Top 5 Successful Entrepreneur To Watch In 2022

WWW.THEENTERPRISEWORLD.COM | AMERICAS EDITION | APRIL 2022 Top 5 CEO , Merchants Fleet SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS To Watch In 2022 BRENDAN P. KEEGAN Elevating the Fleet Industry







From Editor’s Desk An entrepreneur is the one that visualizes the future and success, realizes his vision and takes step to working towards it. Knocking off the hardships, keeping a straight head an entrepreneur is the one that inspires his employees and his peers to achieve the great milestones in their journey. This issue of The Enterprise World of Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs to Watch features the stories of such select entrepreneurs who with their dedication, their zeal and excellence have surpassed all the hurdles that came their way and have emerged as the great story-tellers of their successful ventures. Inspiring others and themselves at every step, here are all the successful entrepreneurs that have been featured. For the cover story read about- Brendan P. Keegan is the CEO of Merchants Fleet, the fastest-growing fleet management company in North America, where he previously served the company as a client, board member, compensation committee chair, and strategic advisor. He is an award-winning, 6-time president and CEO having raised nearly $3.0B in capital and returned over $6.0B to investors. Brendan has experience in business transformation, capital raises, strategy development, revenue growth, operational scale, technology enablement, and enterprise value creation with successful liquidity exits. With a background in the financial services, technology, and professional service industries, Brendan has led companies ranging from 500 to 10,000 employees. Prior to these roles, he started his career at EDS as a systems engineer and progressed through the ranks rapidly to become the Fortune 100’s youngest Chief Sales Officer for EDS. Paul Guenther of Knowledge Hub Media. Knowledge Hub Media is a b2b advertising company with demand generation and content syndication serving as our core competencies. We’ve had a lot of major accomplishments over the years, including making the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row (Inc Magazine), and, being honoured as an Entrepreneur Magazine Entrepreneur 360 company… The 360 best privately owned companies inAmerica – also three years in a row. In this interview with Luciana Rodrigues, CEO of GreyAdvertising, find out more about her journey and the company-GreyAdvertising. Grey Advertising Group is part of WPP company, the world’s biggest advertising company, which has been embracing transformation since 1917.At GreyAdvertising we build brands and ideas that drive business and the other way around too. Grey Advertising belong to the new era of communication, and we see the industry in a different way, in which the advertising that really matters to people, no longer looks like advertising. Grey Advertising always reinforce our process of constant change. Grey Advertising work in partnership with brands with a clear purpose and the ambition to play a significant role in society. Grey Advertising’s mission is to make an impact in people’s lives. In this interview with Nicole Martin, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, know more about HRBoost. “You’ll notice it instantly. Nicole Martin, CEO and Founder of HRBoost®, loves what she does, and she does it remarkably well. “I’m the accidental entrepreneur,” said Nicole, “I looked back after starting my own business and said, ‘I started a business. Whoa!’” Nicole didn’t set out to create HRBoost. She simply followed her passion to help clients understand the importance human resources can play in developing a strong business. Today Nicole is a successful entrepreneur and an HR industry innovator who is dedicated to helping small to mid-size business realize their potential through their employees.” In this interview with Marina, find out more about mYngle. mYngle offers customized language training programs through video conferencing in 45 different languages anytime, anywhere. Our lessons are one-on-one, with highly qualified native coaches and related to the learner’s job position. Our virtual classrooms enable learners to take classes 24/7. mYngle is the solution for busy professionals who need language training to be successful in their international business, and for Companies that want great learning results and a transparent and controllable learning process to make their investment a success. Shalmali Shalmali W.

The Enterprise World, 1985, Henderson Rd, Columbus, Ohio, 43220 Follow Us On: For Editorial Concerns: [email protected] For Sales & Branding Enquiries: [email protected] For Subscription: [email protected] Publisher The Enterprise World Creative Content Editor Shalmali W. | Adeeb Marketing Coordinator(USA) Peter J. PR & Marketing Coordinator James H. Business Development Executive Lisa Creative Design Head: Sushant K. Social Media Manager Narendra S. Digital Circulation Manager Amanda V. This list is NOT a ranking. The companies on listed in magazine serve different aspects of the market, making ranking them in any order except revenue impossible and unfair. We try to bring a perfect platform for business organization to showcase their valued products/ services. Copyrights © The Enterprise World | 2019. All Rights Reserved. The images and content included in this magazine should not be copied, transferred or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronics, mechanical, photocopying, recording, otherwise, without proper permission from The Enterprise World. The Enterprise World solely owns all the reprint rights.

