Lessons Learned Shaping 15 Years of Digital Marketing Innovation

This year marks a significant milestone for Adtaxi as we celebrate 15 years of growth, innovation, and impact in the digital marketing industry. What began in 2010 as a small team with big ambitions has transformed into a nationally recognized, award-winning digital marketing agency. Over the years, we have continually evolved to meet the demands of an ever-changing industry – from launching our first RTB campaigns to building robust strategies across search, social, and streaming TV, always with a firm focus on performance and driving measurable results for our clients.

Our evolution has been fueled by a dedicated team of curious and driven individuals who thrive on solving complex challenges and delivering real business outcomes. Together, we’ve navigated shifting platforms, changing consumer behaviors, and emerging technologies—all while staying true to our mission of helping businesses connect meaningfully with their audiences. 

To mark our 15th anniversary, we’re reflecting on the lessons that have shaped us—insights forged through experience, experimentation, and an unwavering commitment to performance. We’ve asked our leaders to share what they’ve learned along the way in hopes their perspectives can guide and inspire others in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. 

Lesson Learned: Thriving in a Fast-Moving Marketing Landscape 

Chris Loretto, EVP of Digital, understands that navigating the complexities of the marketing world requires more than just a clear vision. His insights into achieving sustained growth highlight the realities of thriving in such a competitive and fast-moving industry. Even with a well-defined vision, the road to success is rarely straightforward. Meaningful progress in marketing demands flexibility, resilience, and a willingness to adapt as challenges and opportunities emerge. The industry is dynamic and constantly evolving, making it crucial to view success as part of a long-term strategy rather than a quick win. To drive sustained growth and achieve broader goals, marketers need to stay agile, embrace change, and align with the fast-paced momentum of the landscape.

Lesson Learned: Building Success Through Collaboration

Collaboration is a driving force behind Adtaxi’s continued success, according to Doug Gesiorski, VP of Operations. His insights shed light on the critical role teamwork plays in achieving long-term goals that matter. At the heart of effective collaboration is the recognition that every team member contributes to the bigger picture. When individuals align their efforts toward shared objectives, aiming not just for individual milestones but for collective achievement, the results can be extraordinary. This united approach fosters innovation, strengthens team dynamics, and drives outcomes that go beyond expectations.

Bob Jamison, the VP of the East Region, exemplifies what it means to lead with empathy and trust, recognizing that true collaboration begins with active listening and mutual respect. For marketers, this principle is especially vital, as building solid relationships can make all the difference in driving meaningful outcomes. When employees feel genuinely supported, they’re more motivated to go the extra mile. Clients who know their feedback matters are more likely to stay loyal, and colleagues who feel valued are eager to contribute wholeheartedly. Whether you’re teaming up across departments or strengthening client connections, fostering a culture of empathy and understanding builds trust and buy-in far more effectively than any other strategy. Leaders set the tone for this culture, and by modeling respect and a commitment to collaboration, they can unlock true growth and drive transformational results.

Natalie Andrews, the Manager of Social Operations, understands what it takes to build a successful team. Her insights into the power of collaboration are rooted in experience and a deep appreciation for the art of teamwork. A truly engaged team is the driving force behind successful campaigns. Achievements are born from careful planning, constructive feedback, and an unwavering collective commitment to delivering excellence. It’s about aligning efforts, going the extra mile, and ensuring client satisfaction remains at the heart of every initiative.

Ryan Huschka, the VP of the Central Region, believes that the most powerful ideas emerge when diverse perspectives come together. For marketers, this insight is a reminder that innovation thrives on collaboration and inclusivity. The most impactful solutions don’t come from a single voice or a rigid top-down process, but rather from the exchange of varied experiences, thought styles, and unique viewpoints. Creating an environment where individuality is celebrated allows for deeper collaboration, more innovative problem-solving, and a collective drive toward shared goals. The magic isn’t found in quarterly reports or painstakingly detailed workflows; it happens in open discussions, spontaneous brainstorming sessions, and mutual respect that empowers everyone to bring their authentic selves to the table. This dynamic approach not only strengthens teams but also delivers lasting results for clients.

