SAAS MARKETING AGENCY

We're the performance marketing
agency for SaaS that delivers what
others only promise..

Accepting challenges other agencies don’t understand.
Breaking growth barriers with results they can’t get.
Making you look like a genius for switching.

This is Directive.

This is Directive.

This is Directive.

Our Values

Our Values

Our Values

Values that align with your team, your goals, and the way you do business.

  • Proactively communicate with clarity and empathy.
  • People first.
  • Transparency is our default.
  • Ownership breeds excellence.
  • Embrace reality. Don’t manipulate it.
  • Balance is our choice.
  • Perception is reality.

Specialization.

Specialization.

Specialization.

Be understood. Then, be blown away.

A do-it-all agency will keep the lights on... but settling for "good enough" isn't in your job description. We're software industry experts. We specialize in lead generation. And we have one focus; filling your sales pipeline with hungry, qualified leads.

Ownership.

Ownership.

Ownership.

Stress less about the outcomes with leadership at every level.

We only hire high achievers who'd rather step up to the challenge and solve a problem than point fingers. Every team member takes ownership of the outcomes, so you can take pride in the results.

Communication.

Communication.

Communication.

Be proactive, prepared, and always ready to show numbers.

We've got your back in Slack. Spitball ideas between our weekly call-ins or get a number you need for a meeting in minutes. Never be out of the loop with fast, transparent communication between the whole team or one-on-one.

Results

Results

Results

Get more of the leads your sales team loves.

Your CMO doesn't care about keyword rankings and form fills. You have SQL numbers to hit and an entire sales team relying on you to hit them. That's why we have specialized processes for every lead generation channel, designed for one thing: making more revenue for your software business.

Say
Hello

Real people creating real growth in the most challenging software spaces.

Every face here has spent years making measurable impacts on software companies like yours. We look forward to meeting you—and you’ll look forward to every meeting.

