I’ve been asked by an organization to put together a business biography that they can share with their staff. They are considering using me for a job in their organization.
Instead of just making a one-off document, I thought I’d put something together online that I could share with others, if the need arose.
So, here goes…
Rocky and I started SageRock in 1999. She is the writer and I am the tech person.
Interestingly, as time has gone on, our roles have blurred quite a bit. I now do some writing and she does some technical stuff. (I would love to write a page for her. She’s the true hero of this story. But I happen to be the one they are looking at hiring at the moment.)
Something I’m particularly proud of is a book a wrote about link building:
I spent a great deal of time thinking about and writing about links at that time in my life. Links are still a critical part of doing well in Google search results. It is still a process that is largely misunderstood and bastardized.
We started as a search engine optimization firm. As time went along we became a company that helps draw traffic and attention to companies in a variety of ways:
- Search engines
- Email marketing
- YouTube
As I’ve aged, my focus has turned to nonprofits and schools. I’m very drawn to organizations that seek to help make a difference in their community. I’m not saying I wouldn’t work with any for-profit company. But there would likely have to be an underlying reason to do so.
In particular, here are some areas of which I have particular interest and focus.
WordPress
Over time I have developed a propensity for working in WordPress. It is my content management platform of choice. Although, I’ve certainly been asked to work in platforms like Wix and Squarespace. They are fine too. I’m not inclined to tell a person to move platforms just to move. There should always be a clear reason for a move.
I am drawn to the technological aspect of online marketing work. I don’t consider myself a designer. But I can certainly take a design and turn it into a Website.
Sites I’m currently involved with maintaining include:
- Spring Garden Waldorf School — Akron Private School in Northeast Ohio
- The Waldorf School of Philadelphia | Offering an experiential, age appropriate approach to education.
- Mojave Springs School | A Las Vegas Elementary and Early Childhood School Inspired by Waldorf
- Summerfield Waldorf | Awarded Best Private School Santa Rosa, California
- The Homeless Charity – We look to break down all barriers that separate the houseless and the non-houseless. We are all just people.
- Houseless Movement
Services I regularly provide for WordPress sites include:
- Plugin updates
- Daily site backups
- Uptime monitoring
- Page updates
- Photo gallery updates
- Template modifications
Online Learning
2020 has been a powerful year of learning to adapt to new technologies. I have been given the opportunity of helping a Waldorf School develop a full online learning program. This has included:
- A complete distance learning platform using Zoom and Google Classroom.
- The ability to do distance learning for students who need to learn at home while other students learn in the classroom.
- A multi-camera Zoom integration that allows teachers to show desk work while also showing their faces.
- A mobile camera program that includes external battery packs to make outdoor learning possible.
- Setting up a complete Google Classroom installation where all students and teachers have their own dedicated Google Classroom emails and accounts.
- Creating a complete Google Classroom integration where all grade teachers and subject teachers can provide learning material through a Google Classroom environment.
- Creating a video archive platform where all classes are uploaded to a long-term environment so students can access any classes they have missed due to illness.
- We provided and maintained mobile hotspots for students that did not have Internet access at home.
- We also provided Chromebooks for students who did not have technology available for online learning.
- We maintain a complete technology resource center to help teachers be successful in this new environment. Lighting, tripods, extra computers, mobile devices, and learning materials have all been created to make this process as frictionless as possible.
This has been a wonderful experience helping teachers and students adapt in unique ways to learn in an online environment while also adhering to Waldorf principles of teaching the whole child.
These two areas, WordPress and Online Learning are the areas I spend a significant amount of time with my clients today.
Personally, I am dedicated to the homeless catastrophe in America. Content creation is incredibly important in my work. I believe in telling the brutal truth of what we are doing to the poorest of the poor in America. So I spend a lot of time doing live streaming videos and podcasts. These long format platforms provide a level of authenticity and connection that offer a level of deep connection.
Areas I work on in long-format media include:
- Facebook Live
- Twitch
- YouTube Live
- A variety of Podcasting platforms that then connect to places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts and others.
I currently do some substitute teaching for a local Waldorf School. And I’m learning to play the piano. I went to college on a full scholarship for cello but I ended up with an English degree and a music performance minor.
Overall, I am drawn to a life of integrity and honesty. I simply refuse to be anything other than that. I know it has hurt the growth of my business. But it’s worth it, in my mind.
So, that’s where I am today with my work. If I can answer any other questions please email me at: [email protected]