Please introduce your company and describe your role within the organization.
ReVerb is a worldwide digital marketing agency. Mainly, we produce content, build backlinks for SEO and AI search. We also produce Top Choices lists, interviews (like this one), company profiles and more. In addition we develop our own SaaS products such as Fast Onward Tickets.
As a kid,I was always the constant dreamer with my head in the clouds.
With that said, I was also voted the Class Clown and strongest in high school. I have a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from the University of Kansas and MBA from the University of South Carolina, Moore school of business and International MBA from the Vienna University of Business (awarded concurrently).
I’m a returned Peace Corp Volunteer and served in Kazakhstan from 2002-2004.
I speak Russian and Spanish, and currently make my home in Costa Rica.
For me, I like to put my unusual talent stack to use in devising new plans and see opportunities others don’t see for our clients and partners.
What is your company’s core business model – do you use an in-house team, third-party vendors, or a hybrid outsourcing approach?
We do a mix there. We have our inhouse core team that handles day to day things, but when we need a special service we reach out to our network and see who can provide that. If it works out, and it’s a popular service on the market we’ll see about hiring someone in house for that and offer it to more clients.
How does your company differentiate itself from competitors in a crowded market?
We focus on the quality of our websites and services and make sure that our clients are seeing the results from our collaborations. We also are actively listening to clients to see what they need to make their services better.
What are the primary industries or sectors you serve, and how has that focus evolved over time?
Tech, marketing, business, SaaS. We did a lot more with crypto before 2022 but the white paper writing business has faded with the widespread use of AI writing tools. We evolve with the market and only occasionally work with crypto related content.
What are the most in-demand services or solutions that clients approach your company for?
Right now, assistance for AI search and getting their companies cited through lists, interviews, brand mentions, etc…
How do you personally stay ahead of industry shifts when most data is already yesterday’s news?
I read a lot of news, and stay ahead of most trends. I also have innovators who share with me their opinion about the future and concerns about where the market is heading. I usually get a nice heads-up before things are reality. There is a lot of reading of the tea leaves to figure out what’s next, but also talking with multiple people in the know. I used to speak a lot at tech events, so the network I created is full of people across the world and different areas of tech who can offer a diversity of insights, helping me craft a vision of things to be.
Do you have a significant percentage of repeat clients? If so, what strategies contribute to that loyalty?
Most of our clients are repeat clients, who come back and purchase large packages. We deliver the results they need.
How do you measure and ensure high customer satisfaction in your operations?
We stay in contact with our clients through Telegram, email, WhatsApp and LinkedIn. They feel free to be open with us and if there is an issue we address it right away.
What kind of post-project support do you provide to address client queries or ongoing needs?
For our link building clients, we always check the performance of their stats on Ahrefs to make sure they get the results intended and we correct if needed.
Describe your pricing and billing structure – is it fixed cost, pay-per-milestone, or another model?
We have fixed costs for services but we also allow pay-per milestone for our regular clients
What is the typical price range for projects you’ve handled in the past year, and how do you balance affordability with value?
Our services range from $200 to $15,000 for some packages. We try to work within a client’s budget and offer discounts for long-term clients.
Have you turned down projects based on budget or scope? If so, what are your minimum requirements?
Sometimes. It can be the client doesn’t have the budget required to do what needs to be done. We usually work something out with them in this case.
What key challenges has your company faced in the last few years, and how did you overcome them?
AI has turned out to be a blessing and a curse. In some ways it’s disrupted some of our core services like copywriting and edits while in other cases it’s provided us new opportunities to help clients with their AI search. We’ve had to evolve with the marketing and the new technologies and I think we’ve handled that well.
Putting together the right team. It was always challenging for me to fire people that weren’t a fit, and I always wanted to give staff second or third chances with the idea that they would learn and grow. That certainly has not been the case with some people; people have to want to be better for themselves and the company. If they can’t meet expectations they need to be let go.
How do you foster innovation and adapt to emerging trends in your industry?
I personally read a lot, go for long walks and think about things. Oftentimes clients will come to us asking for a new service and see if we can provide that. If we don’t we quickly figure out how we can. If there is a new tool out there, some of our friends in the industry will mention it or ask how we’re using it. If we aren’t already we have a look and see how we might integrate that into our processes.
What role does company culture play in your success, and how do you build and maintain it?
We try to keep things as low stress as possible. I genuinely like the people I work with and want them to be happy and successful as well. In some of our new SaaS projects we’ll be making sure key team players have equity and ownership.
Where do you envision your company in the next 5-10 years? What are your boldest long-term goals?
I think we’ll be investing in more startups. We’ll keep our core marketing services and websites but I would like to build more SaaS services and invest in interesting early stage companies.
How has your leadership style evolved throughout your career, and what influences it?
I have gone from being more of a collaborative leader, where I take input from all stakeholders before I make a decision, to one that follows my gut. I’ve found the team respects that more anyway.
What emerging technologies or market shifts are you most excited about for your company?
I love reputation management companies as they seem to be the future of AI search applications. AI is nice, but not always what it claims to be. Will be keeping an eye on niche for relevant investments.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders? Can you share one lesson from your journey that resonates with the business community?
- Keep your stress low and sustainable; you’re in this for the long term.
- Trust your instincts on hiring and firing and don’t second guess a decision once made.
- Reading constantly will keep you up to date on emerging trends.
- If you can help it, never make decisions out of fear or sense of urgency.