Tucker Hassler
Director of Creative Operations
Tucker is an internationally-awarded Creative Director with a vision for bringing strategy together with integrated storytelling principles. His wealth of national and global brand experience spans notable enterprise accounts, such as Samsung, Giro, Harley Davidson, Norwegian Cruise Line, Daikin, American Airlines, and Florida’s Coalition Against Human Trafficking. With over 20 years of agency experience, he's skilled at turning insights into engaging stories and digital experiences that drive consumer behavior and action. Tucker heads up a dynamic group of videographers and digital designers across Directive’s international network, bringing SaaS brands to life in all mediums that matter. He attended University of Memphis on a full musical scholarship, and later attended Portfolio Center for advertising in Atlanta, Georgia, where he graduated with honors. Tucker now resides in Portland Oregon with his wife Julie and four children. As a past adrenalin junkie and avid skydiver, he now fulfills his inner thrill-seeker with traveling, scuba diving, skiing, hiking, golfing, and as much beach Frisbee as time allows.
Alex Slade
Creative Project Manager
Alex Slade is a Creative Project Manager at Directive, hailing from San Diego, CA. Her creative career began in live production as a Lead Producer and, what the crew would lovingly call her, ‘set mom’. While slightly different than set life, her role still consists of managing all things video production logistics, client collaboration, and timeline management. When she’s not managing video production, she’s likely spending time at home watching Seinfeld with her boyfriend, playing fetch with her hyperactive dog, going out for brunch, or traveling.
Lindsay Dagiantis
VP of People Ops
Lindsay  brings over 15 years of people operations experience to the team at Directive.  Her expertise encompasses building culture-centric, people-first processes, enabled by technology to empower the talent acquisition, HR operations, total rewards, performance management, L&D, and employee engagement functions.  Lindsay has spent the last 10+ years supporting and leading teams in high-growth startups in advertising, digital marketing and tech enabled services.  Here she built strong teams, and enjoys solving ‘new normal’ people operations challenges at the global scale, with empathy, expertise and passion. 
Drew Smith
Director of Revenue Operations
With more than 20 years of experience in both Marketing and Sales, Drew is a Revenue Operations leader that brings a diverse set of skills and experience to the table. Drew is a leader in marketing data and attribution and always has an eye on ensuring that marketing is able to prove the value that they bring to an organization.
Helena Esparza
Paid Media Intern
Helena Esparza is a Paid Media Intern. She received her BS and MS in Digital Marketing and Analytics at St. Edward's University. She is currently pursuing her Post-Graduate Degree in Data Science at the University of Texas at Austin. Outside of work and school, Helena loves to go hiking with her dog, Layla, read English literature novels and eat good tacos.
Abe Escarda
SEO Intern
Abe lives in the Milwaukee area and serves as a SEO Intern. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and coaching lacrosse with his former college team. Abe is excited to pursue a career in digital marketing after he completes his MBA studies this December.
Brandon Kong
Digital Graphic Design Intern
Clara Metcalf
Associate Director, SEO
Clara brings with her a decade-worth of agency experience, spanning many roles. Through numerous algorithm changes and years of troubleshooting an array of SEO needs and in a wide variety of industries, Clara has established herself as an SEO wizard of sorts, backed with time-tested methods and a dash of magic. Clara is passionate about building trusting and meaningful relationships with clients, which allows her to work as an integral part of their team.
Amber Fletcher
Senior Recruiter
Amber is based in Austin Texas and is a Senior Recruiter at Directive. With a background in Social Listening and Research and over 6 years of agency recruiting, she now focuses on finding the perfect candidates for creative and marketing roles. Not a big fan of the outdoors, Amber spends most of her free time to sitting in the dark, watching Tales from the Darkside reruns and lying to others about her active social life.
Sean Thomas Martin
Marketing Manager
Sean actually began his digital marketing career here at Directive back in 2016. After leaving for more adventures in the digital marketing world, he's back with 5 years of experience crafting content strategies, writing for industry-leading blogs, and starting his own small-scale digital marketing agency. He prides himself on his ability to leverage his philosophy and writing background to breakdown complex marketing concepts into easily digested and engaging content.
Zachary Lonergan
Marketing Development Representative
Zach is the Marketing Devlopment Representative at Directive. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from Texas A&M in 2018. He will be one of the first people you meet at Directive! Driven by a passion for all things people, Zach has experience in sales and entrepaneaurship. Outside of work you can find Zach running around outdoors in Austin TX. His favorite pastimes are following Texas A&M football (both fortunately and unfortunately), playing sports with friends, and desperately trying to still be good at Halo.
