From breaking world records to save his best friend's life to revolutionizing digital marketing for small businesses, in this edition of the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight, we're diving deep with the founder of Cosmoforge.io, Dillon Hill. His story is a powerful testament to how life-changing moments can spark entrepreneurial spirit – after dropping out of college to lead a global bone marrow donor campaign, he discovered his passion for creating meaningful impact. Now, through Cosmoforge.io, he's helping small to medium-sized businesses scale their growth with authentic, transparent marketing strategies that deliver real results. Get ready to learn from someone who proves that sometimes the most unconventional paths lead to the most impactful destinations.
Hi, Dillon! Thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your business. Who do you serve, how do you serve them, and what's the impact that your business and work makes?
At Cosmoforge.io, we serve small to medium sized businesses looking to scale their growth through digital marketing. As a fractional CMO, we step in as an extension of their team, providing the strategic leadership and execution they need without the full-time cost of a traditional Chief Marketing Officer. This means we handle everything from SEO and PPC campaigns to content strategy and CRM implementation. Our impact lies in helping businesses build sustainable, long-term strategies that work for their specific goals.
Tell us about the moment you finally felt like you went from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur.
It hit me a few times. The first time was when I broke three world records to help my best friend find a life-saving bone marrow donor. I dropped out of college and led this global initiative, and when it all came together, I thought, “Wow, I really did that.” Honestly, every time I think about it, I’m still blown away. Another moment was when I signed my first client for Cosmoforge after launching it. Once they signed, it felt like, “Okay, this actually worked.” That was the moment when I realized Cosmoforge was something real, not just an idea.
Describe the moment or period in your life/career that motivated you to make the entrepreneurial leap.
When I dropped out of college to help my friend, it was a huge leap. My parents had worked so hard to get me to college, and I knew they were counting on me. But I felt like I had to make this decision—I needed to achieve something that truly mattered. It wasn’t just about business at that time, it was about life. There wasn’t another option for me. That experience lit the fire to become an entrepreneur because I knew I wanted to create meaningful impact in whatever I did next.
Describe a tool, service, or software that has been a game-changer for your business. How does it contribute to your success?
Our CRM system has been a game-changer, not just for us but for our clients. We’ve implemented CRM systems for businesses like Freight Hitch (Freighthitch.com) and Drifter Vans (Driftervans.com), and both saw significant results. For example, one of our clients Irish Iron (Irishiron.com) saw a 73% increase in leads over six months. The CRM system helps us (and our clients) manage leads, automate follow-ups, and track the customer journey from start to finish, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks and relationships stay strong.
We know that success is very often a non-linear path. Tell us about a failure, pivot point, or lesson that changed your course or direction and helped to get you where you are today.
One big lesson came from SchedGo, my startup that won a $30,000 business competition. SchedGo was a student scheduling platform designed to help students organize their academic lives. We thought we had everything figured out—winning that competition felt like we were set for success. But the business didn’t take off as we expected. We struggled with scaling and product-market fit, and eventually, we had to shut it down. It was a hard lesson, but it taught me that even a great idea needs the right execution, adaptability, and timing to succeed.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly impacted your business?
Transparency in the digital world can be unconventional, especially in marketing, which is often a sales-dominated business. Many agencies focus on painting a perfect picture in the client’s head, but at Cosmoforge, we show the real picture. It’s not about promising immediate results, but about being upfront with the client—explaining the process, the potential challenges, and working with them to adjust strategies as needed. This honesty has built trust with our clients and created long-term partnerships, rather than just short-term wins.
What’s something you wish you knew sooner that you’d give as advice for aspiring or newer entrepreneurs?
I wish I knew sooner that there’s never a “perfect” time to start. Just start. You’ll figure things out as you go, and the lessons you learn by doing are way more valuable than overthinking or waiting for everything to line up. It’s okay not to have all the answers at first—you’ll learn along the way, and that’s what builds a solid foundation.
Want to dive deeper into Dillon's work? Follow the link below!
- Visit Cosmoforge's website cosmoforge.io
