Online Projects - Work and Fun

For those that know me, I traditionally have resisted projects which would require me to do a large amount of writing. Therefore, taking on the responsibility of writing a blog seems to be the opposite of what I like. However, in my typical form, I have realized that this would be a much more efficient way to communicate some of the interesting (and sometimes even important) things I get to do in my daily life (read this as less writing). Trust me, my life is no more glamorous than anyone else’s. Because of my business, I often get to see interesting projects take off. While often a large portion of information I see needs to be kept confidential for my client’s sake (sorry not confidential because of national security or anything else from the movies), I will be able to give insight and early information. We all like to be the first to know, so hopefully I can provide a little piece of information to help occasionally.

So, what is it that I really do? Most of my friends stopped asking long ago. I have always been happy to share the details, but unless you are serious about your Internet presence, most really don’t understand. The focus of my company Hotspot Interactive (shameless plug for http://www.hotspotinteractive.com), is to help clients focus their Internet efforts and achieve the desired results. Some clients need more leads, some need more product sales, and others just need a quality professional presence. My service is structured around identifying and defining the desired results, ensuring the proper technology base is in place, building the plans to implement marketing and technology to achieve the desired results, executing the marketing and technology plans, and reporting on the results. I have done every piece of this multiple times throughout my career and can demonstrate client projects. One large website I did over 8 years ago. While the look has changed multiple times, the same basic structure is still in place and being used. The reason it is being used is because it still fits the clients business model.

Now that you know why I have started the blog and what it is I do, I will finish with a little bit of who I am. Since shortly after finishing college at Kansas State University, I have been involved with technology (about 13 years). I have had the experience of setting up one of the first Internet providers in the state of Kansas where we rolled out Internet to 200 rural communities in about a years time. I spent several years in various Internet and sales related roles at MCI. I had the opportunity to work on a few occasions with Vint Cerf who is considered the father of the Internet. (On a side note, when I was speaking with Vint on my background, his comments were “So you were really early with Internet?” I laughed because it was coming from the guy who invented it 25 years earlier.) He is truly an amazing person and a pleasure to be around. I have also spent 3 of the last 4 years managing the operations side of the business at a hosting provider and at a small cellular phone company. Both were great positions which gave me day to day operational management experience. During this whole time, I have always stayed active in website development and enjoyed watching sites mature to meet business objectives. Because of this, I started Hotspot Interactive in 2003, but decided to leave corporate life and work on my own. I have a few very good clients who have jumped at the chance to bring me on their projects. I believe I have also added tremendous value to their projects at the same time.

From here, I am focused on building a very solid business helping a small number of clients dramatically impact their online presence. I have strong relationships with partners in Kansas City, New York and New Delhi who have helped me grow fast already and will be an integral part of the next phases of my business. If you know of someone who is looking for assistance with their online presence, please point them to my business website or have them contact me directly.

Bob Scheller
President,
Hotspot Interactive, Inc
Phone: (913) 871-6990
Email: bscheller at hotspotinteractive.com (substitute @ for “at” to help me prevent more spam email)