Scarlett Aiello
Executive Assistant to CEO
Sarah Coleman
Designer
Sam Choi
Ron Hawthorne
Paid Media Strategist
Rachel Schilling
Paid Media Strategist
Ren Costantini
SEO Account Strategist
Paul Smith
Paid Media Strategist
Nate Ramirez
SEO Account Strategist
Matt Morran
Paid Media Strategist
Matt Morran is a Paid Media Strategist at Directive. Matt lives in Pittsburgh, PA and has over 10 years experience in different verticles of Digital Marketing, including B2B PPC and SEO in the music, retail and apparel industries. He earned his undergrad from Liberty University with a focus in Graphic Communications. Outside of work, Matt spends his free time with his family and friends, enjoys being outside and attending sport & music events. He also enjoys gaming/streaming and is an avid movie watcher who writes movie reviews.
Mike Fortunato
Motion Graphics Designer
McKenzie Stinson
Paid Media Intern
McKenzie is a Paid Media Intern at Directive. She recieved her BA in Hospitality from Auburn University and is currently obtaining her Professional Masters in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma. McKenzie currently lives in Austin, Texas, and is known to take her dog Barkley with her everywhere she goes.
Macy Myhill
SEO Strategist
Macy Myhill is a SEO Strategist at Directive. With nearly 4 years of experience in digital marketing and SEO, Macy got her start in Orlando as link builder. She has worked both in-house and on the agency side and has experience in several different fields including healthcare, legal, and Real Estate. Originally from the Austin area, she graduated from Texas Tech (Wreck Em’ Tech!) with a BBA in Marketing. When Macy isn’t working you can find her taking hikes with her family and Golden Retriever or checking out the local food and craft beer scene. Fun fact: She also worked at Disney World post-grad.
Laurent Matson
VP of Client Strategy
Kyle Brink
Paid Media Strategist
As a “Swiss army knife” digital marketer, Kyle has 4+ years’ worth of experience working with a wide variety of clientele covering nearly all industries by strategizing, implementing, and optimizing campaigns for optimal success. He received a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has working knowledge and experience in email marketing, social media, SEO, CRO, marketing automation, CRM, website development, and paid media. Kyle is happiest when experiencing the world as an endless opportunity for learning, discovery, and truth-seeking, which translates nicely into his digital marketing “best-practice” strategies. In his spare time, Kyle enjoys spending time with his friends and family, going to amusement parks, and anything with a thrill. He has a passion for competitive cheerleading with 13+ years of experience where he’s earned himself many national titles, as well as both Silver and Gold World championship titles.
Kristen Ready
Senior CRO Designer
Katie Rossi
Jordan Gibson
Designer
Jessica Rolnick
Paid Media Specialist
Jessica Rolnick is a Paid Media Specialist at Directive. She received her BS in Marketing from Florida State University and her MBA from Florida State University (Go Noles!). Outside of her passion for the marketing industry, Jessica is an avid photographer and foodie and loves spending time with friends and family.
Jared Ray
Senior SEO Strategist
Jared is an experiened digital marketer with a knack for SEO who has worked with and for entities of all sizes and shapes. Over the course of his 10+ year career, he has experienced the SEO world from a variety of perspectives, which give him empathy and clarity of thought. When complex challenges arise, he loves being part of the solution. Outside of work, Jared will probably be found in his garage building something. He dabbles with the guitar, but doesn't feel worthy of the title "musician" and is an avid sports enthusiast. If you ever want to see his competitive side, just say the words "Super Smash Brothers."
Jake Barker
SEO Strategist
Jaeson Parsons
Paid Media Specialist
Jaeson is a Paid Media Specialist and lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. His experience in the military, as well as corporate America, has provided him the insight into what it takes to succeed despite overwhelming obstacles. He is a currrently pursuing his Master's in Communications at Johns Hopkins University with a focus in corporate communications.
Haley Killion
Director of Recruiting
Gabby Gurrister
SEO Strategist
Eliza Dillenbeck
Senior Paid Media Strategist
David Dorudiani
Programmatic Strategy Manager
Daniela Jovanovic
Designer
Chris Wight
Carolina Salas Cecẽna
Ben Sottek
Paid Media Strategist
Ben is a Nashville native and current resident. After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Business Analytics and a minor in Marketing, he found that digital marketing is a great blend of the two disciplines. Ben has led paid media efforts in-house, in a consulting capacity, and in agencies for a wide list of verticals for the last 5 years. He takes the approach of a data-driven people person - prioritizing innovative growth and a valuable customer and client experience.