Lesson Learned: The Importance of Strategic Partnerships

Sustaining a competitive edge in the digital marketing space is impossible without strong strategic partnerships. David DeHart, Sr. Director of RTB, reflects on the early days of building Adtaxi’s programmatic team. The DSP strategy was fragmented, with the team juggling multiple platforms. There were different DSPs for video, mobile, and display campaigns, with The Trade Desk (TTD) playing only a minor role at first. Recognizing the need for change, Adtaxi made the pivotal decision to consolidate programmatic efforts under TTD’s platform. This move revolutionized operations, boosting efficiency, enhancing product scalability, and unifying our approach. More critically, it nurtured a lasting partnership with TTD. As one of TTD’s earliest agency collaborators, Adtaxi provided invaluable feedback to shape the platform, a relationship that continues to create value for clients. Reflecting on this decision, it’s clear that without consolidation and alignment with the right partner, Adtaxi’s growth trajectory could have looked very different.

Lesson Learned: Growing With the Right Mindset

For marketing leaders like Jen Flanagan, VP of Marketing, attitude isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s the foundation of sustained growth and meaningful success. Without the right mindset, even the best strategies can fall short of their full potential. It’s easy for marketers to get caught up in the constant hustle of hitting deadlines, making meeting after meeting, and chasing the next performance target. The daily grind can often cloud the bigger picture. However, stepping back to reconnect with the purpose behind the work is essential. Every email sent, campaign launched, and customer reached is part of a greater goal—not just for the company, but for the clients it serves. When marketers focus on their work’s true impact, it becomes about more than just metrics. It turns into an opportunity to drive growth, open doors, and create lasting value for businesses and their teams. This shift in perspective is what can keep marketers energized, intentional, and connected to the importance of their efforts.

Lesson Learned: The Importance of Continuous Learning

Andrew Walkinshaw, VP of the West Region, emphasizes the importance of one of Adtaxi’s core values, continuous learning. He points out that in the dynamic and competitive world of digital marketing, a commitment to growth and adaptation is key to achieving long-term success. Every marketing campaign presents an opportunity for insight and growth, even when the results fall short of expectations. While a successful campaign reinforces effective strategies, setbacks often reveal deeper lessons about your audience, your approach, or your business as a whole. The true value lies in recognizing these lessons and using them to inform future decisions. At Adtaxi, this mindset has become a driving force, enabling the team to consistently innovate, improve, and deliver exceptional outcomes for their clients.

Continuous learning isn’t just a catchphrase; it’s the backbone of progress in marketing. Brian Kroll, VP of Strategic Accounts and Alliance Partnerships, emphasizes that true growth comes from constantly evolving through every experience. At Adtaxi, evolution is embedded in the work culture. Whether it’s a win that sparks innovation or a setback that teaches a valuable lesson, each moment offers an opportunity to grow and improve. This fast-paced environment energizes marketers, offering new challenges, endless learning opportunities, and constant chances to grow.

Caleb Alcorn, Director of Search Operations, believes that the willingness to constantly learn and evolve is the foundation for success in today’s fast-paced marketing world. It’s not just a mindset but a strategy that drives growth on personal, team, and organizational levels. A commitment to curiosity and continuous improvement sharpens skills, fosters meaningful collaboration, and allows teams to adapt seamlessly to evolving industry demands. By sharing insights and experiences, strong relationships are built, sparking innovation and driving collective achievements. This philosophy not only enabled Caleb to grow from managing search campaigns to leading a high-performing search team, but it also helped Adtaxi evolve into a competitive force in the digital marketing space. For marketers, this serves as a reminder that staying adaptable and eager to learn is essential to delivering measurable results, staying connected to industry trends, and achieving both individual and organizational success.

