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Off to Chase The Next Big Storm AR's V.P of Sales and Blog Trainer Signing Off.

Reblogger
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore

 

It's a brave new world a comin', and we're smack dab in the middle of it darling!  Sorry I was watching an old movie...READ THIS... WTF...Are they runnin' everybody out??

 

Original content by Douglas Ching

bird taking flight on the shore in ZurickIf you ask Jon Washburn he will tell you that he is “not a sales person”, but don’t let this fool you!  What began as an innocent lunch back in 2009 resulted in me leaving my successful business behind to join forces with Jon at ActiveRain. The goal was to find a sustainable revenue model for a company that was on the brink of running out of the capital.

ActiveRain was a robust community at the time with a little over 100k members but very little dependable revenue.  Jon, in my opinion, had two choices: he could clutter every page of AR with advertising, or we could start charging our new members to take advantage of the reputation (SEO) the community had built.  Thus, the Rainmaker concept was born. 

A few months later I began noticing that the agents who were upgrading to RainMaker with the hopes of increasing their online presence didn’t have the training required to make that possible. So I turned to my trusted friend Steven Graham, who within two weeks developed SEO strategies for those members of AR who needed it the most, and turned it into a two hour training class for new members.  This single class evolved into ActiveRain University, led by Steven, which currently has over 10,000 graduates.

This company was Jon’s vision and legacy. ActiveRain is now at over 200,000 members, and in January alone of this year we signed up just shy of 1,000 new paying RainMakers! We were fortunate enough to be asked to join Jon on his journey to accomplish that vision, and we hope his legacy of ActiveRain-- and now DailyTicket-- will continue to grow and thrive. 

Now that Jon’s active role in the network has ended Steven and I have decided to find a new vision.  Changing lives, both within the ActiveRain community and at the ActiveRain corporate offices, is the reason we came to ActiveRain and the reason we stayed. Jon gave us the freedom to create a unique culture here that you couldn’t find anywhere else. The community thrived, as did the employees of ActiveRain. Since the changing of hands, we have grown to miss the creativity and challenges that come with building and maintaining this type of culture.

As of today Steven Graham and I will no longer be employed by ActiveRain. The time has come for us to find a new home. We have been invited to help ePropertySites.com develop a social media and SEO blogging platform as their V.P of Sales and SEO Blog Trainer. Imagine every tool you could possibly need to succeed online in one tool box. That is ePropertySites.com, where we will both continue to do the work we love, and although we’ll miss being part of what goes on behind the scenes at ActiveRain, we’re excited to embark on this new adventure.

if you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at:

Doug@epropertymail.com

or

Steven@epropertymail.com

Comments (9)

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Laura, thanks for reblogging. I read Niki's PC blog post, and a hole thread of comments, whhich, in my opinion, chose to happily miss the point.

 

May 20, 2011 02:10 PM
Laura Giannotta
Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore - Little Egg Harbor, NJ
Your Realtor Down the Shore!

All I can say Jon, is WTF??

 

May 20, 2011 02:12 PM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Laura, I just hope the parade doesn't continue until there's nobody left.  Every since Market Leader stuck their foot into this... people have been leaving... one after another.  Now these two folks, Doug and Steve, hit those swinging doors.  It doesn't sound good.

And... I am sure that you're not the only would to come out with her very own WTF.

May 20, 2011 03:55 PM
Sheila Newton Team Anderson & Greenville SC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - C. Dan Joyner - Anderson, SC
Selling the Upstate since 1989

I hate this trend with guys leaving!! it is becoming scary huh?

May 20, 2011 04:45 PM
Douglas Ching
Kenmore, WA

I appreciate you reblogging our post Laura, it is a Brave new world. 

May 20, 2011 08:33 PM
June Tassillo
Owner/Broker RE/MAX Elite Realty - Franklin, NC
Let me help you with the next phase of your life!

Mary ~ Change = Fear and it is ever changing here on A&R.  I hope Bob don't leave now. 

May 20, 2011 11:26 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

You grow where you are planted and sometimes transplanting is the best thing you can do.

May 20, 2011 11:27 PM
Jim Paulson
Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info - Boise, ID
Owner,Broker

I have been reading all the re-blogs on this to make sure I catch all the comments.  It is interesting to read peoples positions.  Here is my response to the announcement:  

Like they said in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "Goodbye, so long, and thanks for all the fish"!  It give me the idea for my blog for today:   http://actvra.in/bfK

May 22, 2011 09:23 AM
Scott Silverstone
William Raveis Real Estate - New Haven, CT
www.CTProperty.com, Connecticut Luxury & Waterfront Realty

Thanks for re-blogging this post.  I had no idea Steven left AR.  He was very helpful at our Raincamp in Atlantic City and I took many of his blogging classes at AR University.

May 23, 2011 04:48 PM