutch full-time. I went out on faith, and I was rewarded. Our main source of revenue is advertising and sponsorships.

What kind of influence does the public have on how you publish and upgrade your product?

Our beautiful readers mean everything to us, so we try to create content that we know they will love and appreciate. We are constantly asking for feedback through monthly surveys to make adjustments to the navigation, design and content on our site. As of November first, we will be launching a blog network within Clutch. We are also going bi-monthly, releasing issues on the first and fifteenth of each month.

What has been the public's response to your product? Would you mind sharing your traffic numbers?

So far very positive! Our readers are really us. We all are experiencing the same trails and tribulations, and have similar tastes and desires. So, we are able to create a great relationship with our readers.

Our internal numbers for Clutch range from 76-88K unique visitors and 350K-400K in page views monthly. It really depends on who's featured and the frequency of updates daily.



What has been the reaction by sites, magazines and/or other media with a similar target audience?

The response has been -- "I love it!" As you may know, a lot of magazines for Black women have closed (Honey, Vibe Vixen and Suede) so Clutch has been able to pick up the torch and start running. We are also very supportive to other publications and try to highlight online magazines and blogs on Clutch monthly in our "Blog Index" and "Sisters Supporting Sisters/Brothers."

Do you have any wisdom to share as a black business leader who is blazing a new trail in digital media?

I have a few, which are all lessons I have learned in my journey...

1) Be smart. Please research for at least 6 months before starting a business. In that 6 months, read up on the industry, learn your target inside and out, execute surveys and put together some type of business plan and marketing plan before you move forward. You don't need to pay thousands of dollars for a business plan or marketing plan. Check out sites like www.bplans.com and www.mplans.com and look at their sample plans to get an idea of what you need to know and understand.

2) Get a mentor. I am blessed to have very successful mentors from lots of backgrounds that serve as advisers and friends. They always listen to my problems, guide me in business decisions and are constantly grooming me. When looking for a mentor, please make sure they have knowledge in the field of business you are pursuing. You can check out www.score.org for potential mentors.

3) Don't concentrate so much on the identity of your business. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone who wants to start a business focuses too much on logos and business cards for their company. Concentrate on learning and researching your business before spending money to get a logo produced. Most of the time, you will end up changing the name once or twice.

4) Don't copy... be you! Bring something new to the table. It will be rewarded and appreciated.

5) If you are an online business, you must understand Social Media and Marketing. It's a must. Trends in social media, advertising, design, SEO -- are all required to know, if you are going to be successful.

6) Network and attend business seminars and local funding meetups. Networking is very important, but you must make sure you are in the right networking circle. Also, attend VC and angel [investor] meetups -- it's a big eye opener on how funding works and what investors look for in an entrepreneur or company. (Many VC's and angels will tell you they do not fund companies that are not located in their local area.)

7) Know that success doesn't come easy or fast. It can take years before your desired success comes to fruition.

8) Believe in yourself. If you don't, nobody else will.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

I am a big gospel fan -- I mean OLD SCHOOL gospel! My Daddy used to be a gospel DJ in college and he sung in a quartet, so he always used to make us listen to gospel artist like The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Spiritual QC's, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, The Pilgrim Jubilees -- all of them! So, it's not uncommon to come by and hear me bumping some old school gospel.

What has been the best thing to come out of starting your Web site?

First, getting to actually say I'm living my dream, second, being able to create a magazine/site that my friends and other women like us actually dig, and third, the feeling of knowing that my Daddy is looking down at me smiling from ear to ear.