Launch Key

The most direct route off the corporate merry-go-round is you.

 Leverage your experience to launch digital products at any age. 

Join 1000+ execs and late career entrepreneurs reading the Launch Key newsletter as we share modern tools, old school wisdom and free knowledge gleaned from decades of digital innovation.

Founder | Publisher

EnergyXchain

EnergyXchain was awarded a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant to conduct research and development work using blockchain technology for transaction processes in the natural gas industry. The company has a growing IP portfolio and patented technology processes that may also be utilized for energy transaction management via smart contracts, with equal applicability in sectors such as hydrogen, carbon attribution tracking, natural gas and electricity.

CEO, co-founder

Empowered

Empowered grew from one question: What if benefits enrollments were easy? Everyone struggled with insurance. Brokers needed more time with clients, HR managers drowned in paperwork and employees couldn't enroll in a basic medical plan without hassle. We wanted to provide everyone with a simple, transparent enrollment process. A process that made it easy for someone to pick the best benefits for their family.

In 2000, we launched our first consumer-driven healthcare programs, sprinting ahead of the industry by prioritizing people. Today millions of employees trust this platform for their benefits. Empowered is  wholly owned by Aflac.

Chief Innovation Officer, co-founder

Leader of the effort to redesign, develop and deploy EDA’s flagship data product as an online analytics tool. Product launch led to 20% increased sales and returned 100% of the investment in the first year post development.  

With the insight that EDA brings to the table, businesses can make better decisions by identifying trends, exploiting market opportunities, supporting sales service dealer strategies, being informed about regional hot spots, and emerging markets.

If you sell, finance or service capital equipment, EDA offers you the priceless information and timely market intelligence you need to get ahead. www.edadata.com. EDA is a Randall-Reilly company.

VP of Sales and Marketing

Vialogix

Web development company focused on user-based web solutions for internet, intranet and extranet applications.  Solutions included e-commerce, Web-enabled and database applications that enabled clients to reduce business costs or increase sales. The business cultivated long-term relationships with a broad client list that included Fortune 500 level companies Baker & Taylor, Bank of America, First Citizens Bank, National Gypsum, Novant Health, and Wachovia.

Rob Norris Communications

Built technology consulting practice specializing in digital asset management. Apple expertise used for creating networks, managing infrastructure with corporate clients - First Union National Bank, Interstate/Johnson Lane, Royal Insurance, advertising agencies in the Charlotte area. Created multimedia CD-ROM projects, interactive projects and first web based tools in 1994.

President

Coleman Lew & Associates

Recruited advertising and marketing executives for a retained search firm. Interviewed prospects and researched backgrounds. Wrote recommendations, presented candidates, negotiated salaries and benefits with clients.

Executive Recruiter

30+ years of business experience creating and leading innovative technology businesses. From the 90's internet to AI, I've carved out a living explaining and building solutions to solve business problems. 

Expertise in application development has been leveraged across energy, health care, financial services, ecommerce and data analytics businesses. I've sold to both Fortune 500 companies and SMB. I've bootstrapped and won National Science Foundation grants. There have been my fair share of entrepreneurial mistakes but have also published patents and even won a SXSW award. 

I'm not quite finished with technology and can help you avoid a few headaches with your own digital products. I recommend resources, and tools to add to your career portfolio and spin up your dream in weeks - not years. My network includes experts in literally every business function and I will happily recommend people who will level up your startup. Win/Win/Win.

Join the Launch Key newsletter for free: 
https://launchkey.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Rob Norris

Happy Thanksgiving 🍁 

And especially to entrepreneurs who have a lot to be thankful for. We never succeed all by ourselves. Take time to show gratitude to customers, employees, partners, mentors, backers but most importantly family. 

This weeks Launch Key ⬇️

Founder | Publisher @ Launch Key 🚀 | Add to your career portfolio with a passion project or side hustle. Join like-minded execs, SMB owners and late-career entrepreneurs reading the Launch Key for digital inspiration.

Open article: Thanksgiving for entrepreneurs by launchkey.beehiiv.com

This week’s Launch Key reminder is that there is no perfect career path. But there are plenty of options to make your own career portfolio far more interesting. 

Just 3 subscriber examples from Dean Otto, Tom Hewitt and Christopher Jones. 

