Jim Gibson Professional Introduction

A month or so ago, I made the bold prediction that Microsoft’s revamped search engine, Bing, would one day compete with Google for the top spot amongst the top search engines.  Although that may be a bit premature (Google currently owns a commanding 74% of the search market), it’s clear that Bing is quickly encroaching on the #2 spot and looks to overtake industry veteran, Yahoo (16%) in the near future. 

Dubbed a “Decision Engine”, Bing touts itself as a more efficient alternative to traditional search.  With a combination of “Ask type” features and improved search query results, Bing endeavors to deliver faster and more informed results that improve the overall user experience.

Bings recent transformation from a perennial #3 to a serious threat to Yahoo for the coveted #2 spot began with a great deal of buildup and was recently bolstered by a $100m advertising campaign on every conceivable advertising medium.

Rather than face the prospect of eating serious crow, I have revised my position slightly and am now predicting that Bing’s steady climb will move the new Microsoft prodigy past Yahoo sometime in the 1st Quarter 2010.

You think I’m crazy?  Let’s look at the numbers.  June 2009 numbers saw Bing’s market share increase steadily increase from 4.3% to 6.71% for an average of 5.25% over the same period.  Despite the fact that Bing’s market share is slightly lower than last years’ numbers, the former MSN Lives’ 25% growth in June 2009 (Hitwise) point to a dramatic change in the top 3 positions in the near future.

It’s important to note that I am not basing my predictions on these numbers alone.  Since Bing’s unveiling on May 28th, each of my clients companies have enjoyed a significant uptick in search engine traffic and, more importantly, as much as 50% in increased conversions.  It may be early, but that’s good news for our clients and businesses in general.  Therefore, I don’t think it’s entirely the result of the fanfare surrounding the recent launch party, rather, it appears that there is something truly different about this new search engine that helps deliver this type of result.  

Numbers aside, my gut is telling me something’s about to change.  Not only do I now use Bing for all my search activity, but I notice something happening that reminds me of what occurred when Google first entered the market fray.  I recall back in the late 90’s I was working with a telecom start-up and vividly remember a meeting with an IT consultant. 

At the time, I was using search engines like Alta Vista, Excite and Lycos when this guy told me about a new search engine developed by some strange company called Google.  Simply put, he was ga-ga over this search engine with the funny name.  Turns out, what I learned later was this new search engine was quickly gaining popularity within a very specific market segment – IT professionals.  These savvy technology veterans had discovered Google’s superior application and had, in essence, become Google evangelists.  Being an internet newbie and because these folks knew more than me, I listened to these folks and immediately began using the new kid on the block.

Let’s fast forward 10 years to 2009 where I am noticing a similar phenomena – this time with Bing.  Even at this early stage of Bings’ development, I am hearing the rumbling of excitement from a network of early adopters.  But this time it’s not so much the IT community but rather business owners in general – people like you and me.

The difference this time is that many executives have become quite sophisticated in the use of the Internet, search engines and the application of online technology for business processes.  No longer do business managers lean on IT so much for what is considered “state-of-the-art” internet technology.  Instead, informed professionals are able to make these decisions on their own and in the age of “hyper-connectivity” are able to communicate helpful trends themselves.

Another important factor that will aid in Bings mighty ascent is Yahoo’s own reinvention process.  There are few who would dispute the fact that Yahoo is at a serious organizational crossroad and that exhaustive attempts to re-define the search portal’s core competencies have been the company’s primary focus over the last few years. Serious technology development there has been at a virtual standstill, and if you think that they’ll just buy their way out in the form of an acquisition or even leveraged 3rd party development, think again. 

Close sources indicate the internal environment at Yahoo is so incredibly fragmented and fraught with bureaucratic red tape, that even if they wanted to, they can’t come together long enough to get a deal done – at least landmark deals like Google is able to strike.     

While Yahoo is hunkered down trying to re-tool and organize its business model, the opportunity for Bing to gain valuable ground on the incumbent #2 is promising.  If business owners continue to experience positive results in Bing’s SERPs, it may just be a matter of time before my prediction materializes.

During these tough economic times, colleagues have oft heard me talk about the importance of innovation through invention.  I firmly believe that it's precisely these challenging times that the so called "overnight successes" are born - note, I said "born" but not necessarily all grown up. 

