I haven’t always been involved with search marketing. I actually got my start in SEO by working for a non-profit in Kansas City. I was originally hired as the ‘Director of Development’. I was charged with raising funds by writing grants, organizing fundraisers and other means. In addition to this I was supposed to also update the website, send out our newsletter via email and whatever else came up.
The more I got into the website the more I was pulled into the online realm. One day I was told we needed to increase our online presence. So I got introduced to SEO after the first search for ‘cheap marketing online’. The more I learned about SEO the more I wanted to apply it. And before long our organization was ranking in the top ten for the terms we were targeting. There were a few skeptics within leadership, but after we got two teams to go on mission trips with us by finding us on Google, all became believers. I wanted more. For the first time in my life I could read something and immediately apply it. Almost a year later I had the pleasure of meeting our church’s newest employee, Children’s Pastor Ryan Foldhazi. It wouldn’t take long for him to become my mentor. He started challenging me, pushing me. Then he asked me one day, “Have you thought about getting a job in this field?” I started applying for everything I could find. I also started writing about SEO and Social Media. To my surprise, Ann Smarty with Search Engine Journal accepted a few of my articles and published them. I also found a job as a Digital Marketing Specialist with a company in Overland Park, KS. After working there for a while and honing some more skills I made a huge leap to become SEO Project Manager for click2rank in Lacey, WA.
My life has taken a 180 degree turn. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, and I couldn’t be happier. The more I learn, the more I write, the more I network, the more I realize I’m where I’m supposed to be. For the first time in my life I’m at peace with what I’m doing.
