Home

For me, the past 14 years have been a pretty wild ride.

I began my career with marketing positions at global brands like IBM, Bayer and Nortel. I worked mostly on branding and positioning for technology products. A few years in, I found myself wanting to understand business in ways that I couldn’t if I stayed in corporate America. So I branched out into the world of the internet startup, holding design and branding positions at companies that exemplified the highs and lows of business at that time.

After the dotcom crash, I co-founded a marketing services firm, starting only with a $7500 credit card and no clients. That endeavor grew into an ADDY award-winning brand strategy firm, doubling revenues each year for 5 years. During that time, I worked on brands ranging from startups to global powerhouses like Red Bull and the National Basketball Association (NBA). I wrote marketing strategies and business plans.  I was a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. Yet once again, I found myself wanting to expand my horizons. In late 2006, I sold my interests in the firm.

Today, I work mostly with organizations seeking to position themselves for capital events, ranging from initial funding to mergers or acquisitions.  I’ve gained experience in shaping business models, approaching markets differently, setting up productive channels and articulating corporate strategy internally and to the media.   Right now, I am working with Azaleos Corporation, a company based out of Seattle, WA that uses patented technology to manage large and complex email environments. I maintain a small portfolio of clients that I assist in reaching various marketing and business goals.  I also speak in front of groups when asked.

The past 14 years have taught me more about business and people than I ever expected them to. In my role, I get the opportunity to see what people do, figure out ways to help them, and deliver tools that make things better.

I like to share what I’ve learned. That’s why I started this blog. I want to talk about how marketing influences business, about solving problems, about helping people, about elevating the profession. I want to share my experience in a way that helps others in my profession be more effective at their jobs.

I also love music. Great music is a balancing act between creative vision and attention to detail, and something that doesn’t come along too often. When it does and I am privy to it, I want to share it with others in hope that they’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

I appreciate everyone who reads this. I hope you get something out of it; if so, I’ve succeeded.

Sincerely,

Rick Oppedisano

PS- Please share your opinions and comments.  Feel free to pass this content on to any of the networks represented by the icons below.