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Hi! I'm Gary

Digital Marketer, Developer, Designer

Marketing Solutions Focused on Management, Technology, Design, and Development.

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Marketing Automation

Marketing Automation & Operations Expertise

My expertise lies in the dynamic intersection of marketing automation and operations, where I orchestrate seamless and efficient marketing strategies. With a developer's understanding of technology, I am able to architect, design, and implement campaigns that engage and nurture leads throughout the buyer and customer journeys.

Website Design &
Development Experience

Proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I have translated hundreds of designs into responsive and user-friendly websites, landing pages, and emails. From conceptualization to execution, I deliver projects that exceed expectations. My track record underscores a commitment to delivering websites that are not just aesthetically pleasing but also strategically aligned with business objectives.

Browse my Portfolio

Services & Skills

A quick sampling of how I may be able to help. Click an item to read more.

Forward to Inbox Icon Marketing Automation

  • Marketo, Pardot, Hubspot ...and more!
  • Architecture, Setup, & Management
  • Programs, Campaigns, & Reports ...oh, my!
  • Audience Management & Segmentation

Construction Icon Development

  • Emails - Templates & Integration
  • Landing Pages - Integration, Forms, & Events
  • Websites - SEO, CMS's & Plugins, API's
  • Custom Applications - JS, PHP, python, C++

Draw Icon Design

  • UI/UX - User Experience & Interfaces
  • Branding - Telling a Story, Logos, Colors
  • Presentations - Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Print Production - Flyers, Brochures

Experiment Icon Professional Work History

  • Marketing Operations and
    Technology Specialist

    Self-Employed, Independent Contractor
    January 2019 - Present · 5+ years

  • Marketing Automation Specialist,
    Interactive Designer and Developer

    Steadfast Companies »
    Stira Capital Markets Group
    December 2015 - January 2019 · 3 years 2 months

  • Chief Operating Officer, etc.

    SEOP, Inc. & Reputation Management Consultants, Inc.
    2005 - March 2015 · 10 years 2 months

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Experience & Specialties

A quick bit of perspective that relates to and expands on my professional experience. Click a section header to read more.

"The most important thing in communication
is to hear what isn't being said."

-Peter Drucker

It all starts with project management. As a consultant, designer, and developer immersed in the world of marketing and technology, my primary objective is to ensure that tasks are executed flawlessly and efficiently. I understand the critical role of project management in guiding the development process toward success.

Clear communication of project goals, timelines, and expectations is essential to deliver quality work. I create and rely on well-structured project plans that outline the scope, milestones, and dependencies of a project, providing a roadmap for seamless execution.

Effective project management enables managers to allocate resources judiciously, manage potential risks, and adapt to changing requirements. Regular check-ins, feedback loops, and collaboration with team members and stakeholders are indispensable for ensuring alignment and resolving issues that may arise. Ultimately, a commitment to project management principles ensures that I not only meet but exceed expectations, delivering high-quality results that contribute to the overall success of a project.

Marketing operations and project management are intricately linked. Operations involves the higher-level orchestration and optimization of various marketing processes, technologies, and data to enhance efficiency and drive results. Project management plays a crucial role in ensuring that operations are executed seamlessly. A well-structured project management framework—such as those driven by Agile and Scrum methodologies—helps provide a roadmap for planning, executing, and monitoring marketing initiatives.

Setting clear objectives, defining tasks, allocating resources, and establishing timelines are essential for achieving marketing goals. Effective project management can then ensure that operations aligns well with overall business objectives, and can facilitate adaptability to changes in project scope or market dynamics. Close collaboration between marketing operations and project management ensures that campaigns are not only creatively compelling but also strategically executed, maximizing the impact of the marketing team's efforts.

Key Takeaways: Ask questions, then ask more questions. Find out what you don't know. Set goals, roadmaps, and timelines. Then follow them and stay on top of your team, but give them the runway to shine. Manage risks. Find out your team's strengths and weaknesses and then work with them. Give them credit because no one else will and you need to be their 'hype man.' Be curious, analytical, and organized. Proactively address concerns, problems, and challenges along the way. Proactively give praise and take the blame. While we can lose as individuals, we can only win as a team.