Get in there and read about them for yourself ⬇️

Open article: Career portfolios by launchkey.beehiiv.com

We can't all have a bear steal a chainsaw on camera. 

But if we do, it's a chance to build an audience. Husqvarna social media folks effortlessly joined a funny online conversation and created buzz with humor and product giveaways. 

This week's Launch Key with a little more on the Creator Economy and using your wit. ⬇️

Open article: Creator economy of chainsaw bears by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Growing an audience with humor and experience

Did you see Taylor Sheridan's Billion dollar deal? 

In a time when Hollywood types are scared that AI will replace them, Sheridan just won generational wealth because of authentic talent. All because he bet on himself. 

That's the topic of this week's Launch Key 🚀

Outsized results are possible when you bet on yourself. 

Get in there ⬇️ 

https://lnkd.in/eMZntXVB

Open article: Bet on yourself by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Not all products are digital. 

Your late-career side hustle might not always come out of your work knowledge. Christopher Jones created a non-digital Bloody Mary mix while working on his weekend sailing hobby. 

This week's Launch Key 🚀  has the latest. 

Get in there ⬇️

Open article: Not all products are digital by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Turn your passion project into a late-career side hustle

Kevin Chambers

beehiiv

beehiiv is a newsletter platform built by newsletter people. Our mission is to revolutionize the media space, and give people and companies the opportunity to connect with their audiences around the world.

The best tools in email to scale, reach a larger audience, and make more money.

Account Executive

Samsara

Slanging GPS and dash cams to all SMBs across the United States. ICPs include logistics, trucking, transportation, busses, and state governments.
Avg. 60+ ice cold Pluto like cold calls daily.

Commercial Sales AE

Maid Mojos

Co-Owner Maid Mojos

HubSpot

Selling Marketing, Sales, and Service platforms to all SMBs across Canada. Canada is the toughest segment in HubSpot, and I'm born in the fire. Always helping, always giving. Hit by company wide layoff, but HubSpot > Salesforce anyday and twice on Sundays.

Account Executive at HubSpot

Whova

--Manage a team of 6 account executives in the full sales cycle of new booking/new clients.
--As an IC, hit quota 38/40 months. 2020 avg. attainment was 185%.
--Responsible for implementation of training for both new and current account executives. 
--Responsible for over 4 million in ARR in my time. President's club winner with 160k+ OTE.

Sales Manager

Senior Sales Executive

Event planning and management made easy with Whova, award winning mobile app.

Executive Sales Representative

Sales Development Representative

PureForge

--First sales in SaaS. Within three months, was able to conduct inside sales meetings and close sales contracts	
--Closed 6 net new logos within the state government divisions
--Built out 300k worth of pipeline working part time
--Set appointment for both VPs of sales within the CA state government
--Worked with marketing manager on new sales verticals within the automotive industry

Sales Representative

I solve problems with integrity and empathy. And a Mamba Mentality work ethic.

Sales is my passion because I like to solve problems. There are many different problems and many different solutions, but learning and understanding from some of the best, it's all about Gap selling. Find the problems, find the gap, and sell to that. Never stop improving. Talk less, listen more. Ask good questions. Be honest, have integrity, and work your ass off.

- I’m eager to push myself in both my role as a sales professional, but also to eventually help a company and sales team scale. I truly enjoy helping people and colleagues, and I think that a strong team is always going to beat out a strong individual. If I can help a colleague become stronger and reach their potential, then that is a huge win in my book.

-Never stop learning! Besides sales, I’m passionate about both fiction writing ✍and playing golf 🏌️. Both of my passions are never-ending, and both of my passions always leave me yearning and learning for more. However, my biggest passion in life is my family. Work hard, take good care of them, and live a happy life. 

Stay positive, keep trying to improve, and keep learning from the world around us. Most everything that has a problem has a solution (reading is a big key). If you’d like to connect with a positive, happy go lucky salesperson/part time golf hacker, then throw me a connect!

taplio

The Battle

Rob Norris

Kevin Chambers 🐝

Followers

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Performance ScoreRob Norris's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Rob Norris

Kevin Chambers 🐝

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Rob Norris's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRob Norris's LinkedIn Performance