Wright State grads create digital marketing company

After taking several communication classes together at Wright State, 2016 graduates Jesse Schrote and Blake Stuck decided to launch 937 Digital, a digital marketing company. (Photo by Erin Pence)

937 Digital LLC: It’s catchy, it’s local, and it’s a digital marketing company started by 2016 Wright State graduates Jesse Schrote and Blake Stuck.

Schrote, who received a bachelor’s in mass communication, and Stuck, who earned a communication studies degree, met while taking Social Media and Personal Branding, a course offered by the Department of Communication. They decided to take Advanced Social Media and Personal Branding, where they learned how to build a website as a digital agency, which gave them the skills they needed to produce a website and business.

Stuck was the former social media manager for the Wright State Research Institute, and Schrote was the former social media specialist for the Department of Communication.

937 Digital combines digital consulting and social media management, including web design and video and audio production.

While their business name includes Dayton’s area code, Stuck and Schrote accept clients from other states and even from other countries. Schrote traveled to Berlin, Germany, to work with a renowned yoga instructor and shoot photography and video for her website. He has also traveled to Portland, and they are both working with a client from Los Angeles. Much of their business is done in person or over Skype and email.

“We can work with clients without ever seeing them,” said Schrote.

The two friends and business partners have created goals for their expanding business. Schrote, who designed their business cards, would like to “keep building it up until it goes full-time,” he said. “It would be nice to grow big enough to advertise and bring in people.”

The communication department heavily influenced the components of their business, such as incorporating social media and video editing.

“I like being able to use what we’ve learned from Dr. Jen Ware’s Performance for the Media class because we actually offer a video aspect, which is different from most digital media brands,” said Stuck, who designed the logo for the business.

Schrote highlighted the influence of Social Media and Personal Branding, a class taught by Russ Shirley and Ike Brunner, on the business. “They gave us the tools and the inspiration to do this,” he said. “Without those people, this wouldn’t be possible.”

The biggest challenge of organizing the business is finding a compatible time with their schedule and their client’s schedule. However, managing their own business gives them the flexibility to work when they choose to.

“I like the freedom of it,” said Stuck. “We can work when we want to and the success relies on us. So the only thing holding us back is us.”

“I enjoy taking what I’ve learned from Wright State and being able to use it to help other people and in an affordable manner to get quality resources to help grow their business,” he said.

You can learn about 937 Digital at 937digital.com.