This is the long version. The short version is here.

No company is too small to speak with me and no job is too small to consider. Don’t be intimidated by the things I have accomplished because I’m just looking for work to further my career and put in my resume as well as leave behind a more successful client with a more automated business.

Kenneth “Ken” or “Kenny” Cook, is a 50 year old product and service evangelist in the purest sense of the term. Mostly self-employed since age 19 I have opened and operated a car stereo store, automotive security systems distributor, corporate art service (we did the 25th anniversary of GI Joe for Hasbro among others), Internet/online hosting and development company with over 3800 clients, and a nearly $1 billion mortgage company.

My passion is creating something out of nothing and all the growing pains that go along with it. Yes I have had some ventures which were short lived and did not enjoy the success of the car stereo company, Internet services company and mortgage company. From those efforts, which included selling very expensive computer test equipment, door to door vacuum cleaner salesman (which I did for the training and experience), and distributor of imported home convenience items like remote control light switches and ceiling fans, I learned many lessons on how not to operate a small business. In fact the lessons I learned in those helped take $3500 borrowed dollars into over $6.5 million in income in just 8 years.

Most recently I learned the economy can devastate almost any business. In fact had we not seen government spending of trillions of dollars of tax payer’s money many major industries and banks would have failed. In spite of the massive redistribution of funds we still saw many major banks, builders, supply centers, and others fail completely between 2007 and 2009. Even though I am disappointed it has been amazing that I have been able to pilot my company all the way to October 2009 – nearly 9 years to the date when my wife and I borrowed $3,500 from her father to open our own mortgage company.

What I bring to the table for any small, medium or large business is 3 decades, over 30 years of hard knocks, hundreds of hours in educational classes, thousands of hours dealing with clients and purveyors, and everything involved in the operation of a business. My staff will all give me a good recommendation as will my clients and purveyors as well. It is important to me that there be no or very few people who take any issue with me about anything I do in business.

My last two successes were completely online with the exception of a multi-faceted marketing plan for the mortgage company which included television, radio and print to augment the online success. Had it not been for the online success the nearly $1 million I committed to “conventional media” would not have been available. For almost all of the run of my Novation Mortgage we were in the top ten on Google, Yahoo and MSN/Bing. In fact on Google we were in the top three for over three years on three key phrases. Not bad considering my competition was throwing thousands of dollars per day at advertising and I was doing everything from my laptop in the evening hours while I watched television.

I have not completed a college education and at this point highly doubt I ever will get a degree. I have, however, taught in the John Adam’s Institute at Emory University, addressed crowds of small business owners and investors, spoken at events with up to 12,500 people (a recent Health Care event) as a small business man, and taught literally hundreds of classes over the last decade.

Almost all of my knowledge of PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, AJAX, and other coding conventions are self-taught. Because I started coding for the Internet before there was a World Wide Web I got a big jump start on many competitors. I watched as small “website builders” sprang up everywhere but I was always able to do something most of them could not: make a web site actually do something. That was what lead to my being hired by Dr. Pepper, American Outdoorsman, Shari’s Restaurants, SuperSmoker’s BBQ, Hunter Engineering, Loomis&Fargo, and dozens of other major national corporations and organizations like the National Rifle Association to develop their data driven online services. Mostly they consisted of catalogs for members and customers to place and track orders online. Each solution was custom created, developed and hosted by me and my small staff in Marietta, Georgia. In fact my key employee, Anusha Patel, is now a Senior Developer at Turner Entertainment here in Atlanta.

What do I offer?

The range is as wide as the horizon. If you have a small business you are looking to take up a notch I can help. We can develop a multi-tiered solution together and increase your traffic and sale conversion almost as largely as you want. Each solution is based on your needs and your budget. I have been known, for the perfect situation, to work on a percentage basis as a profit partner. This gives the right client the opportunity to take advantage of my skills and network much more quickly.

Speaking of my network – I am connected with over 165,000 small businesses nationwide through the network I have developed over the years. I can personally touch thousands of them in just a matter of a few hours and in turn ask them to reach out back to my clients and employer. Pick up the phone and give me a call at 678-439-8683 and we can discuss how this network and my services can help you.

If you are in the mortgage or real estate business I am a candidate for Vice President of Operations or President of New Media. My skills can easily translate into management and oversight of your business. I am currently seeking a position in these industries with the right company for the right exchange of talent for compensation. Having owned a successful real estate business and very successful mortgage bank (we had our lender’s license and warehouse with Wachovia) I understand the risks, challenges and rewards.

If you like buzz words and “streaming income” I can oblige. My sales and motivational background is punctuated by some great performers who have manned my staff. Gregg Broomfield, who has over 30 years in banking and finance and has worked for Wells Fargo and Countrywide among others, recently said, “You are the best sales manager I have ever known.” That, to me, is the ultimate compliment coming from a man whom I admire. Many years ago another man, Rev. Walter Langdon said, “Don’t take this wrong but you are the greatest con-man I have ever met.” He did go on to clarify he meant salesman. Well, why didn’t he say that? Later he admitted it was because he was jealous!

But let me assure you I am human and have many imperfections. There are days I would much prefer to go play a round of golf instead of going to a board meeting. So, if it is possible, I move the meeting to the golf course. I am more creative than detailed so I always find someone good to tend to the details to keep my ideas and actions from falling apart. My brother-in-law for whom I sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of art, could never understand why I always wanted an assistant with me. You, I will tell: I’m not a paperwork person. I can do it and I can create it but I prefer the challenges and action of the activity of making things happen. I prefer to pile the rocks into a mountain and let someone else water the grass when my job is finished.

What do I do?

Almost anything related to business. I can develop your online presence, create your sales manuals, hire and train your sales team, motivate a tired staff, let you go on vacation without worrying what is happening at your office. I can help you establish a New Media strategy and even put it into action for you. If you are thinking of jumping into television or radio advertisement I can write your copy, do your voice overs or even produce your audio or video spots in my digital audio/video studio. Yes, I can do up to 30 minute infomercials DVD or cable/broadcast quality with equipment I already have in a “studio” I already own.

If you are looking to build your network through New Media I can help you develop a custom Facebook presence that works for you instead of the other way around. I can set up a blog that writes itself and feeds information to your Twitter followers. Your business can be one of the few in the world that provides a reliable “life stream” through any number of media providers. You can even be featured on the very successful Blog Talk Radio Show, Social Media Edge, which I founded in November of 2008 and have since been joined by a great co-host and three regular contributors. We are almost always in the top five on Blog Talk Radio in the Social Networking genre.

Use the Contact Me form or call me at 678-439-8683 any time. That’s my Google rings everywhere line.

I look forward to working for you soon.