At 23 years old, I found myself living in a small two-bedroom apartment, wondering if there was a better way to make a living than what I was currently doing.
At the time, I worked as an auto technician, repairing everything from complex engine and transmission issues to simple brake jobs. While the job provided a decent income, I quickly realized it wasn't something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The work was physically demanding, requiring heavy lifting and strength to maneuver engines and transmissions. My hands were perpetually covered in grease that wouldn't wash off, and I almost always had at least one knuckle busted open from a slipping wrench.
Looking back, I'm grateful for that experience because it taught me how to be resourceful and problem solve — two key skills in making money, no matter the industry. The ability to assess a problem and find a solution is invaluable.
While working as a mechanic, I noticed the Snap-On tools representative frequently visiting our shop to collect weekly payments from the mechanics. The payment structure fascinated me — each mechanic made weekly payments towards their tools, structured around an eight-week repayment cycle. For instance, if we owed $200, we would pay $25 per week. Watching this, I realized I was in the wrong line of work.
I started asking questions about becoming a Snap-On dealer and discovered that the rep I was paying was looking to expand his business with a second truck. Seeing this as an opportunity to transition out of fixing cars and gain business experience, I took the job. Just like that, I was no longer a mechanic — I was a salesman. I learned how to sell, collect payments, and, more importantly, how to communicate with people and build relationships.
After some time, I knew I wanted to run my own tool truck business. I reached out to a competing company, Matco Tools, to learn what it would take to start my own route. Three months later, I owned a Matco Tools franchise. While I knew little about franchises, I was eager to be my own boss.
Running the business, I soon encountered the limitations imposed by the franchisor. My ability to grow was restricted to a designated territory of about 500 mechanics, meaning my income potential was capped unless I purchased a second truck. However, I had seen firsthand how difficult it was to retain employees for a second truck — many would quit and start their own routes, just as I had done. It was a revolving door, and I knew that wasn't the path for me.
Determined to find a business model without these constraints, I explored various franchise opportunities, only to find similar limitations. I'm not saying franchises are bad — if you want a structured business model with built-in support, they can be a great option. But it's crucial to understand that you're essentially paying for access to a limited market.
During my search for a better opportunity, I dipped my toes into the health and life insurance industry. I quickly learned that success in insurance required a steady stream of leads. I began purchasing leads and, out of curiosity, started asking lead providers about their generation methods. Some leads converted better than others, and I wanted to understand why.
I discovered that leads were sourced in various ways — magazine ads, email lists, and organic search from platforms like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. When I learned that website owners were generating these leads and selling them, I realized the real money was in lead generation itself.
I became obsessed with studying lead generation. I researched how these website owners operated and how much they earned. Car insurance leads were selling for $6 to $15 each, depending on whether they led to single or multiple policy sales. Life insurance leads were even more valuable, ranging from $15 to $20 per lead. It became clear that if I could master lead generation, I could tap into a lucrative market.
With this newfound knowledge, I took action. I needed a website, so I reached out to a friend who was a JavaScript coder with basic HTML skills. I paid him hourly to build my site but insisted on sitting beside him during the entire process. Over five weeks, we worked night after night, with me absorbing everything I could. This was before YouTube tutorials — hands on learning was my only option. The money I spent on his time was insignificant compared to the knowledge I gained.
The result was a simple site with a form for visitors to request insurance quotes. It wasn't flashy, but it served its purpose. Back then, the dominant search engines were GoTo, Ask Jeeves, and Overture (which powered Yahoo PPC). Google hadn't yet emerged.
Initially, I generated leads for my own insurance business, personally calling and converting them into sales. But as my website traffic grew, I started generating more leads than I could handle — 20 to 30 per day, while I could only manage 5 to 10. So, I began selling the excess leads.
This led to a partnership with InsureMe, a company that bought and resold leads to insurance agents. Over time, I became one of their top lead suppliers.
Recognizing the rising costs of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, I pivoted to mastering Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I became exceptionally skilled at ranking websites on the first page of Google, Yahoo, and MSN (now Bing) for high-value keywords like "car insurance quotes" and "life insurance." For years, I dominated these search rankings, generating massive lead volumes and substantial revenue.
Eventually, one of my lead buying companies approached me with an acquisition offer. They determined it was more cost effective to purchase my business than continue paying for leads. I sold the company and took some time to reflect on my next move.
With three children, I decided to prioritize family time. But after a few years, the entrepreneurial itch returned. I joined a company specializing in traditional affiliate marketing, working there for five years before moving on to another company, where I am now the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Over time, I also became a full-stack developer, building automation scripts and AI tools to optimize business operations.
Today, I serve as the Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Engineer at Jorgenson Companies in Salt Lake City, UT. I love my work and don't see myself leaving anytime soon.
Now, I feel it's time to give back. I want to help those eager to learn digital marketing, programming, and business growth strategies. This blog will be a place of truth — where I share my 25 years of experience, revealing what works and what doesn't.
I envision this as a collaborative community where we give more than we take. If you have insights that could help others, share them. If you're an expert in a specific area of digital marketing, let's collaborate and share your knowledge with those eager to learn. I'm also open to guest posts from contributors who can add value to this space.
I look forward to teaching you real-world digital marketing strategies that work today. I hope this knowledge transforms your career and business success.