Pia Larson helps local businesses flaunt talents
July 21, 2010
By Paige Collins
Pia Larson, of Snoqualmie, uses her creativity to teach local businesses how to best display themselves online. Social media is a must in her business, where she demonstrates that Facebook and Twitter can be used for more than casual friend browsing.
Larson’s career has gone from caterer to corporate marketing director to owning her own business, Fingerprint Marketing.
Pia Larson, of Snoqualmie, teaches local business owners about social media. Contributed
“I wasn’t able to be as creative as I wanted to be in the corporate world,” she said.
But now, “I get to draw pictures for a living. How cool is that?” she asked enthusiastically.
With Fingerprint Marketing, Larson has the freedom to be as creative as possible as she takes each client on as its own individual project. There is no such thing as a website template in her business.
“Everything is custom,” she said. “ I take what they say makes them all that and work with it.”
Larson describes her business as “one-stop marketing.” While business owners can do a lot of things on their own, there are too many choices and they are not always sure whether they are getting a good deal. So, for local businesses, Larson is ready to guide them through the process.
“They like the hand-holding,” she said, recalling the number of clients who were shocked that she answers her own phone and responds quickly to e-mails.
Sean Quinn, of Flat Iron Grill Restaurant, was one of those business owners who needed some hand-holding and was very happy with his experience working with Larson.
“In an area where I am not at all comfortable, she put together a website that spoke to exactly what my business was trying to get across,” he said.
To Larson, social media is the up-and-coming best method of advertising for a local business. Traditional advertising is no longer working, because people are more skeptical of paid-advertising, she said.
Instead, social media uses word of mouth to spread the news about a business, as customers are more likely to trust the opinions of their friends than those of an advertisement.
“It is growing so fast that I’m just putting my seatbelt on and getting ready for the ride of my life,” she said.
Larson describes herself as “fiercely ambitious, a workaholic and a total computer geek,” but work is not the only thing in her life. She is also a mother of two.
She said she tries to encourage her children and others to follow their passions, and with that encouragement her 9-year-old son, Sam, is starting his own lawn-mowing business.
She may seem like a completely work-driven being, but Larson’s biggest goal is to be able to continue to build her business from a beach in Costa Rica.
Larson is also on the board of the Snoqualmie Valley Women in Business organization and is enthusiastic about women starting their own businesses and working hard.
“There’s no limit,” she said. “If you want to make more money, work harder. Tap into what your passion is, pursue it and money will follow.”
As for Fingerprint Marketing, Larson hopes to expand her business while still focusing on local accounts.
She has already made some strides, such as winning the 2009 National Graphic Design award for the North Bend Centennial.
Paige Collins: 392-6434 or isspress@isspress.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
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