Ashley Sanchez
Paid Media Strategist
Andrew Finkenbinder
Senior Paid Media Strategist
Abby Welles
Abbie Niderberg
Senior Recruiter
Kylie Fahey
Associate Director of SEO
With nearly ten years of experience in the marketing field, Kylie is known for providing advisement, education, and support to clients as she develops strategic marketing plans that drive results. With an agency background, she's worked in various industries including healthcare, higher education, consumer goods, and commercial real estate. She considers herself a life-long learner and is always continuing to research the ever-changing digital landscape. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and exploring the local foodie scene with her family and Frenchie pup, Rigby.
Alex Reyes
Director of Sales
Alex Reyes is the Director of Sales at Directive and brings over 7+ years of experience in Sales Leadership, Enterprise SaaS Sales, and Strategic Relationship Development. Alex prides himself on his ability to build lasting, meaningful relationships with our customers, making Directive an invaluable asset to their company. Outside of work, he enjoys playing golf, going camping, and spending time with his family.
Michael Anderson
SEO Strategist
Michael joins the Directive team with 5 years of digital marketing experience with a demonstrated marketing background across multiple industries from hospitality, health and staffing to B2B tech & SaaS. As a SEO Account Strategist, Michael has a passion for helping clients drive organic traffic and gain visibility through his expert keyword research, on-page SEO and content strategies.
Dominique Barbagallo
Senior Paid Media Account Strategist
Dominique is an enthusiastic, hard-working senior level marketing professional who's been in the game for 7 years now. She comes to Directive with a hefty portfolio of marketing experience across many verticals and within various industries. Graduating with a BA in Communications from SUNY New Paltz & boasting a 3.6 GPA, Dominique became passionate about marketing from the 1st day of her very 1st marketing class after not knowing what she wanted to pursue after college. Born and raised in NY, Dominique moved to sunny Nashville, TN just over 3 years ago now and is loving every minute of it.
Katie Knoll
SEO Account Director
"Katie Knoll is a Senior SEO Specialist at Directive. She has over 8 years experience across multiple industries in the digital marketing space. Graduating from Chapman University with a degree in Business Administration in 2010, Katie embarked on a career in search engine marketing. With a passion for life-long learning and growth, Katie believes that almost anything is attainable with the right attitude and a bit of luck. At Directive, she helps businesses reach their marketing goals through proven strategies and a wealth of technical SEO knowledge. When she's not devoting time in office, you can find Katie in a variety of yoga positions, watching live music, or 20 ft in the air on a rock climbing wall. Having picked up a handful of new hobbies after the Covid lockdowns, you can also find her crocheting, cross stitching pixel art, or playing PC games with friends."
Erika Braeger
SEO Strategist
Erika is an SEO Strategist at Directive. She has been in the digital marketing world for over five years, with diverse experiences across copywriting, content strategy and SEO. She has helped clients across B2B and B2C industries elevate their online presence and achieve their growth goals through her detail-oriented approach to research and project management. Erika is passionate about crafting SEO strategies that exceed expectations and create a buzz beyond the digital space. Based in the Tampa Bay area, you might spot Erika zipping around the sunny trails on her bicycle.
Ashlee Sinnott
Associate SEO Strategist
While working remotely in Denver, CO, Ashlee joins the Directive team as an Associate SEO Strategist. She has three years of digital marketing experience working across various industries, including insurance, language translation, technology consulting, and manufacturing. Previously coming from an agency where she wore many different hats, she focuses on building close relationships with her clients. With a passion for growing her client's business and helping them reach their goals, Ashlee makes sure her clients feel like she is truly an extension of their marketing team.
C.J. Williams
Senior SEO Strategist
C.J. is an Sr. SEO Strategist that started his career in SEO in 2014. In the last 7 years, C.J. has learned SEO best practices, Javascript, basic HTML and CSS, in-depth technical SEO skills, strategy, how to work cross-functionally with various in-house teams, as well as the importance of staying current on Google's core algorithm updates, bugs and search releases in addition to backing it all up with analytics and data. Beyond technical SEO, C.J. has in-depth knowledge and hands-on practice of optimizing content for SEO, as well as teaching content, marketing, and product teams SEO best practices as well as how to optimize and align their strategy for SEO.
Brandi LaDue
Client Marketing Manager