Leaders in Spotlight For the cover story read about- Grey Advertising belong to the new era of communication, and we see the industry in a Brendan P. Keegan is the CEO of Merchants Fleet, different way, in which the advertising that really the fastest-growing fleet management company in matters to people, no longer looks like advertising. North America, where he previously served the Grey Advertising always reinforce our process of company as a client, board member, compensation constant change. Grey Advertising work in committee chair, and strategic advisor. He is an partnership with brands with a clear purpose and award-winning, 6-time president and CEO having the ambition to play a significant role in society. raised nearly $3.0B in capital and returned over Grey Advertising’s mission is to make an impact in $6.0B to investors. Brendan has experience in people’s lives. business transformation, capital raises, strategy development, revenue growth, operational scale, In this interview with Nicole Martin, Founder and technology enablement, and enterprise value Chief Empowerment Officer, know more about creation with successful liquidity exits. HRBoost. With a background in the financial services, “You’ll notice it instantly. Nicole Martin, CEO and technology, and professional service industries, Founder of HRBoost®, loves what she does, and Brendan has led companies ranging from 500 to she does it remarkably well. “I’m the accidental 10,000 employees. Prior to these roles, he started entrepreneur,” said Nicole, “I looked back after his career at EDS as a systems engineer and starting my own business and said, ‘I started a progressed through the ranks rapidly to become the business. Whoa!’” Nicole didn’t set out to create Fortune 100’s youngest Chief Sales Officer for HRBoost. She simply followed her passion to help EDS. clients understand the importance human resources can play in developing a strong business. Today Paul Guenther of Knowledge Hub Media. Nicole is a successful entrepreneur and an HR Knowledge Hub Media is a b2b advertising industry innovator who is dedicated to helping company with demand generation and content small to mid-size business realize their potential syndication serving as our core competencies. through their employees.” We’ve had a lot of major accomplishments over the years, including making the Inc. 5000 list three In this interview with Marina, find out more about years in a row (Inc Magazine), and, being honoured mYngle. as an Entrepreneur Magazine Entrepreneur 360 company… The 360 best privately owned mYngle offers customized language training companies in America – also three years in a row. programs through video conferencing in 45 different languages anytime, anywhere. Our In this interview with Luciana Rodrigues, CEO of lessons are one-on-one, with highly qualified Grey Advertising, find out more about her journey native coaches and related to the learner’s job and the company-Grey Advertising. position. Our virtual classrooms enable learners to take classes 24/7. mYngle is the solution for busy Grey Advertising Group is part of WPP company, professionals who need language training to be the world’s biggest advertising company, which has successful in their international business, and for been embracing transformation since 1917. At Grey Companies that want great learning results and a Advertising we build brands and ideas that drive transparent and controllable learning process to business and the other way around too. make their investment a success.

12. Brendan P. Keegan

24. CONTENTS Luciana Rodrigues 30. Marina Tognetti 36. Nicole martin 42. Paul Guenther





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CEO & Founder, Myngle 30 | APRIL 2022

Marina Tognei Helping Professionals Succeed in their Careers with Languages Language is the key to success for your international business relations. Rightly said, without learning the language of the new countries you might be looking to expand your business in, it becomes difficult for you to conduct business there. Featuring in The Enterprise World's this issue of Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs To Watch In 2022 is Marina Tognetti, helping professionals excel in their careers with mYngle. In this interview with Marina, let us find out more about the company. Brief us about your journey at the company, what inspired you to start the company? The initial idea came from my own personal needs. Like many people back then I was looking at China for opportunities. The first step was learning Chinese. But finding a way to learn the language was not easy for me as a busy manager. I tried everything: an evening school, CDs/ DVDs, a Dutch teacher www.theenterpriseworld.com | 31

