Our member of the month title for November goes to none other than the amazing Adam Borgens. Adam is a business owner, a business development entrepreneur, and a spotter in the Indycar series, with a diverse background of industries and focuses. We think he’s rad and we loved his interview answers!
About Adam
Area(s) of Expertise
“My expertise comes more from the marketing side, from working at a start-up marketing firm in Indianapolis that worked in Motorsports, and later forming my own. So I am able to connect the business world with the digital world, which is a hurdle for many business owners and keeps them from achieving their digital goals.”
What do you love most about Digital Marketing? Why?
“I look at it as a love/hate relationship. Soon as you think you have mastered a segment or an expert, it changes. Then you have to learn, change and adapt to the new digital marketing rules and trends. It’s never-ending, which is good, because it keeps you on your toes and makes you valuable to your customers, but it definitely does not leave much time to rest on your current knowledge.”
What advice do you have for college students who are interested in your area(s) of expertise?
“I think getting real-world experience outside the digital marketing for the area you want to work in is a lost art. Learning about the prospect/customer experience in sales, operations/logistics on how an order works, public relations, workflow, and what their product or services accomplish and what the future is for the company are the keys to marketing. I believe that given the right situation, this is something you can achieve as an intern to get a 30,000-foot-view of the business you’re thinking of starting your career at. Not all big companies will allow this, but the small or midsize companies could make room for someone in this category, which can really catapult you above your peers. Knowing how to digitally architect a campaign after seeing it from a consumer and an employee inside the business is the secret to success.”
Who has been your favorite SEMpdx monthly event speaker and why?
“I don’t remember the speaker, but he revealed all the Google do’s and don’ts during a change a few years back. I would have been blindsided with my current sites.”
Have you been to Engage and how many have you attended?
“No….but one day when I’m not traveling I will attend the roughly twenty conferences I place on my calendar every year. I have several companies and I travel for Penske Racing in the IndyCar series. I am a spotter for Helio Castroneves, so for the last 20 years, I have been on the road 25+ weeks a year above my business travel schedule. This is how I capture most of my clients, so it’s difficult, but I love that some conferences offer online experiences now. But I do miss the networking – that’s what you can’t replace.”
Who would you most love to hear speak at an event and why? If there’s no one specific, what would you most like to hear or learn about at an event?
“I think it would be revealing to find someone who would share their opinion of what things might be like in five years digitally, like costs, employment, governmental regulation, etc. Forecasting this business is a nightmare and my question is, when will the marketplace become truly saturated by efficiency through mergers and new entrants where it becomes like other standard corporate industries? I revere the people in this industry as digital artists, but I think the corporate culture will scale this to where the independent firms will have too much to compete with and ultimately ruin this art. Even though I work and have helped build the corporate culture, I make sure my environments stay independent and as entrepreneurial as possible.”
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you do? Don’t let money, circumstances, or reality, in general, hold you back on this one 😉
“I’m lucky, I’m living my childhood dream in motorsports, except not from the driver’s seat, which is fine by me. I get to help coach and talk to them while they are driving and that’s an adrenaline rush. I guess the next dream is to get back flying, which was my other childhood dream. But I’m also a true nerd and building businesses were my other passion, as I help build our family business Portland Disposal and Recycling and currently an IPO that is focused on tech and the environment….announcement coming soon! I’m pretty lucky, minus the all-nighters.”
Favorite beverage and why?
“The margarita…..I have a huge sweet tooth. Nothing better to be on vacation with a good margarita.”
Favorite movie or movie character and why?
“Ferris Bueller….best movie ever!!! An early hacker who understood life.”
Anything else you want the SEMpdx community to know about you?
“I was an early coder, but fell off the wagon and I’m slowly getting back up to speed. I am lucky to work with talented people and launching a new company in this segment has me very scared and excited. I’m excited to launch this new Digital Firm with my 25 years of business and life experience to tackle the forgotten industries, blockchain, and help mentor the next generation of digital misfits like myself. If that is you, hit me up!”