Brandi Ladue is the Client Marketing Manager at Directive. She has over 10 years of experience working in Marketing and Event Operations. She is excited to utilize her industry knowledge, detail-oriented approach, and customer service skills to create customized experiences with client satisfaction being the ultimate objective.Brandi lives in North Carolina with her husband and daughter. She loves spending time with friends and family, watching her daughter play volleyball, and spoiling her Aussiedoodle, Scout. She also enjoys sampling craft beer, traveling to the beach and mountains, and finding new items at HomeGoods!
Mike Shaw
Senior SEO Strategist
With 7+ years of SEO experience, Mike is a capable SEO Strategist who has helped over 30 clients across a variety of verticals grow their online organic presence. After graduating from Suffolk University's MBA program in 2013, he got his start as an SEO working in the Boston Ad Agency scene where he quickly developed a reputation for his client communication and problem solving skills. Now living and working in San Diego, Mike continues to devote himself to excellence in crafting and implementing SEO strategy.
Jane Yang
CRO Designer
Jane Yang is a CRO designer at Directive. She received her BA in Design and a minor in Marketing from the University of Southern California. She views design as a bridge that forms relationships and improves the connections between people and the products they use.
Mark Osuna Senn
Paid Media Strategist
Mark is a Paid Media Strategist at Directive. Based out of Minneapolis, he is a seasoned, bilingual agency professional. As an expert in B2B, he is excited to put his expertise to use for SaaS growth strategy at Directive. When he's not putting the ""mark"" in marketing you can find him dancing to reggaeton in his living room."
Natasha DeAlmeida-Atwal
Intern Program Manager
Natasha DeAlmeida-Atwal joined the Directive team as the Intern Program Manager. Natasha has over 8+ years of experience in higher education workforce and career development. A Bay Area native, Natasha received her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Mills College along with her Bachelor's Degree from University of California, Berkeley. Outside of work, Natasha enjoys spending time at home working on a HGTV inspired home project, finding new restaurants, watching movies, or traveling with her touring musician husband and energetic border collie Charlie.
Sylvia Diep
CRO Designer
Sylvia Diep is a designer at Directive who joined the team right after graduating from the University of California, Irvine. After studying computer science for 3 years Sylvia decided to make the switch to Informatics and discovered UI/UX design--a field that was a perfect mesh of her academic skills and personal interests. When she's not designing, Sylvia loves traveling, cooking, and playing tennis.
Amanda Lopez
Senior Paid Media Strategist
Amanda is a Paid Media Account Strategist with over 9 years of experience ranging from paid search/social marketing, affiliate marketing, and data analysis. Amanda graduated from Seton Hall University and is based out of New Jersey.
Sara Nigro
Partner Marketing Manager
Sara Nigro joined the Directive team as the Partner Marketing Manager to spearhead and scale our referral, software and PE + VC partnerships. Her passion for the role comes from her 6+ years of experience managing agency and client relationships, while developing strategies for growth and project execution. Sara leaves no stone unturned when developing our strategic partner plans!
Adrian Landrum
Associate Director of Paid Media
Adrian Landrum is an Associate Director of Paid Media at Directive. She has over 8 year of experience in the industry across a variety of verticals, including retail, hospitality, and B2B SaaS. She specializes in media strategy & full-funnel planning. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and her MS in Management from Wake Forest University. Adrian lives in Richmond, VA with her husband Andrew & their cat Panda.
Eric Haynie
SEO Strategist
Eric Haynie is an Account Strategist with Directive and has 4+ years experience working in SEO with clients across many verticals including retail, ecommerce, travel & hospitality, and software. Originally from Colorado, Eric moved to San Diego and received his undergraduate degree from Point Loma Nazarene University and his MBA from San Diego State. He now lives in Bend, Oregon and spends his free time exploring the outdoors and playing golf.
Amanda Krause
Transition Manager
Amanda Krause brings over 19 years’ digital marketing and paid advertising experience to the Directive team with 8 years of specialized B2B experience in paid search, digital marketing, programmatic and ABM strategies for enterprises with complex sales cycles.
Shaleigh Thomas
Social Media & PR Strategist
Shaleigh Thomas is a Social Media & PR Strategist at Directive. She has a background of nearly 10 years in creative media, now focusing on marketing, social, and design. In her free time, Shaleigh enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time with friends (dogs included).
Rob Delory
Portfolio Account Executive
A Sales Person with the heart of a Marketer. Or maybe the other way around. Experienced in working for agencies providing online strategies to SMB's and closing contracts while providing ongoing account management.
Ryan Young
