Before the corporate engagements and director-level titles, there were small businesses. Hundreds of them. Piano repair shops, auto mechanics, pool cleaners, painters, real estate agents, your local small business owners as I ran my own website and digital marketing services while the internet was still rising. Over 500 commercial builds across my career, from freelance projects to clients who needed a specific digital solution and didn't have the budget for an agency or the patience for a six-month timeline.
That's where I learned everything that matters. Limited budgets force pinpoint accuracy. You can't waste a dollar when there are only a hundred of them. Every decision has to move the needle, and every build has to work the first time. That discipline shaped how I approach every engagement today, whether the budget is $500 or $500,000.
As I grew in my career and took over corporate-level spending, it became almost astonishing to see the level of waste and poor ROI that passes for results. Corporate budgets running $100,000 a month in Google Ads became the norm, and knowing how to maximize every penny in that spend, and firing the clueless agencies (which seem to be the norm) who offer fancy presentations but zero revenue-generating discussions, became part of the job.
I still maintain app connectors, SaaS portals, and websites for the remaining clients I handle privately. The work is all directed toward helping people grow, and the spectrum of needs I've seen is what gives me the perspective I bring to larger companies now.
This is the one I'm most proud of. Elizabeth was a part-time music teacher about to give up and find a full-time job. I helped her fill her schedule through smart digital marketing. Over time, she opened her first studio.
Today, 15 years into our working relationship, she operates three studios, owns the commercial real estate they sit in, and is exploring a fourth location.
15
Years Together
3
Studios Operating
Owned
Commercial Real Estate
I assisted co-founder Gary Ricker and his partner in launching Precision mmWave from the ground up. Everything digital was my responsibility: email systems, the website, product datasheets, and an aggressive online marketing presence designed to drive in the exact audience they needed, RF engineers and procurement teams at defense contractors.
The digital strategy worked. Traffic grew, inbound leads came in consistently, and the company built a reputation fast. Eventually, that visibility caught the attention of Marki Microwave, a major chip and RF component manufacturer, who ended up acquiring the company in a private multimillion-dollar deal.
My take was a small percentage of the outcome, and I was happy with that. Watching a startup I helped build go from zero to acquisition in 30 months was the reward.
30 Mo.
Startup to Acquisition
Marki
Acquired by Marki Microwave
Equity
% of Acquisition Outcome
I was brought on as a contractor to assist the Director of Logistics and ended up building a private medical equipment portal that integrated with EDS platforms globally. The system connected with companies like McKesson and various GPOs (Group Purchasing Organizations) across the medical manufacturing and procurement space.
The custom backend handled invoicing, payment processing, distribution system syncing, and vendor logins for bulk ordering. It automated and streamlined logistics management in ways that replaced manual workflows entirely. Features that would have taken a team of developers to build at an agency, I built and maintained as a single operator.
The founder and patent owner eventually sold his interest along with the platform. I chose not to renew my contract as I didn't have the bandwidth to continue. But the system I built was the operational backbone that made the business attractive enough to sell.
Global
EDS & GPO Integrations
McKesson
Enterprise Distribution Partner
Sold
Platform Acquired by Buyer