Rand Fishkin: "Start Me Up”
This Week's Guest: Rand Fishkin
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Our show typically covers the history of tech, but ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit, a new history is being written—which is why we’re bringing back some past guests to discuss what their persepctive is since everything suddenly changed. Today we welcome back Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz and co-founder of the recently launched SparkToro.
Yes, that’s right: Rand launched a new B2B platform during a pandemic. You’re probably wondering how that’s even possible. This episode covers the difficulties of dealing with a devastating global pandemic on a personal level while still ensuring your company and its people are cared for. For Rand and SparkToro, this led to some creative ways to not only successfully launch a product, but also show compassion to those who are needing some extra help right now.
You’ll hear Rand and Melinda discuss the complexities of remaining authentic and empathetic to the profound problems people are facing and reflecting that with your brand’s messaging—all while keeping focused on navigating your own business through it. Plus, hear Rand’s top three recommendations for what marketers should be doing right now during this crisis.
Show Notes
BOOKS AND WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
SparkToro and SparkToro’s blog where Rand writes posts several times a month
GiveDirectly.org: allows donors to send money directly to the poor with no strings
HeyElevate.com: helping SaaS companies identify & act on high ROI opportunities
Rand’s book: Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World
Geraldine’s book: All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft
More About Our Guest
Cofounder & CEO of SparkToro, Author, and Founder of Moz
Rand Fishkin is the cofounder and CEO of SparkToro. He’s dedicated his professional life to helping people do better marketing through his blogging, videos, speaking, and his book, Lost and Founder. When Rand’s not working, he’s most likely to be in the company of his partner in marriage and (mostly petty) crime, author Geraldine DeRuiter.
In 2004, Rand created the SEOmoz blog, which, over the next decade, became the world’s most popular community and content resource for search marketers. In 2007, Rand became CEO of SEOmoz, Inc (now called Moz), the software company he co-founded with his mom based on the blog’s success. Over 7 years as CEO, Rand grew Moz from 7 employees to 134, revenues from $800K to $29.3mm, and traffic from 1 to 30mm annual visitors. He raised two rounds of funding ($1.1mm in 2007 and $18.1mm in 2012), led three acquisitions, and, in 2013, re-branded the company from SEOmoz to Moz, shifting focus from exclusively SEO tools to broader web marketing software. Rand stepped down as CEO in February of 2014 during a rough bout with depression and left the company 4 years later. He remains chairman of Moz’s board. Rand may be best known for his popular blogs and regular Whiteboard Friday series, watched by tens of thousands of marketers each week. Rand is also a frequent keynote speaker at marketing conferences around the world, averaging ~100 days on the road each year and 30-40 speaking appearances. In 2018, Rand founded SparkToro (an under-development software company focused on audience and influencer intelligence) and published, with Penguin/Random House, Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World.