Video Lead
Ryan has a passion for producing engaging visuals through motion graphics and animation. Armed with a business degree from Baylor University and a portfolio of both live action and motion graphics, Ryan now helps bring Directive and its clients high-quality creative. He loves seeing well strategized design and motion translate into tangible business results. Whether it's an infographic or a brand video, Ryan puts the same creative effort and attention to detail into every project he's a part of. Even though he'll tell you he adores all types of videos equally, he's especially fond of the projects that get customers pumped. He likes to think of himself as a hype man for SaaS brands. If he's not pushing keyframes, you'll most likely find him at a taco truck, playing guitar, or watching a good TV show.
Tyler Thompson
Associate Director of SEO
Tyler Thompson is an Associate Director of SEO at Directive. He is a dedicated Digital Marketer with a demonstrated history of success working in the online marketing and web development industry. His passion is growing businesses and brands through effective marketing and storytelling, and leading projects and teams to success. He graduated with a B.S in Business Administration from the University of North Florida. Over his 6 year career, he has partnered with a variety of notable names including: Premier Thermal, Rulon International Inc., The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, All Pro Dad, Habitat for Humanity and Striplings General Store. Outside of work, you can find Tyler playing golf or basketball, working his tech blog, walking his dog, Rudy, and following his favorite sports teams (IU Hoosiers, Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers).
Sara Miller
Associate Director of SEO
Sara comes to Directive as a Senior SEO Account Strategist. She has extensive digital marketing experience across industries including destination marketing, software, gaming and insurance. Following her time at the University of Nevada, Reno, Sara spent 6 years in Washington, D.C. working for the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, editing for PR Newswire, and later moved back to Reno to take on the role of Director of Marketing for a SaaS company. Outside of work, Sara enjoys hiking, traveling, working out, photography and spending time outside with Toby, her soft-coated wheaten terrier.
Sophia Huang
Designer
Sophia is a designer at Directive. After learning the ropes of digital marketing as a junior marketing analyst at another agency, she found her passion combining her marketing knowledge and design passion at Directive. Self-tagged as a "comically misplaced business major", she graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Digital Information Systems in 2020. At Directive, she loves that she can apply her business background to add a conversion-focused perspective to her design decisions. When she's not pushing pixels, Sophia likes to curl up with a good book and drink coffee into the late-night hours.
Angela Pu
Senior Designer
Angela Pu is a digital designer at Directive. She received her BFA in communication design with a minor in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis, where she fell in love with the design thinking and visual communication. When she's not designing pages or writing code, you can probably find her befriending animals in her neighborhood, creating recipes, or just enjoying time outdoors.
Evan Kurland
Account Strategist
Evan Kurland is an account strategist at Directive. He is a veteran marketing strategist who specializes in seeing the big picture of growing a client's business. He enjoys all the details that connect a business to a consumer and focuses on creative ways to deliver high-quality consumer experiences. Outside of work, you can find Evan trying to learn everything A-Z about basketball strategy and figuring out how we can give forever homes to all the dogs who need them.
Mackenzie Pinholster
Sales Development Representative
Mackenzie Pinholster is an Austin-based sales development representative at Directive. She graduated with a degree in management and international business from Texas A&M- Corpus Christi in 2015. After graduation, Mackenzie embarked on a career in B2B sales where she specialized in business development. Mackenzie has a passion for sales development and helping guide prospects through their buying journey. At Directive, Mackenzie combines empathy and hustle in her sales strategy. Outside of work, you can find Mackenzie traveling, eating, or spending time outside with her family.
Tim Davidson
Senior PPC Manager
Tim went to school for Zoology, while there he started investing $1,000 of his own money in Google Ads to sell vintage toys and caught the marketing bug. Since then he has shaken that sour taste to drive quality leads for B2B companies with search, social, ABM, and more. Outside of work, he stills has his ebay store where he sells Nerf Guns and Pokemon cards. You can also find him trying out the latest bio hack so he live to 150 years old. Funny thing is, we won't know if he gets there or not.
Shannon Dwyer
Account Executive
