When I was a kid I was always that nerd reading books and tinkering with computers while the other boys my age were playing sports. My first job when I was 15 was at a local computer store, fixing systems for customers and building PC’s from scratch. At 17 years old I stumbled across a company that was piloting a “new” concept, selling advertisements on the back of drug store receipts. To this day I can’t remember why I ever thought this was a good idea, because let me tell you, nobody wants to buy advertising on the back of a drug store receipt, but whatever it was something hooked me and out I went knocking on doors, striking out every day my first week.
I still remember that first sale like it was yesterday. I’m standing in a pizza shop, and the owner had just given me the same answer I had been hearing all week, “Nobody reads those things”. How could I argue with him? This was a relatively new concept, there was no track record, no great success stories of local businesses on the brink of bankruptcy suddenly making millions thanks to advertising on the back of drug store receipts.
As I headed for the door, dejected and ready to give up, an idea hit me I said “I’ll tell you what, I’ll run an ad for you for free if you let me write it”. Dismissively, without even looking up from the pizza he was making, I hear “Sure kid, whatever you want.” So I sat down, making a dramatic presentation of opening my briefcase and taking out the new client paperwork, and read out loud as I write “BUY ONE PIZZA, GET TEN FREE” and the next thing I know the owner is standing next to me like he’s about to physically pick me up and throw me out of his shop. “What are you doing, kid?” he yells, “You’ll put me out of business with that s***!”.
And I say “Nah, nobody reads these things.”
I got my first sale that day, and used a similar pitch successfully several times after that. It was my first experience with psychological triggers, and I studied the subject with fascination later, intent on learning how to observe behavior and using what I pick up to steer someone toward a sale. That was 1996. And as the web developed over the coming years, I couldn’t escape my “inner nerd” and worked mostly as a technology consultant for companies including IBM, UPS, Palm, Banctec, and numerous smaller firms, learning database and development skills along the way.
After a decade of helping everyone else make money, I began development on what is now the Cartooga e-commerce platform. Originally designed to be a solution for a Direct Response TV company, I thought the platform could stand on its own, formed a company around it, and the rest, as they say, is history. As Cartooga’s popularity grew, I knew it was time to get some of the other ideas I had been sitting on off of the drawing board and into reality. Primordium, Inc. was formed in October of 2010, to continue what those of us involved have been doing all along: combining our resources and expertise to produce great products, and putting together a world-class team of developers, designers, and marketing experts to make it all happen. You can see what the Primordium team is up to at Primordium.com, or follow @Primordium on Twitter to stay in the loop.
On April 7th, 2011 I was offered a position with Infusion Brands as their new Vice President of E-Commerce. Infusion has been a client of mine since 2008 and has made some amazing new developments over the last year. So as of April 12th, Primordium’s COO Ryan Ford will take the reins as I join the Infusion team.
