STEPHEN GARDNER
Managed / Coached Multiple 6 & 7 Figure Clients
About Me
Welcome to Automation Warrior Marketing! My name is Stephen Gardner, founder of Automation Warrior Marketing and family man with my lovely wife, 2 daughters, and a Siberian Husky who considers herself my 3rd child.
So, what in the world is a “Automation Warrior?”
Well, I created this website and blog as a way to discuss the various automation marketing tools and techniques that I was trying out. I wanted a way to share what I was learning by experimenting with all these different ideas.
I created my very first website in 2006, but since that time I’ve launched and managed multiple online businesses.
After trying, failing, and sometimes succeeding with my “crazy” online business ideas, I finally found enough success in 2010 to quit my full-time job as a project manager.
Additional Background
I grew up in Western New York, just outside of Niagara Falls, and after spending many years in NY, I moved with my ffiancée and our two daughters to Bethlehem PA. We recently moved closer to home in Spencerport, NY.
I had known since I was a young child I wanted to own a business. When I was young I remember setting up an my own “office” in the basement to start taking care of work. I had no idea what type of business I was going to run, but I never liked the thought of working for someone else, or putting my future in someone else’s hands.
After earning a degree in Computer Science, and the burst of the dot.com era, where it seemed like the entire Internet was falling apart, there wasn’t much work for an SEO Specialist in Western New York. My choices were move away, find a job in a different field, or start a business. Hence, my first business WebOzy was born in 2001.
WebOzy was an online marketing agency focusing on WordPress Design, website hosting, and of course Search Engine Optimization. I ran the business with my partner, Nick for several years until he took a job with Automattic (WordPress). I continued to run the business alone, rebranding the company as eCompany Solutions’ in 2010.
From 2010-2016, eCompany Solution grew to nearly a million dollar agency. I took on a new partner, Ray, and several full time team members. Business was strong, but the WordPress industry started to become extremely saturated both from US and foreign freelancer workers. Hourly rates continued to decrease making continuing the WordPress Agency path difficult.
Specializing in Automation
In early 2018, I made the decision to specialize the business into the up and coming Automation Marketing Segment.
I became an Ontraport Certified Partner in February of 2018, and an Infusionsoft Parter in October of 2018.
Over the following year, the business began to evolve to start focusing on our new automation clients and less WordPress agency work.
In 2019, the company was again rebranded as Automation Warrior Marketing to truly focus 100% on our new client market. In late 2019, my partner Ray and I split the company with Ray taking most of the WordPress work that remained, and myself keeping the Automation clients that we had acquired.
I significantly downsized the company after our split to focus on my family and figuring out the direction of my future.
In 2020, I took a full time position as an Ontraport Manager with a company that I truly appreciate working for. I was surprised after all these years to take a job, but the salary benefits, and company environment were too good to walk away from.
The Future of Automation Warrior Marketing
As 2022 begins, I am still happily employed with my full time position and continue to grow in responsibilities.
I have reduced the size of Automation Warrior Marketing and work with select clients who I can truly appreciate their business goals, methods and desires.
I also have began focusing on Niche Marketing & Affiliate Marketing, where I can take my years of experience in SEO and Marketing to build a strong secondary passive income.
Automation Warrior Marketing will continue to stay open and prosper, and I enjoy taking on select projects.