That's because there is really no such thing as overnight successes. 

This is true in entertainment, sports and, especially in business.  Entertainers hone their craft in relative obscurity for years, athletes train endless hours on end and businesses work through the daily minutia of building the company until one day and if it's done the right way, viola!, success is achieved.  The world only sees the ultimate success and thinks the path was quick and effortless but if you've ever been in any of these, or other similar categories, you well know that is the furthest thing from the truth! 

But, interestingly, dealing with constant naysayers could be the biggest challenge you face.  But the fact of the matter is, while many people are focused on the problems of a down economy, those who are open to and seize the “opportunities” are more likely to face real prospects of ultimate success.  Therefore, one must continually work hard during the "toils and tribulations" phase to ever expect to get to our ultimate goals - whatever they are.

I mentioned earlier the importance of innovation through invention but a critical component of this mantra should include re-invention as well.  Observers have recently noted a tremendous uptick in the number of people going back to school to earn additional degrees, re-enforce core competencies or just to learn something totally new.  Given the economic climate, this is not really news; however, the point this illustrates is that learning new things inevitably opens the door to new opportunities.  These opportunities may include progressing in your chosen line of work, learning a new craft or even starting your own business.

Taking on new challenges is a great way to jump start your life and often opens the door to new opportunities.  I, myself, try to practice what I preach.  Despite having my own job stresses and life constraints, I have made tremendous efforts to continue my education.  In the last year alone, I have earned certifications in advanced First Aid, CPR and have become an active member of my local CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) group.  I am currently completing FEMA's NIMS (National Incident Management Systems) course and plan to earn both ICS (Incident Command Systems) and SEMS (State Emergency Management Systems) by years end.  I've even graduated from the DMA's Search Engine Marketing course and earned a certification that will help me better execute on QuakeDog's mission to become the "de facto" brand in the marketplace!

Speaking of QuakeDog, our Company is a great example of innovation through invention.  And your efforts as valued members of our team have led us from a simple idea our CEO, Jay Everingham had a year or so ago to a truly one of a kind company that is leading the pack in our industry!  This all came about as a result of innate vision and a strong desire to create something new and exciting.

The bottom line is it's never too late to learn new things and there's never been a better time to take advantage of the given situation.

I was recently interviewed by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal's staff reporter, Mark Madler.  Here is the article published on May 25, 2009:

Change in Thinking Guides Entrepreneur in New Venture
By Mark R. Madler - 5/25/2009
San Fernando Valley Business Journal Staff

In his business career, Jim Gibson has worked at and headed companies providing long distance phone service, pre-paid calling cards, wireless connections and an online business directory.

Gibson is, in short, a serial entrepreneur – getting in at companies at their start up stage, helping them grow and then moving on.

Rather than pursue multiple ideas simultaneously and hoping one succeeds enough to bring in millions, Gibson prefers to take one project at a time and find ones that can build on – or cascade, as he likes to put it – the foundation created by a previous project.

The Glendale resident thinks he’s found such an idea in his current venture, QuakeDog, an online platform for a distribution network selling emergency preparedness kits.

But more, QuakeDog gives Gibson a greater sense of personal satisfaction than he found in other jobs. It is not just about making money but helping people get ready in the event they ever face an emergency or natural disaster.

“When I wake up, it’s ‘Let’s go save some lives,’” Gibson said. “It’s a lot more than ‘Let’s go sell a widget.’”

The 47-year-old Gibson said that growing older has something to do with pursuing what he calls a socially responsible venture. QuakeDog also reflects an evolution of his thinking in what an entrepreneur should do.

The business side of him, however, saw a great market potential and an under-served one at that.

Fellow entrepreneur Jay Everingham founded QuakeDog and brought Gibson on as president and to be the public face of the company. It’s a role Gibson has performed going back to the first telecom company he worked for after a brief acting career on soap operas and a few sitcoms.

His polished presentation and communication skills had him going before vendors, customers and potential investors.

Gibson is an excellent communicator because he can take complex ideas and boil them down to simple pieces, said Jason McDowall, who has known Gibson for about four years.

That and the ability to listen carefully have served Gibson well in his career.

“He really loves being the entrepreneur and creating something of value for the market,” McDowall said.

