1. Before you were known as one of the best online marketers in the world, you were in the Army. Can you tell us a little about your military life?
When the towers fell on September 11, 2001, I was 21 at the time and ready to graduate with honors from Mount Clair State University. This event altered my life forever; I decided right then and there that I was not only going to become a soldier, but I was ready to defend America and aggressively pursue anything that threatened her existence.
I didn't want to just "join"--I wanted to test myself, which is why I became an Infantry Army Ranger, and retired as a Major, completing two tours of combat duty in Iraq. I received two bronze stars for combat related actions, but on my last deployment my convoy was hit by an IED, badly injuring my spine, which directly led to my next career, online marketing.
2. You primarily focus on SEO, and software. How does it work?
SEO is short for search engine optimization. One of the lessons I learned from the Army was systemizing and streamlining processes. Creating large websites, optimizing them, and promoting them is more akin to a science than random happenstance. Of course, the human element is critical, which is why experience and the right team in place is critical to success. Simply put, I develop SEO software and services that deliver results.
3. How useful is your computer science background for your career?
I've always been fond of working with computers and technology. Even before going to Officer Training School, I studied Computer Science. Fast forward to today: it's invaluable as it allows me to not only see problems from a "coder" perspective but also intelligently lead and critique our development team. Considering the bulk of our business is software based, college helped prepare me well.
4. What was your first venture online?
I've been making money online since 1999, when I use to sell informational guides for video games such as World of Warcraft and sell used video games online. My military career always came first, so I had to back burner a lot of ideas until I had more time and more money. In 2006, around the time of Myspace and social networks popping up, my brother and I created a social network for gamers. We had thousands of loyal members but just didn't have the big venture capital required to launch a massive website to rival Myspace, Facebook, Reddit, etc. It taught me a great lesson on scaling properly, cash flow, and focusing on services to help others, versus trying to be an island and achieve success alone.
5. Do you have advice for anyone looking to switch careers?
Never switch careers because you are picking the lesser of two evils. There are so many different ways to make money and/or help others, so you should really sit down and think about what type of person you want to become, and not force a decision. In my case, I knew my military career was over, but a new, growing passion pulled me towards helping business owners achieve even more success. The more you attempt to help others, the more you will see a new career unfolding before you as a service is a need, and if it's a need it can become a fine-tuned skillset to earn a living as a career and not just a job.
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Thanks, Dan!
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