After the agency was acquired in 2017, Robert exited, but realized that many of the companies he'd partnered with through the years had needs that he was in a unique position to help with - and so he created Teal Oak. His years at the crossroads of technology sales, marketing, partnerships, and operations were highly transferable and valuable.
ADF, Inc., a web hosting firm that was best known for its eBoundHost brand, was Teal Oak's first client. Robert helped ADF with a range of strategic planning and business growth services.
Robert then took a full-time role as VP of Alliances at nChannel, a VC-backed multi-channel integration platform. With his focus on his new role, he stepped away from private consulting, but was quickly pulled back in when he exited nChannel.
Robert went on to provide fractional CTO/COO/CMO services to AmazEDMarkets, a new multi-vendor marketplace for the educational industry. Leveraging his many years of experience in building complex websites, go-to-market planning, and business operations, he was able to bring the new brand to market.
At the same time, Robert provided consulting services to Sitation, a product and service business focused on data taxonomy for retailers, distributors, brands, and manufacturers, as well as to BrandNexity - an agency focused on ecommerce, PIM, and logistics services.
ADF wound up circling back for Robert's help. However, this time, it was to join their team full-time, and build up their new JetRails brand. Robert spent over 4 years leading partnerships and marketing for JetRails, before becoming the Chief Partnership Officer at iPaaS.com - a next generation integration platform.
After over 3 years of building out the commercial side of the iPaaS.com business - creating and scaling the sales, marketing, and partnership areas of the SaaS startup - Robert was ready for his next adventure. He immediately restarted Teal Oak, and brought on initial clients for consulting, advisory, and fractional leadership services.
Robert’s years at Rand Marketing - where he was able to help a wide variety of organizations - were some of the best of his life. He was ready to return to the services industry as a fractional team member for organizations that can benefit from help with strategy and growth tactics and efforts.
Teal Oak is how Robert works with companies that need senior partnership and GTM leadership without a full-time hire.
Why “Teal Oak”?
Oak trees are known for growing strong roots and trunks. It doesn’t happen overnight, but they’re extremely hardy and long-lived. Some live for millennia. They support rich and diverse ecosystems, with lots of branches helping them flourish, and acorns feeding deer, birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. They’re a great analogy for how Robert helps businesses thrive - he loves to play his part in building healthy and hearty organizations.
While there are black, blue, red, grey, white, yellow, and various other oaks with colorful names, teal is his favorite color. It reminds him of clear Caribbean waters. Finding calm and transparency in what can otherwise be stormy seas is a specialty of his - and it’s just the thing his clients often need.