| Iceland is most likely not on your radar screen when | | | | developer. They were hungry to market their online |
| it comes to search engine marketing, but don't | | | | game to the larger world and I helped them develop |
| overlook this growing, prosperous country when it | | | | an Internet Marketing strategy using natural and paid |
| comes to client development. | | | | search. I worked with this company until they were |
| I lived in Iceland for 2 years from 2004-2006 and | | | | large enough to contract with a large advertising |
| during my time there I was quite surprised by the | | | | agency. Now this company has combined with a large |
| Icelandic economy. I was employed by a large | | | | US game publisher and their collective futures are |
| engineering firm that was involved with large, | | | | bright. |
| multinational construction projects in the development | | | | I also had, and continue to have, the pleasure of |
| and expansion of aluminum smelting plants as well as | | | | working for several companies in the tourism industry. |
| hydroelectric and geothermal power plants. I was | | | | Iceland, with its unique and beautiful nature, is fast |
| hired to do business communications and marketing | | | | becoming a popular tourist destination. These |
| for this firm and along the way, once word got out | | | | companies offer everything from hiking and trekking |
| that I specialized in Internet Marketing, I was | | | | tours to jeep tours and overnight tours into the |
| approached by several companies interested in | | | | beautiful outback. |
| promoting their respective goods and services to the | | | | One of the great pleasures of working with |
| larger world. | | | | companies in this far-off land is the personal nature in |
| Iceland is a very small country with a population of | | | | which business is conducted. Business is done |
| roughly 300,000 people. It is so small that it makes | | | | face-to-face and personal networking is everything. |
| you wonder how they have such a strong economy. | | | | And, Icelanders are so willing to help you make |
| But what few people know is that Iceland has a | | | | business connections. I have been in many meetings |
| very educated workforce, unique natural resources, | | | | where, the person would say, "I know someone who |
| deep involvement in high tech and genetic research | | | | could really use this service, let's call him right now." |
| and a growing tourism trade. What I discovered, in | | | | Meetings were very informal and top executives |
| short, was that Iceland has a lot going for it. | | | | were available, responsive and approachable. And, |
| One of the items that I was closely aligned with is | | | | due to the small size of this country, your reputation |
| the knowledge transfer of Iceland's years developing | | | | and name can spread fast. An additional bonus for is |
| geothermal power schemes. These power plants are | | | | that pay rates in Iceland are quite high. I have even |
| a major part of what is fueling the economy. This | | | | been told that I needed to raise my rates because |
| source of cheap electricity has brought extensive | | | | Icelanders are used to paying top dollar for |
| development of power intensive industries like | | | | professional consulting, low hourly rates are almost |
| aluminum smelting. And, in a world of rising global | | | | seen as a sign of inexperience. That is not to say |
| energy costs, many countries are looking to exploit | | | | that I am advocating overcharging people or |
| their geothermal power potential and they are | | | | companies. But this was, at least to me, a valuable |
| tapping Icelandic engineering and power companies | | | | lesson in knowing the value of your experience. |
| for their experience. | | | | All-in-all, my time in Iceland was some of the most |
| Software development is also strong in Iceland and I | | | | professionally rewarding years of my life. |
| had the pleasure of working for a well-known game | | | | |