well from my previous eBay experience. We thought we got it all: funding, lots of Awards and PR, a very motivated team. But something in the business model was not functioning as we expected. We listened to our customers and they gave us the new direction, from an open marketplace to a quality global online school, from B2C to B2B. The key to success was accepting that change was needed and not being afraid to question assumptions, truly listening to our customers. Change is an essential part of being entrepreneur. What are the products or services the company focuses on? How are your services different from those in the market? mYngle offers customized language training programs through video conferencing in 45 different languages anytime, anywhere. Our lessons are one-on-one, with highly qualified native coaches and related to the learner's job position. Our virtual classrooms enable learners to take classes 24/7. mYngle is the solution for busy professionals who need language training to be successful in their international business, and for Companies that want great learning results and a transparent and controllable learning process to make their investment a success. trying to teach Chinese, a Chinese What are the initial challenges you I strongly believe that the key to student that could not teach… I got faced and what are the reasons behind success is not constantly comparing quite frustrated. If I were living in company's longstanding success? with competition, but aligning with China- I thought- I could easily find a what customers want. Constant focus good teacher. That was when the idea The biggest challenge was when we had on customers and their needs is one of hit me: there are thousands of teachers to drastically change, 'pivoting' from the our pillars and key strengths. This is all over the world, I just need to use the initial business model to a completely particularly important when you are in power of the internet to connect different one, which is the mYngle we an industry that, like that of online teachers with students. This is how are now. We had launched mYngle as a education, is in a transition or mYngle was born. marketplace, something I knew very evolution phase, where the main challenge is not competition but the unawareness or inexperience of customers. 32 | APRIL 2022

How do you decide to take the different from those of offline for academics. I therefore built first a company a step further? education. successful career by large multinationals, Procter & Gamble, I believe that the integration of The way the training is delivered, the Philips, Sara Lee, The Boston information technology in education teaching, content, interaction etc., all Consulting Group and eBay; living and will be further accelerated and online need to change in order to provide a working in different Countries, and got education will eventually become an good user experience. mYngle was one an MBA from INSEAD. It was when integral component of education. For of the pioneers in live online working as consultant on a project on mYngle, this means that we need to (language) training, so now that we are internet strategy that I first saw the keep on innovating and pursuing the at the cross-road, we can benefit from potential of internet to disrupt entire best possible quality and results, many years of experience and proven industries and change forever the way educating also the market on the capabilities to deliver successful online we buy/sell/interact. I had to be part of difference between improvised training. that! That was the driver to start an solutions and years of expertise, so that innovative company as mYngle, as I we can keep on being ahead in this Why it is said that the workforce knew I could make a real difference. digital transformation. plays a vital role in every business's growth? Please tell us about your What are the key achievements of There are also new opportunities team. your business journey? opening up as the education world evolves towards online. This shift in Change is all around us. Markets keep Building a business from scratch is fact opened our eyes to the potential of changing as a result of fast-paced always challenging, building a tech the broader training market, which is advancement in technology and start-up disrupting an industry as less mature than language learning in COVID fast-tracked many changes in a traditional as that of education, is terms of online solutions. This means way that was unthinkable just a few exponentially more challenging that we have a window of opportunity months before. This means that to, be (especially more than 15 years ago, here, similar to what we had with successful, companies must be able to when we started). There are all sorts of language learning years ago. adapt and innovate. This can only be resistances - those of a still immature achieved promoting entrepreneurial market that you have to bypass, like Being a successful leader, please thinking and action in the organization. the stereotypes consumers have in their share your views on current business In mYngle we stimulate a culture of minds about online education. Now scenario across globe after Covid19 experimentation and allowing online is setting the standards in terms pandemic. mistakes. Innovation cannot exist in a of quality and flexibility. And we have culture of fear of consequences. We try been part of that. Even before the pandemic, the training to develop people that think and not market was already in the transition only do ''jobs''. We look in our staff for This has been for me the greatest from offline to online, the shift entrepreneurs, people who do not keep professional achievement to date. For accelerating in the past years. This age the status quo, but push themselves these reasons, mYngle has also won of quarantines, social distancing, and beyond their comfort zone. If you try numerous awards as recognition for its remote working fast-tracked the trend, ten new things, some will fail, some contribution to online education, like and online education become in many will be OK, and one will make a the Accenture Innovation Award, cases the only possible way of difference. We are looking for that European Ventures Summit Award, learning. In response to this increase in ''special one''. Benelux Venture Summit Award, and demand for online training, many more. I also received numerous awards traditional offline players have been Can you please brief us about your as founder and CEO of mYngle, such rushing to find a quick-fix, moving professional experience? as 50 Most Inspiring Women Tech their existing solutions online. Good Leaders in Europe, 50 Most Inspiring remote training, however, is not just a I am a tech entrepreneur, founder of Women in the Dutch Technology matter of adding a tech solution for the myngle.com, but the passion for Sector, Iconic Women Creating a virtual classroom and moving a teacher entrepreneurship came later on in my Better World for All and many others from a physical classroom to a career. When I graduated from computer, but it requires a whole new University it was an era when set of expertise and capabilities entrepreneurship was not very common www.theenterpriseworld.com | 33





