Beside’s being a natural leader full of enthusiasm and energy, Rob is the original “get it” guy who blends marketing and tech with panache. He understands that even the coolest tech idea doesn’t have a place unless it ties back to a business or marketing goal. Unlike so many creatives, there’s also a place in Rob’s heart for methodology. By taking a seemingly complex process and breaking it down into attainable goals, Rob makes complex projects feel..well, like a walk in the park on a sunny day.
One of the pioneers of social media in Hawaii, Rob is a true leader in the industry. He enlisted in the Air Force out of high school, and rose quickly through the ranks to reach the level of Staff Sergeant. After completing his second tour of duty in 2003, Rob settled down in Hawaii and founded the largest web design company in the state before selling it in 2008.
He is currently classified as the #1 in Google for “Search Engine Optimization Expert”, teaches a seminar regularly at the University of Hawaii on social media, and is a member of the Klout Squad, Klout’s prestigious advisory board. Rob developed ClearlyM in 2009 to act as a catalyst to help stimulate the growth of new ideas and to create new solutions.
Interview
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Humboldt County, California
What was your dream job as a child?
Anything that would allow me to be a part of a team. I liked the idea of camaraderie and collaboration. The problem was, growing up in Humboldt county meant there was a severe lack of mentors available for someone like me.
What was your first job?
I was a delivery driver for Dominos pizza for 6 months (I was made employee of the month twice just because I showing up when I was supposed to.) I think it was pretty lucrative too. I can remember one family in particular that used to give me $20 tips all the time.
What was the first piece of technology that you owned?
It was either an Apple 2c or a Commodore 64 (both computers). I can’t remember.
What is the one piece of technology you cannot live without?
My pacemaker (just kidding).
What was the first thing you coded?
A racing game on a TI calculator. It was a “v” car that went through a series of O’s and had to dodge outside X’s. Although I didn’t program in any levels, the game increased in speed as you went along (making it impossible to win after a certain point). It wasn’t ultra complicated but it was fun.
How long have you been coding?
I’d wanted to be a game programmer since I was about 14 or 15, and got into pearl stripping and CGI around that time. I continued to code HTML and CGI until I joined the military then got into visual basic. So, in total, for about 18 years now.
Why’d you decide to enlist (in the Air Force)?
Mostly because there were no mentors available to me in Homboldt county.
What was the most rewarding thing about your experience there?
By far the most rewarding thing for me about being in the military was what I learned. Not technically, but professionally. They really stressed discipline and accountability two things I pride myself in today.
What does “social media” mean to you?
To me it’s where the conversation takes place. Although it’s not a new language, it extends the life cycle of a message. To expand on that, the easiest way to demystify social media marketing, is to understand that it is an extension of traditional marketing and that it provides the opportunity for you to maintain an ongoing conversation with your contacts.
What drives you?
Ann. Besides that? I think I’m pretty internally driven.
What does ClearlyM mean to you?
It’s an incubator for new ideas and a mechanism to spot new trends.
What are you passionate about?
Automation and allowing technology to work for us. Working smarter not harder