Andy Komack

After 7 Years, I’m Moving On To The Next Chapter

I'm selling my company, KoMarketing Associates, LLC, to my partner Derek Edmond!

It has been almost exactly seven years since I founded the Internet marketing agency (I've always thought of January 1, 2004 as the official day, but no one really works on New Year's Day).

This is an exciting time for me, for KoMarketing Associates, and (if I may speak for Derek here), for Derek.

I plan on writing a bit more in depth about my thinking behind the move, which I initiated as far back as the beginning of 2010.  However, I'll use this opportunity to highlight the most important aspects for me and the company.

For KoMarketing Associates

• Had its strongest year ever in 2010 (success with client projects, breadth & depth of client portfolio, and solid operations and financials)
• Now, and going forward - business as usual
• Derek Edmond will now own 100% of the company
  • Derek and I have worked for 5 years together, and he became a partner 3 years ago.  Derek was one of the most critical pieces in the successful building of the company.  He will bring his skills, intellect, creativity, and energy into taking KoMarketing Associates to higher levels.
• Continued focus on helping B2B companies achieve their goals of generating profitable business through their websites
  • Simply put?  Using search engines and social media networks to bring the right people to our clients' sites, and tracing results through to return on investment)

For Me

(I will be)

• Exploring entrepreneurial opportunities as they arise
• Creating & managing my own websites for profit (simple explanation for now:  participating in the world of affiliate marketing, but never pigeon-holing my website management activities to simply "affiliate marketing"; it's about adding value to a website consumer's experience)
• Providing expert advisory consulting services for companies focused on serving the consumer market (B2C)
• Offering highly specialized services in Executive Online Reputation Management (I'll be adding more content on that line of service soon!)
• Continuing to write a column for Search Engine Land (moving from Strictly Business to In The Trenches)
• Following up on last year's experience of teaching a Master's-level search engine marketing course at Boston University's Metropolitan College & College of Communications

That's the short version.

It's hard to summarize how I feel after seven years of pouring my heart and soul into building an online marketing agency.

From starting in an apartment bedroom to leasing an office, from working solo to having employees (and payroll, and full benefits), building great partnerships, engaging in many, many successful client projects, experiencing a few "duds" (from which I may have learned more than from all of the successful ones combined), and the hundreds of other lessons learned along the way.

Most importantly - I have made some amazing friends along the way.  Seven years may be a short time for many who have worked for the same company for decades.  For me, the seven years of entrepreneurial activity have enriched my life in a way that I don't think I would have seen working for a larger company for that period of time.  Everything felt more intense.  And that includes the friendships I have built.

I'm looking forward to staying in touch with all of those people, and to building many more friendships in the next professional chapter of my life.

Thank you all for your support over the years!!!

Andy