CEO & Founder, HRBoost® 36 | APRIL 2022

Nicole Martin Building a Sustainable and Effective HR for the Growth of Your Company Workplaces often debate about the importance of a Human Resources Management. Some employees see the HR department as a policing and systemizing arm of the executive management, while for others HR is the gatekeepers. But nonetheless, it is important for any organization to build an HR department, to manage the talent, for the recruiting processes and for many organizations to form the culture. Featuring in The Enterprise World's Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs To Watch In 2022 is Nicole Martin, the Chief Empowerment Officer, helping companies build an effective HR from scratch. In this interview with Nicole Martin, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, let us know more about HRBoost. www.theenterpriseworld.com | 37

Brief us about your journey at the company, what inspired you to start the company? You'll notice it instantly. Nicole Martin, CEO and Founder of HRBoost®, loves what she does, and she does it remarkably well. “I'm the accidental entrepreneur,” said Nicole, “I looked back after starting my own business and said, 'I started a business. Whoa!'” Nicole didn't set out to create HRBoost. She simply followed her passion to help clients understand the importance human resources can play in developing a strong business. Today Nicole is a successful entrepreneur and an HR industry innovator who is dedicated to helping small to mid-size business realize their potential through their employees. A self-professed “country girl in disguise,” Nicole Martin grew up in Montana, where, she says, “Everyone knows you and greets you on the street.” Nicole was also lucky to have a great mentor early in life: her mom. “My mother is highly spiritual, and she raised me with the philosophy of being happy,” said Nicole. “She always believed in that you are a special person—she ingrained that in me—and you are capable of anything.” What are the initial challenges you faced and what are the reasons behind company's long-standing success? I think the initial challenges of being a CEO are many. One is needing human capital and financial capital to scale and grow. Many will not grow because they are not investing in talent and often it is the CEO's job to bear debt. I made a calculated risk to invest in my talent and invest in my bench strength. In the early years, I was reacting to my business and as a mother and wife it can be a challenge to orchestrate work life integration. I look back and realize 38 | APRIL 2022

