Thank you for taking time to visit our web site. Hopefully it will lead to a mutually rewarding business relationship, however, at minimum, the site will provide you with information on a resource that could prove useful for a friend or business associate in the future. The power of “word of mouth” never ceases to amaze me.

In my business career that started when I graduated with an MBA from the Wharton School of Business in 1975, I have been blessed to be involved in the development of marketing strategies of several companies that grew to billions in revenue and profits.

And this involvement has not been limited to a single industry. From Neutrogena skin care to Microsoft software to Bowflex exercise equipment, these companies have generated billions in revenue and profit in their respective categories thru innovative marketing strategies.

It is important to note that none of these companies were “me too” marketers. They became leaders in their respective categories by spending smarter than their competition; not just by spending more than their competition. And interestingly enough, while we all see these companies and their respective brands as winners today, none of these companies simply made it because they had the “best product or technology”. In fact, if you explore the history of these companies you will find that marketing innovation played as much of a role if not the majority role in their success.

Obviously not everybody is going to become the next Neutrogena (see www.Neutrogena.com), Microsoft (see www.Microsoft.com), or Bowflex (see www.Bowflex.com). However, most emerging companies are satisfied with a reasonable level of success.

For example, Amaze Inc. was the first company to introduce popular consumer content to computers visa via the Far Side Cartoon & Trivial Pursuit Game Computer Calendars. We built the revenue to a few million, not hundreds of millions, before it was acquired by a public company on very favorable terms because it was positioned properly thru effective marketing.

Another example is ColdHeat (see www.ColdHeat.com). This company started as an “idea” that was presented to us on a napkin at a local Starbucks. Since that time, ColdHeat’s instant heat, instant cold, technology has sold millions of unique soldering irons, glue guns, and even pet beds. Whether ColdHeat goes public or is acquired remains to be seen. But to date it has been very successful in communicating it’s benefits to consumers.

The key is that regardless of category or size of opportunity, there are marketing strategies and techniques that if deployed properly increase the probability for success. However, it is important to note that none of these strategies and techniques guarantee success. Execution is critical and effective execution is tied to surrounding your company with competent and committed resources. Therefore, whether or not you work with us is far less critical than making sure your internal team, your external resources, and your investors share your vision and passion. To build a successful business is a journey.......not an event.

In closing, I do want to take this opportunity to thank several individuals that have been pivotal in my career:

---I want to thank Timm Crull (ex-Chairman & CEO of Nestle) and Lloyd Cotsen (Founder of Neutrogena Corporation) for being outstanding mentors. While I was well educated at Wharton in the academics of business, Timm and Lloyd showed me how to apply my marketing and business development skills in the real world.

---I want to thank Bill Gates (Founder of Microsoft Corporation) and Brian Cook (Founder of Bowflex) for giving me an opportunity to contribute to their unparalleled vision. Think about the market share Microsoft and Bowflex enjoy in their respective categories. This level of dominance is rare.

---And, I want to thank Frank Lane (ex-President of Neutrogena) for being a friend, sounding board, and steady guide throughout my business career. Frank’s confidence in me gave me confidence in myself which is essential if you want to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur requires a willingness to take a calculated risk. There were multiple people telling me that I was essentially throwing away my career by leaving Neutrogena and joining an unproven company called Microsoft. There was one person telling me to go for it.

Rowland Hanson