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> Features > Pg 2 Feature Stories > Entrepeneur takes area companies to the 'max'
Entrepeneur takes area companies to the 'max' |
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Adam Skiba, founder of SKYMAX, an Internet marketing company.
Reminder Publications submitted photo
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Aug. 30, 2010
By Katelyn Gendron
Reminder Assistant Editor
GREATER SPRINGFIELD -- Wilbraham native Adam Skiba, 28, has learned a few lessons courtesy of the School of Hard Knocks. His first business venture, a tag sale at his home on Pigeon Drive at the age of six, was a flop but that was only the beginning.
Determined to face fear head-on, Skiba spent the next 22 years learning successful economic models, gaining business savvy before taking a literal leap (by jumping out of a plane) to start his own: SKYMAX, an Internet marketing company.
"I was trying to break through the fear and it ultimately came out physically by undertaking the sport of skydiving. I physically faced my fears, but it was more mental. I realized I could conquer any and all fear, and from that point SKYMAX was born," Skiba recalled.
His company caters to businesses seeking a stronger presence on the Internet by focusing on Web site design, marketing and search engine optimization (SEO).
SEO goes beyond just embedding keywords into a Web site, Skiba explained, "It is the driving force behind every successful Web site that ranks highly in search engines."
The first step is to redesign or update a client's Web site to promote the company's service to "convert browsers into buyers," he said.
Skiba cautioned against business owners creating their own Web sites because "they're manufacturers, not Web designers." There are many facets of Web design and content a novice is unaware of, he added, noting that even Web designers lack SEO training.
A Web site's design must include keywords, SEO link building and emphasis must be made to develop mobile, e-mail and social marketing in order to raise its position on search engines such as Yahoo, Google or MSN Bing to increase traffic, Skiba said.
Clients also need help establishing themselves in the local and global marketplaces through the use of social media and interactive marketing strategies as opposed to viewing static information, he explained.
"Video is really the big thing [right now]. The computer is becoming the new TV. People want to know who you are and what you're about. [Video] really does wonders," Skiba advised.
When asked about his plans for the future of SKYMAX, Skiba replied, "In one year I'd like to be recognized as the Internet marketing and SEO [company] in Western Massachusetts. SKYMAX is my passion and I want to build the brand.
"I want to help businesses in the area gain that competitive edge and get Springfield out of this rut that it's in [economically]. Growing up, we could always feel safe as kids but things are just run down now," he continued. "My heart will always be in Western Massachusetts."
Skiba noted he also welcomes non-profit organizations that "are looking for a more professional presence on the Internet, yet are lacking a marketing budget; such clients include Lorraine's Soup Kitchen in Chicopee and Harmony House in Holyoke, he added.
Skiba said in five or 10 years he'd like to expand SKYMAX into the global marketplace with offices abroad but noted that he'll always remain grounded in Western Massachusetts.
To learn more about SKYMAX, visit www.skymaxmarketing.com or contact Skiba at adam@skymaxmarketing.com.
Are you a young entrepreneur? Learn how to share your story by sending an e-mail to Assistant Editor Katelyn Gendron at katelyn@thereminder.com.
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Comments From Our Readers:
chelsea1289
9/1/2010
6:46:47 AM
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It's great to see someone else from the area that has the drive and holds the faith that Western Mass/Springfield area can be resurrected out of the deteriorating economic conditions we're in. Keep it up! |
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