that when I put down a process, hired How do you decide to take the made a calculated risk to invest in my capable talent, and disappeared to let company a step further? talent and invest in my bench strength. them work, the process proved through; In the early years, I was reacting to my and now, we can do it again, and again, I am honored to lead a high- business and as a mother and wife it and again. You must trust the people you performance team of HR leaders who can be a challenge to orchestrate work hire, and you must trust the process. partners with our business clients to life integration. I look back and realize When it is time to take a calculated risk, meet them wherever they are on their that when I put down a process, hired you invest and do what you can to journey, to being a best place to work. capable talent, and disappeared to let increase the odds. We have experienced tremendous them work, the process proved growth and proudly nearly every client through; and now, we can do it again, Success is relative. Many people would has been sourced through word of and again, and again. You must trust read my resume or some printed article mouth. Our appeal and success is due the people you hire, and you must trust about me but the real success comes in to our personal dedication for each and the process. When it is time to take a the joy of doing what you love every every client. calculated risk, you invest and do what day. It is amazing however, when you you can to increase the odds. turn around and see many others who I am blessed to have truly blessed work for you and source Joy and people on our team. Thankfully, they What are the key achievements of Purpose through our \\shared work and live our core values and instead of me your business journey? creation. Work and Life should be recognizing every time a core value is integrated not compartmentalized. I love witnessed, they have taken peer reward Success is relative. Many people would that there is no real dividing line recognition to be a strong read my resume or some printed article between work and play for me. reinforcement. Even today, I was about me but the real success comes in thanked by my Admin Extraordinaire the joy of doing what you love every What are the products or services the for her shout outs as she just cashed in day. It is amazing however, when you company focuses on? How are your on a new car seat for her beautiful turn around and see many others who services different from those in the child. What more can I say? It is all work for you and source Joy and market? about how you make people feel. Purpose through our \\shared work and creation. Work and Life should be We offer small and midsize businesses Being a successful leader, please integrated not compartmentalized. I HR services on an ala carte, project or share your views on current business love that there is no real dividing line retainer basis. We meet our clients scenario across globe after Covid19 between work and play for me. wherever they are on their journey to be pandemic. an employer of choice and we also meet It is my number one responsibility to them at their pace and budget. Our We have always trended with growth empower my team of Boosters, invest Shared Services approach allows us to year after year, however amidst the in ongoing education, tools and build HR departments from scratch and pandemic we were hard hit like many. resources to optimize my team. I have align them to business strategy. While Thankfully, we have successfully faith that they will in turn delight our we see great value in the middle market, returned to pre Covid-19 revenues clients. I was truly humbled when after we do have some larger companies that levels and this is something we are years of serving on Advisory Board augment their internal HR teams with pleased with given the level of and being part of a winning strategic project initiatives from our uncertainty in the market. We have organization in my prior roles, my own team. Software is not HR. And HR is revealed some new innovative ways to company took the stage of Best & more than payroll and benefits. Building reach our clients and as talent shifts Brightest ®Companies to Work For in a high-performance culture that drives occur, we are ready to help the Chicago in 2020. My philosophy is innovation and profitability requires businesses that seek to retain talent. that leadership must live at every level leaders at all levels. HR infrastructure in a business. The hierarchy is a thing can uphold the Culture Invitation and I think the initial challenges of being a of the past. once it is strategically aligned and CEO are many. One is needing human reinforced a company can create capital and financial capital to scale workforce alignment empowering and grow. Many will not grow because leaders to innovate amidst even the they are not investing in talent and toughest climate in business. often it is the CEO's job to bear debt. I www.theenterpriseworld.com | 39

THE FUTURE OF The Evolution of Threats to Enterprise Networks ENTERPRISE Company networks have SECURITY faced an evolving threat landscape in recent years, Focus on to Protect Themselves alongside a rapidly- and their Customers expanding list of threats. The number of high-profile It's no secret that not only are data breaches has grown the threats to your company significantly over the past more numerous than ever few years. In 2016, the before, but they are also becoming largest breach of data in more sophisticated. You may have history took place when invested in expensive enterprise hackers stole the records of security solutions in the past only almost 150 million Verizon to see them rendered useless in a customers. Earlier that matter of weeks. The industry is at same year, Equifax a crossroads. What do you need to suffered a massive data be doing today to protect your breach affecting over 140 customers and your business? million people. This blog post will explore what Many other companies enterprises should focus on when it have suffered cyberattacks comes to security. It will also give and security breaches as you valuable tips on how to stay well. ahead of hackers by using advanced protection technology that can Even in the face of these detect known and unknown breaches, there has only vulnerabilities. We'll discuss risks, been a nominal increase in prevention methods, and show you cybersecurity awareness. how to protect your customers with Worse, many companies the best practices for today's don't have effective market. systems or processes in place, such as a small and medium business password manager. A core issue is how rapidly the cybersecurity landscape changes, and how difficult it is for businesses to keep pace. Every new trend, from the rise of the cloud to the decline of physical devices, prompts various 40 | APRIL 2022