Shannon Dwyer is an account strategist with digital marketing experience with in-house teams and agencies (both smaller and larger teams) and works to solve problems for B2C, B2B, and eCommerce accounts ranging in budget from $2,000 – +$1M a month in spend. Shannon enjoys building strong working relationships to fully understand the companies she works with to attend to their needs and help grow their business. In her spare time, Shannon enjoys time with her husband and their fur baby, Gus, snowboarding, and anything sports-related.
Ryan Allen
Account Strategist
Ryan Allen is an account strategist at Directive. After graduating with a master’s degree in English, Ryan moved to Austin, Texas, where he worked in state government for five years before pivoting to a rewarding career in digital marketing. Over the ensuing years, Ryan managed paid media in-house at a number of businesses, developing effective growth marketing, customer retention, and lead generation strategies for B2B, B2C, SaaS, and e-commerce companies. Today, he uses that portfolio of proven tactics to help Directive’s clients reach their marketing goals and grow their businesses. Ryan spends his leisure time going to see live music and theatre, exploring the local food scene, watching sports, and playing video and board games. In all his endeavors, he enjoys the love and support of his wife and two dogs.
Melissa Mergenthaler
Senior Account Executive
Melissa is a Senior Account Executive at Directive.
Jason Cole
Associate Director of SEO
Jason Cole is the SEO Team Lead at Directive. He has experience managing successful SEO and digital campaigns across a multitude of different industries. He began his understanding of digital marketing in the early 2000's by building and optimizing his own personal websites and figuring out what moves the needle from a search engine perspective. Which lead him into a career of assisting other businesses reach their same goals. When he's not at work, you can find him on the Lake wakesurfing or on an airplane heading to somewhere warm with drinks that have little umbrellas in them!
Andrew Eagar
Director of SEO
Andrew Eagar is the Director of SEO at Directive, leading a world-class team of 10+ SEO professionals in the execution of innovative SEO campaigns for SaaS companies. He is a data-driven SEO expert with over a decade of hands-on SEO experience. Andrew started in the digital marketing world in 2008 back when spun articles and keyword stuffing were still cool. Since then he has worked at a few different digital marketing agencies and have filled many roles including Account Management, Partner Management, Director of Strategy, Director of SEO, and SEO Manager. He is our SEO team leader helping guide the professional development of those in his influence and takes great care & pride in what he does.
Jess Browder
Associate Director of Design
Jess began their career at Directive as a design intern, quickly falling in love with creative strategy and working with a variety of clients. They've since worked their way into the role of Associate Director of Design where their main focuses now include mentoring other designers, building out clear design processes, and diving into creative strategy with clients. Before receiving their BFA in Communication Design from Texas State University, Jess worked at a local animal rescue for several years where they perfected the art of herding cats, both literal and figurative. Currently, Jess lives in their hometown of Austin, TX with their wife and four terrible cats. When not at work, they can be found hiking the greenbelts, reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, or making way too many peach preserves/cookies/biscuits than two adults can reasonably eat.
Rhett Hartsfield
Senior Account Strategist
Rhett Hartsfield is a data-driven digital marketing professional with over eight years of experience defining strategies that generate leads, building online awareness, and increasing conversions. Over time, Rhett has gained valuable experience working with ad agencies, startups and Fortune 500 companies alike. Prior to fully diving into digital marketing, Rhett worked for various sport broadcast networks including ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB Network, and NFL Network, to produce live televised events for California sports teams (NFL Chargers, NBA Lakers, NBA Clippers, MLB Dodgers, NHL Kings). Previously, Rhett received his BA in advertising from California State University - Fullerton in 2010. When Rhett isn’t immersed in analytics, optimizing conversions or crafting digital strategies with his team, you can find him exploring Southern California, flying drones, and spending time with family and friends.
Max Serrato
Associate Director of Paid Media
It all began in 92’. Though curious since birth, Max Serrato found his passion in marketing at Cal State University – Fullerton, and was driven to find new ways to reach the right audience, with the right message, at the right time. After getting experience in the digital world running an E-commerce business and dipping his toes in marketing at an ad agency in the foodservice industry, he began his work at Directive in 2018. There, he works hard to discover creative, out-of-the-box strategies to increase lead volume and slash CPA, overall exceeding client goals. In his free time, Max enjoys watching the San Jose Sharks (not so much these days), listening to music, playing guitar, and trying to calm his incredibly hyper and needy dog down.
