A Riddle or Lesson: How Does a Client Become the Highest Priority in an Environment Where Employees Come First?

The answer to this riddle is baked in the strategic make-up of a Chicago-based company called Chicago Style SEO (CSS) – a full-service digital marketing agency, offering Organic SEO, PPC, Web Development, and Content Marketing. This spirited company launched at a time when most businesses were shutting their doors, and unemployment was at an all-time high – March 2009. The founders of CSS however (Ben Robinson and Rod Holmes) believed 2009 was primed to support an accelerated growth curve for the digital marketing industry; fueled by an across-the-board desire to convert a relatively new low cost/no cost communication channel (the internet) into a robust sales channel.

For these two entrepreneurs, the time to capitalize on the early adoption, in conjunction with their own unique digital skill sets, was at that moment. Fast forward, and nearing their 10th year anniversary, their business instincts have continued to support consistent year-over-year growth, and emerging “green shoots” that will soon spin-off to new revenue centers.

CultureFit had a chance to interview Rod Holmes, who continues to wear many hats, but has a passion for business development. The goal of our discussion: to gain a better understanding of how CSS not only jumped ahead of the early adoption digital marketing curve, but also how they keep up with new business when the tech talent shortage and competitive “grab” for talent is beyond fierce.