security upgrades for organizations. detect threats like malware and 3. Machine Learning in The reality is that any enterprise illegal software. They can also Pentesting should both be aware of the myriad detect all the software on a threats that exist and also device to determine if they have Artificial intelligence and machine understand the mindset that is been infected or if they have learning have some incredibly necessary to address them. been attacked. compelling applications in the cybersecurity sector, and With that in mind, here are three 2. Data is the New Oil penetration testing is arguably at major trends that have influenced the top of that list. Pentesting the way we think about Success now hinges on data; typically requires an immense cybersecurity and the things that availability, governance, amount of manual labor. Through businesses should consider when it orchestration, and analysis, for machine learning, security comes to safeguarding their both the public and private professionals can augment their customers and their businesses. sectors. This is especially true own expertise with tools that for the Fortune 1000. automatically probe for 1. IoT Goes Mainstream weaknesses, becoming The Internet of Things Moreover, many organizations progressively better at doing so now rely on their ability to through trial and error. essentially a catch-all term for any generate and manage data — it Internet-connected device or is the key to understanding Unfortunately, pentesting isn't the appliance that wouldn't ordinarily customer behavior, predicting only application of this connect to a network — has seen what to sell, and determining technology—it can just as easily be explosive growth in recent years. how to market against weaponized in the hands of IoT devices have become more competitors. cybercriminals. commonplace than ever as we increasingly embed connectivity in It is impossible for any human Technologies that Will Shape the everything from traffic lights to being to effectively organize and Future of Cybersecurity in 2022 fridges and microwaves. This also evaluate the vast quantity of means that devices in the business data generated by even a small Over the next few years, there will and consumer sectors are becoming or mid-sized business. Instead, be several new technologies that increasingly sophisticated at the role of human actors in this will impact cybersecurity in ways collecting and sharing data. new ecosystem is to ensure the neither seen nor predicted. From data is available and accessible artificial intelligence to blockchain On the one hand, this means that, for analytics tools. With that to IoT, the entire face of the armed with effective analytics, accomplished, they can unlock security landscape is changing. And organizations can learn more about insights about everything from it will continue to change well into both themselves and their clientele product intelligence to flaws in the future, evolving in ways we than ever before. On the other their security posture. neither expected nor predicted. hand, this means that even a small business may have to contend with Orchestration alone isn't an overwhelming threat surface, enough, either. Criminals are one in which anything could be an well aware of the value access point for a hacker. And yes, contained in corporate data. As that includes the kitchen sink. such, in addition to availability, modern businesses must ensure For example, AI-powered all data is encrypted both at rest intelligent security systems can and in motion. www.theenterpriseworld.com | 41

Paul Guenther Offering Innovative Media Solutions The most important goal of B2B marketing is to make other businesses aware of your business. This helps you build your brand value and reach out to your potential customers. To acquire the right leads and then convert them needs innovative marketing strategies. These strategies can help you reach out to the right people and be seen. Featuring in The Enterprise World's this issue of Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs To Watch In 2022 is Paul Guenther, Founder, and CEO of Knowledge Hub Media, offering promising and innovative media solutions to his clients. In this interview, let us know more about Paul and Knowledge Hub Media. Can you please brief us about your professional experience? As for my personal story, it starts out at Penn State University in the Fall of 2002. At the time, I was pretty unsure about what I wanted to do. After some time, I determined that I wanted to go to law school, and decided to major in Crime, Law & Justice. I got my B.S. in the spring of 2006, which was immediately followed by a (short) stint in Law School. I was doing a part-time night program, and at the time, I was honestly just not ready for it. I was working full time during the day, going out with my friends at night, and not at all focused on what I should have been focused on. Whether or not it was a blessing in disguise, I'll never 42 | APRIL 2022