Service Experience: Project Management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click Management (PPC), Social Media Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Website Design and Development, Public Relations, Design, Development, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, Analytics, Research, etc.

Platforms and Technologies: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, ActiveCollab*, Basecamp, Monday.com, Git & GitHub, Jira, Asana, etc.**; Microsoft Office Suite (with a focus on Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint).

* ActiveCollab was a solution I implemented and used as a Director and COO. It's a little-known product that is a good central hub.

** I've used so many Project Management tools and platforms over the years that it is honestly quite difficult to remember them all.

Communication is key. Clear and concise communication ensures that project requirements are well-understood, leading to the development of accurate and efficient solutions. Regular updates, collaborative discussions, and transparent information flow among team members are vital to address any challenges promptly and maintain alignment with project goals. I prioritize open communication channels, fostering an environment where ideas and feedback can be freely exchanged.

"Everyone has a plan until
they get punched in the face."

-Mike Tyson

Planning is a key cornerstone of successful management, and its effectiveness is heightened when integrated with Agile or Scrum methodologies. In the context of project planning, communication is not merely a supportive element but a pivotal factor that ensures alignment and clarity among team members. I focus on iterative and incremental development, emphasizing constant adaptive planning, continuous feedback, and collaboration. Incorporating these methodologies into the planning process promotes flexibility, allowing for adjustments based on changing requirements or insights gained.

Regular communication through techniques like daily stand-ups or sprint reviews fosters transparency, enabling the team to address challenges promptly and adapt the plan as needed. This iterative approach, coupled with effective communication channels, ensures that planning is not a rigid process but an agile, dynamic framework that responds to the evolving needs of the project.

Reporting on marketing effectiveness is driven by the meticulous analysis of data and careful presentation of key metrics assessing the impact of marketing initiatives. Key metrics such as conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, return on investment (ROI), and engagement metrics provide crucial insights into the performance of marketing efforts. By focusing on these metrics, marketers can glean valuable information about the effectiveness of their strategies and tactics. This data-driven approach to reporting enables marketers (and decision-makers) to identify what works and what needs adjustment. It facilitates informed decision-making by highlighting areas of improvement, guiding resource allocation, and supporting the refinement of future strategies.

Ultimately, a robust reporting framework empowers marketing teams to optimize their efforts and drive meaningful results aligned with broader business objectives.

Key Takeaways: You should never be afraid to over-communicate, but you should avoid under-communicating at all costs. Finding the balance between what to say and how to say it is a lifelong pursuit that changes with your audience. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Find out what you don't know. Always think twice before replying to all. When planning, plan early and plan often. Plans should not ever be static–in work or life. Be flexible in your approach. Continue to evaluate where you are and where you're going. It's easy to get stuck in the weeds and the minutia–don't ever 'miss the forest for the trees.' Develop automated reports that focus on the most important metrics.

Platforms and Technologies: Mozilla Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, Slack, Teams, Discord, etc.**; Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Marketo Munchkin, Tableau, etc.*

* Planning software mostly falls under 'Project Management', which was covered earlier. I repeat a few of these platforms for Communication.

** I am not including Social Media platforms and many other older or less common chat platforms in this list (e.g., IRC or Google Chat), even though I may have used them extensively for work.

As a web developer, the canvas of code becomes a palette for crafting digital masterpieces. Each line of code serves as a brushstroke, intricately woven into the tapestry of a user interface, where lines of text transform into pixels, and algorithms become the ethereal brushstrokes of a virtual realm. The development process, akin to an artist's meticulous brushwork, involves choreographing a dance of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, orchestrating a symphony of design elements that transcend the mere functional to embrace the sublime. My code is not merely a set of instructions but a manifestation of artistic expression, where the harmony of aesthetics and functionality can coalesce seamlessly.

"Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. That's not what design is. It's not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."

-Steve Jobs

In the realm of web design and development, we sculpt the virtual landscapes that users navigate. The alchemy of design thinking converges with the precision of code execution, where the details of responsive layouts and intuitive user experiences become the strokes of my digital brush. My artistic sensibility extends beyond the surface, delving into the realm of user interactions and visual storytelling, transforming sterile lines of code into a captivating narrative.