Lesson Learned: Finding Meaning Beyond Metrics

Scott Belford, Sr. Strategic Campaign Manager of Search, reflects on one of his most memorable experiences during his time with the agency. While crafting impactful Google Ads campaigns has always been about driving growth and delivering measurable success, Scott realized the deeper effect their work can have when a long-time client, a marketing manager, shared how the high-quality leads generated through their campaigns had a profound impact, not only on the business but on his career. The results were so transformative that he commemorated it with a bold and unexpected gesture, tattooing the Google logo on his chest. Witnessing this firsthand served as a powerful reminder that digital marketing is about much more than numbers on a spreadsheet. The true value of your work lies in the partnerships you can foster and the real-life changes you help create, not just the metrics delivered.

Lesson Learned: Taking Risks

Before joining Adtaxi, Megan Bucur, Director of Client Services, often worked behind the scenes, though she was always interested in working directly with clients. Early on at Adtaxi, meeting with clients felt intimidating, but over time, her confidence grew. A defining moment came a few years into her role when a smaller account approached the team with a request to develop a bold new strategy. The recommendation Megan’s team proposed felt risky at the time, but it was built on solid data and compelling insights. Presenting it with confidence paid off; the client trusted the vision and decided to move forward. The strategy not only delivered strong results but also strengthened the partnership, eventually leading to more business. That experience was a pivotal reminder of how stepping out of your comfort zone and approaching challenges with thoughtful planning can lead to meaningful growth.

Ethan Mowery, Director of QA and Tech, has seen firsthand how taking risks can lead to significant rewards. One of the biggest risks faced was migrating from Signal, our trusty tag management platform of eight years, to Tealium. For a long time, replacing Signal wasn’t even on the radar; we were fully woven into their system. But when Ethan rejoined the company, some cracks became hard to ignore. Support tickets dragged on for weeks, sometimes months, raising doubts about Signal’s ability to adapt to the evolving digital landscape. With growing concerns about its longevity, they started exploring alternatives and decided Tealium was the right choice. The migration wasn’t a simple switch; it required completely rethinking how we implemented and tracked data, and it took six months of meticulous effort. But the results far exceeded expectations. Not only did the new platform cost less, but Tealium’s tools, like EventStream, unlocked new opportunities in areas like offline attribution and advanced integrations. Even better, Tealium’s proactive updates mean we can build confidently on a system designed for the future. It all culminated in a bigger win than anticipated when Signal shut down a month after the migration. Looking back, the decision to take that risk didn’t just pay off; it safeguarded our strategy at a critical moment.

Lesson Learned: Leadership Should Empower Innovation

According to Drew Suppes, Director of Client Services, true innovative solutions often start with the people closest to the work. When marketers foster an environment where team members feel empowered to share their insights and creativity, remarkable outcomes can emerge. Empowered teams that feel heard are not only more confident in addressing challenges but also more likely to present fresh, actionable ideas. Effective leadership isn’t about appearing as the most knowledgeable individual but about creating a collaborative space where the best concepts can rise to the surface. For marketers, this approach can lead to more agile problem-solving and innovative campaign strategies.

Lesson Learned: Building Trust Through Transparency and Flexibility

Chris Burkey, Manager of Client Services, understands that success in today’s fast-paced digital marketing world hinges on two key principles: transparency and flexibility. These are the cornerstones of building meaningful, long-term client relationships. Transparency fosters trust, allowing clients to feel confident in the strategies and decisions being made on their behalf. Pairing this with a flexible and unbiased approach to platforms ensures that solutions are tailored to meet each client’s unique needs. By keeping honesty at the forefront and remaining agile enough to adapt as circumstances shift, businesses can consistently deliver value and exceed client expectations. It’s always about prioritizing what’s best for the clients who rely on us.

Adtaxi’s success over the past 15 years is built on a simple philosophy that resonates in everything we do – “Driven by Performance. Powered by People.” Adtaxi is not just reflecting on the past, but launching into the future and building on this momentum for the next 15 years and beyond. Looking ahead, as digital marketing continues to evolve with AI advancements, privacy changes, and increased omnichannel complexity, we’re ready to lead the way with bold strategies and cutting-edge solutions. The lessons learned shared by our leaders have provided a solid foundation for future success, enabling us to keep pushing boundaries, delivering exceptional results for our clients, and fostering growth for our team.

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