Founder & CEO, Knowledge Hub Media www.theenterpriseworld.com | 43

know… But I ended up going back to school in 2008 to get What are the key achievements of your business my MBA with a concentration in Marketing Management journey? (Wilmington University). Knowledge Hub Media is a b2b advertising company with During that timeframe, somewhere in 2009, I started demand generation and content syndication serving as our working on what would become “IT Knowledge Hub” – core competencies. We've had a lot of major which is now of course known as Knowledge Hub Media. accomplishments over the years, including making the Inc. Once I had my MBA completed in 2010, it was o ffto the 5000 list three years in a row (Inc Magazine), and, being races with the company. I worked pretty tirelessly honored as an Entrepreneur Magazine Entrepreneur 360 throughout most nights to get the thing up and o ffof the company. ground. Everything from sales to marketing, to accounting The 360 best privately owned companies in America – also and website development. I was truly a one-man shop back three years in a row. On top of this, we were named one of in those days… the most innovative advertising technology companies of 2020-2021 at the InterCon awards conference and have But (very) fortunately for me, over the next couple of years, appeared in many big-name magazine publications over the I was able to bring my first few employees on – Anthony years. and James running Sales, and Chris, who filled my first Client Services role. I had also gone back to school by that We have also been featured on several radio programs and point to get my Doctorate in Business Administration – podcasts and have even been the subject of chapters within finally finishing my dissertation and graduating in January a couple of different book publications (non-fiction books, 2020. of course). 44 | APRIL 2022

Brief us about your journey at the company, what our clients. Most of our clients are in the software and inspired you to start the company? technology industry – and when they're not, they are usually advertising/media agencies working on behalf of the Knowledge Hub Media is a b2b advertising company with former. Most of our clients are promoting technology demand generation and content syndication serving as our platforms and software solutions that they are looking to core competencies. We've had a lot of major find net new customers for. accomplishments over the years, including making the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row (Inc Magazine), and, being How do you decide to take the company a step further? honored as an Entrepreneur Magazine Entrepreneur 360 company… The 360 best privately owned companies in We do have something pretty new and innovative that America – also three years in a row. should be coming out by mid-Summer… But for now, it's still a secret! Until then, we'll continue to offer the same On top of this, we were named one of the most innovative high end, highly targeted content syndication and demand advertising technology companies of 2020-2021 at the generation services that we've always offered. InterCon awards conference and have appeared in many big-name magazine publications over the years. We have Any client experience you would like to highlight? also been featured on several radio programs and podcasts and have even been the subject of chapters within a couple Let's face it… The customer is always the most important of different book publications (non-fiction books, of thing. That's just the reality of it, and also why I will say course). that offering a great customer experience is really our #1 goal. It always has been. Without customers you don't have As for how the company got started… what was originally business, and by proxy, you don't have a business. IT Knowledge Hub – now of course known as Knowledge Enhancing the custo,mer experience is always at the top of Hub Media – was established in 2009. Ever since its our list, and at the end of the day, we always want to make inception, the company been a prominent player in the B2B sure that everyone is completely satisfied. advertising space. It usually comes down to a few things: responsiveness, Our core competency, however, is lead generation – or quality of the product, and customizability. When a “demand generation” and “content syndication,” as it's customer has a question, we're there to answer it better known across the industry. We leverage content immediately – even in cases when we don't yet have a syndication via assets like white papers, webinars, case complete answer. Over the 12+ years that we've been doing studies, and the like, to generate highly targeted leads for this, we've evolved our practices and QA/QC measures to our clients. ensure only the finest in data quality – in terms of both data integrity and lead scoring mechanisms. Most of our clients are in the software and technology industry – and when they're not, they are usually Then there are the customizations… Where some of our advertising/media agencies working on behalf of the clients are happy to stick with more traditional means and former. Most of our clients are promoting technology lead delivery methods, some like us to use custom API platforms and software solutions that they are looking to integrations, lead import systems, and form post find net new customers for. technologies. We are always happy to customize a product – with regard to both targeting and delivery technology – to What are the products or services the company focuses go above and beyond the customer's expectations. on? How are your services different from those in the market? Ever since our inception, we have been a prominent player in the B2B advertising space. Our core competency, however, is lead generation – or “demand generation,” as it's better known across the industry. We leverage content syndication via assets like white papers, webinars, case studies, and the like, to generate highly targeted leads for www.theenterpriseworld.com | 45