In this way, design patterns are the motifs, and user journeys are the unfolding narratives, and I, as a web developer, become both storyteller and architect, weaving the threads of creativity and functionality into a seamless digital tapestry.

Key Takeaways: Open yourself to new ways of thinking and be hungry to learn. Sweat the details and stay organized. Read the documentation. Develop your own documentation. Understand what users expect and how to meet their expectations. Know when it's appropriate to subvert expectations and how to do so. Understand both the functional and emotional impact of everything you design and develop. Be realistic with deadlines and always strive to over-deliver.

Service Experience: Website Development* (CMS, E-commerce, Marketing), Web Application Development (APIs, Plugins, etc.), Troubleshooting & Debugging, Marketing Automation Integration, Landing Page Development, Email Design & Development, Audience and Database Management, Print Design, etc.

Software: Visual Studio Code, Adobe Creative Cloud (with an emphasis in Adobe Dreamweaver**, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign).

Platforms: CMS Systems: WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, Joomla; Marketing Automation Platforms: Marketo, Pardot, Hubspot; Event Software: Zoom, Swoogo, BigMarker, Cvent; Front-End Testing: BrowserStack, Emails on Acid, Litmus.*

* I've been developing websites for more than 20 years. This is a non-exhaustive list of the work I've performed and platforms I've experience with.

** While I've extensive experience with Adobe Dreamweaver, however, I now prefer to do any HTML/CSS/JS work exclusively in Visual Studio Code. If you haven't made the switch, I strongly suggest it.

"Life is fragile. We're not guaranteed
a tomorrow so give it everything you've got."

-Tim Cook

While I have no plans to return to the C-Suite anytime soon (and I voice this preference often), I still wanted to document a bit of the perspective I earned while running a digital agency. Earning the position was an incredible honor and, while it stretched me to my limits, in doing so it encouraged growth in me I had never before considered to be possible.

Ascending to the role of Chief Operating Officer within a digital agency as a developer turned manager was a journey driven by a fusion of technical acumen and operational finesse. Drawing upon my development background and natural curiosity, I brought a nuanced understanding of the intricate processes that underpin successful digital marketing services and products. The COO role is a strategic and relenting dance where operational efficiency must align seamlessly with the intricacies of leadership, sales, service, and project management. My commitment to perfection permeated every operational facet, from leading by example, to project timelines, to resource allocation, creating a business framework and work environment where excellence was not just a goal but a standard for success.

As a consummate perfectionist, I approached the role of COO with a meticulous focus on optimizing workflows and refining operational protocols. Every operational cog was scrutinized to ensure a frictionless and efficient machine. I instilled a culture of speed and precision within the agency, emphasizing the importance of streamlined processes that enhance productivity without ever compromising on the quality of deliverables. My ethos found manifestation in the creation of standardized procedures, meticulous project management frameworks, and a relentless pursuit of operational excellence that set the agency apart in the competitive digital landscape.

My developer mindset and pursuit of perfection in the COO role helped fuel a commitment to delivering not just flawless websites and digital services but an entire ecosystem of operational excellence dedicated to our customers. At the end of the day, it was always about ensuring that every facet of the agency's operations helped establish a robust foundation based firmly on client satisfaction and sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways: Lead by example. Take the time to listen to everyone's feedback and try to make them feel like they matter. Learn to quickly get to the heart of every matter. Develop red-flag mechanisms that help enable and foster at-a-glance decision-making. Stick to the budgets, but know when to push them. Always respect the P&L. Weather the storms and stick to the plan. Find the data. Do the research. Keep your team inspired when you can, and motivated when you can't. Push people, but don't break them. Try for balance and know that you're more likely than not to fail in achieving it—but, don't ever stop trying.

Platforms: QuickBooks, SAP; Various: Banking, Benefit, Legal and HR platforms, etc.*

* Every previous piece of software, tech, and platform listed earlier, along with a handful of new ones specific to running a business at the top level.

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