Those markets have been in telecom and online.

QuakeDog, for instance, is merely the virtual platform for independent salespeople to sell the survival kits and products. Service Omni, which Gibson started in 2007 and remains as chief executive, is an online directory to promote small businesses and create interaction between them.

Earlier in his career, Gibson helped build up Telis Communications Group to where it was sold for $12 million. While at Atlas Telecom Services, Gibson promoted pre-paid calling cards for the Hispanic market with images of Galaxy soccer players. Just a few years ago he helped turn privately-owned Continan Communications into a publicly-traded company. (The Securities and Exchange Commission in April ordered Continan to stop trading shares. The company has since changed its name.)

Contacts Gibson made as he transitioned from acting to the boardroom served him well. He and Everingham have known each other for 20 years, having worked at a telecom companies together.

“I never had to interview for a job,” Gibson said. “Everything I’ve done is a direct result of riding the coat tails of projects I’ve used as my learning.”

A quarterback in high school in Florida, Gibson has to be out in front and taking the lead. A lesson taken from his playing days is that a quarterback can field a successful team by surrounding himself with better players.

When assembling the executive core for Service Omni, Gibson went after the best people he knew in technology, finance and legal matters, said Ross Nordin, who did financial modeling and forecasting at the start up.

“His management style galvanizes people working together,” Nordin said.

A certain tenacity is also part of Gibson’s personality; not being easily frightened away when faced with a challenge.

“He does not give up easily,” McDowall said. “If one thing doesn’t work he’ll try another. He just keeps at it.”

Similarly, Gibson keeps looking for new business opportunities to pursue.

One involves creating video resumes and online tools for job seekers to advertise themselves more effectively. Another is expanding on the QuakeDog network and customer base with a fee-based monthly service as the value add to the physical survival kits.

Creating the online distribution network may have been Everingham’s idea but even he admits the successful execution of that idea rests on Gibson’s shoulders. Everingham brings the back office expertise and Gibson brings the marketing expertise, especially when it comes to using search engine optimization and social networking sites.

A fan club on Facebook and feeds through Twitter and Digg are the spokes bringing traffic to the main company website to achieve the goal of making QuakeDog the go-to brand for disaster survival gear.

Within three years, Gibson and Everingham want to have 1 million of their kits in the hands of individuals and families.

“Ambitious? Yes,” Gibson said. “Is it reasonable? We think so.”

Hitting the goal hinges on having the money available to do the necessary marketing, Everingham said. After that, it is all up to Gibson.

The future of Service Omni, the online business directory, also hinges on money.

The exit strategy for the company is to sell it but that cannot happen without more traction in the market, more revenue and more users. There is a list of 12 requirements needed to sell and Gibson admits not many have been reached.

The exit strategy for QuakeDog centers on building up its network of freelance distributor to make it valuable for any potential buyer.

As a serial entrepreneur there will always be another project waiting but for now Gibson is having too much fun and satisfaction and not quite ready to sell out yet.


Staff Reporter Mark Madler can be reached at (818) 316-3126 or by e-mail at [email protected]. He could do better with preparing for a natural disaster.

It seems like I may be on to something interesting here.  I am beginning to recognize that creating a video resume (like the one on my site) is a great way to really stand out in a crowded job market.  I am already starting to get calls from professional headhunters who, despite not knowing exactly how to use this new tool, all agree that this is the beginning of an effective application of technology for HR professionals, career advisors and even company executives looking for that special employee.

In order to differentiate yourself to prospective employers, it's critical to think creatively and to step outside the box.  Granted, not everyone is comfortable in front of a camera, but just a glimpse of your smiling face may mean the difference between your resume being shuffled off to the circular file and getting a call for that all important interview.

Note that I said "getting a call for the interview".  Don't expect to land that great job on the basis of a video resume.  Set your expectations now.  This is only a tool to get you more effective visiblity - it won't necessarily land you the job.  You still have to interview like everyone else and that's where you'll really show your stuff!

I highly recommend finding a good videographer to help you with your video resume.  It doesn't have to be expensive (about $200) but try to find a company that will offer you a nominally priced subscription plan - where you can shoot a variety of videos over a period of time. 

The average job search is 6 months.  So plan to shoot a bunch of different videos.. for specific jobs, specific companies, specific titles, specific roles, etc.  If you are in Los Angeles, like myself, check out http://www.silverdoveproductions.com.  A great company with a real familial approach to video production - not your typical Hollywood outfit.  Make sure to tell them that Jim Gibson sent ya - you'll get a great discount, I promise!

If you would like to have me send you a checklist for a video resume, go to my Contact Jim page and fill out the form.  I'll shoot you over a great article on how to prepare for your 2 minutes of fame.

Until then, happy job hunting!  I look forward to hearing from you.

Jim Gibson 

Last Friday was a great day!  Not just because of what you’re thinking… end of the week.. weekend.. party-time!, etc.. no, not that at all.  In fact, at 5:30pm, I found myself driving up the 5 freeway from Irvine to Glendale, locked in bumper to bumper traffic, fighting dense pockets of folks leaving town for the holiday weekend.  Thank god for the last two days to give me lots to reflect on during my long trip home.  I didn’t have time to think about partying, resting or just hanging out - much less the traffic jam I was in.

 You see, I spent the past 48 hours sitting in a classroom.  Most of you are probably saying, “I’d rather be sitting in traffic!”.  In most circumstances, I’d agree with you.  But this was different.  For 48 hours, I went way back in time… to a time where I had passion for an idea.. where I found every day an opportunity to enhance the idea and continue to make a business out of it.  I went back to a time where creating, inventing, building & managing the process was all consuming - and everything I enjoyed.  Yet somewhere along the way I got sidetracked.  We all do at some point or another I guess.  But to me, it was frutstrating.  Despite my efforts, I didn’t know quite how to get it back.

Then along came the Venture Farm Boot Camp (www.venturefarm.com).  Venture Farm is an Irvine-based venture capital firm that is focused on helping early stage companies get education about creating and running a start-up and in the process get better prepared for the prospect of raising cash.  Managed by VC industry veteran, Sid Mohasseb, the two day boot camp brings local entrepreneurs together to engage in real-life business building exercises that are intended to re-invigorate not only the individual businesses but the entrepreneur as well.  Let me say from first hand experience, it did the trick!

The two day experience was exactly what the doctor ordered for me personally.  Sid’s vast experience and incredible (and relevant) teachings allowed me to hone my entrepreneurial skills while affording me the opportunity to re-assess where we’re taking Service Omni.  More importantly, I found meaning to what we are trying to deliver with our product.

Finding the meaning, although it sounds trivial, was a very important (and missing) ingredient to the message we are trying to deliver to our audience.  Without meaning, we were not targeting our message - much less, delivering the right value proposition with our service offering.  Not to be confused with the Value Proposition, Meaning, in this instance, is what you want your audience to take away from their experience with your product or service.

We have a cool site that allows businesses to create a web presence for free, summarize their services, upload some pictures and videos and have access to some cool features.  But in our case, the meaning was still unclear.  The Venture Farm Boot Camp helped me to find that meaning.

Justice!  Simple.  Justice for smaller businesses.  An equal opportunity to compete on a level playing field.  In a space where there is so much clutter and where its terribly expensive to effectively get seen, we endeavor to give smaller businesses a chance to play with the big boys.  By creating a just-based system that combines marketing control and rewards for community feedback, we’ve enabled smaller businesses to get noticed more on merit than on paying the big bucks to buy visibility.  We’ve come full circle and come back to what started this idea in the first place!  We realized we were on the right track all along but we, ourselves, got caught up in the clutter game.

Now its time to get back to basics… to, as they say in the great state of Texas, “dance with the one that brung ya”.  The Venture Farm Boot Camp got us to remember what’s important.. it’s not so much about being the fastest in terms of growing the business, achieving the so-called “critical mass” of users as it is to be honest with ourselves and with our community.  It’s about providing real value to small businesses who struggle with getting visibility in an incredibly crowded arena - the internet.

And this is what we are going back to.  Back to the beginning and move steadfastly towards this common goal of creating opportunities where they might not have existed before.  I owe a lot to Sid and his mentoring.  He’s made me realize that it shouldn’t be a struggle to produce a real meaning - that it should come from the heart and, more importantly, from a real desire to make a difference in what you offer in a service.

Thanks Sid!