Blake Smart
Account Executive
After becoming hooked on Season 1 of Mad Men, Blake Smart knew his career would take him to the world of marketing. Equipped with a degree in marketing along with an MBA from Cal Baptist University, Blake began his career at Directive in early 2018 as an SEO Specialist at the ripe age of 22. Since then, Blake has learned the ins and outs of the search engine and holds the title of senior account strategist. In this role, Blake is simultaneously guiding and executing strategies in order to get the best results possible, not just for his clients but for himself as well. Through successful communication, time management, and an assortment of “Dad Jokes,” Blake makes sure each client has a one-of-a-kind experience that exceeds their goals overall. Outside of work, you can find Blake running around Huntington Beach, trying new foods, and STILL talking about the Philadelphia Eagles miraculous 2017 Super Bowl run.
Tanner Shaffer
Managing Partner, Operations
Tanner Shaffer is the Managing Partner, Operations of Directive. Tanner, inspired by search marketing and its role on our society, has helped Directive reach new heights and even moved to Austin, Texas to build the agency’s presence there. Tanner is extremely driven and thrives off of hitting client goals. From SEO to PPC to account management, he has refined each deliverable to provide more value in an ever-changing industry. Currently, he leads a group of directors who are continually inspiring a team of talented marketers to innovate their craft. With a 300 percent year-over-year growth rate, he is fixated on filling the company with people who have integrity and aspire to be great. Tanner began his professional career by earning a bachelor's degree in marketing from Azusa Pacific University. When he is not in meetings and working through excel spreadsheets, he enjoys surfing, dirt-biking, and growing his relationship with God, his loving wife, and family.
Garrett Mehrguth
CEO
Garrett Mehrguth is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Directive, a search marketing agency for enterprise brands headquartered in Irvine, California. Mehrguth, fascinated by the role search marketing plays in empowering companies and people to connect, has dedicated the past five years toward that passion. Since its establishment in 2014, Mehrguth has led Directive in its expansion of five new locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Austin, Texas; and London. Directive’s year-over-year growth rate has increased by 300 percent and now boasts a team of more than 50 people over nine nationalities from its headquarters and home of operations in Orange County. Additionally, he is committed to bridging the gender gap that plagues the marketing technology; currently, 25 percent of Directive’s leadership team is comprised of women. As a thought leader, Garrett has been published by Salesforce, Marketing Land, Moz, Marketo, Search Engine Land, Ahrefs, Convince & Convert, Search Engine Journal, and more. He also speaks at Digital Summit, State of Search, General Assembly, MozCon, etc. Additionally, he has been a guest speaker on the following podcasts: The DigitalMarketer Podcast, Salesforce, Mixergy - Startup Stories with 1000+ entrepreneurs and businesses, The Growth TL;DR, Edge of the Web and more. He earned a bachelor's degree, with honors, from Azusa Pacific University and an MBA. Outside of work, when he’s not writing or reading up on digital marketing and the latest trends, Garrett spends his time indulging in his passion for the ocean, sailing, and fishing with his wife.
Grace Pan
Associate Director of Design
Grace Pan is an Associate Director of Design at Directive, a search marketing agency for enterprise brands headquartered in Irvine, California. After graduating from Biola University with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 2016, Grace continued to pursue learning how to cohesively integrate design and business. Through different touchpoints, Grace discovered CRO design and became even more absorbed in understanding the human psychology behind how customers and businesses interact with other businesses (B2B). Combining her print and digital design knowledge and experience, Grace now serves both Directive and its clients to create impactful designs by applying top-of-the-line CRO practices, overall increasing conversions and exceeding business goals. Outside of work, you can find Grace attending concerts, watching her favorite artists talking about their work, obsessing over good food, and traveling to do missions work in Japan. She enjoys creating and being around others who are also passionate about their creative pursuits in life.
Jordan Matsunaga
Senior Account Strategist
Jordan began his digital marketing career as a paid search specialist, but his passion for constant improvement and guiding strategy led him down his next path as a senior account strategist, where he focused on building strong relationships with his clients and delivering even stronger results. When not in the office, you can find Jordan playing hockey, improving his cooking skills, or hanging out with his two dogs Miki and Kitt.
Jesse Seilhan
SVP of Operations
Jesse Seilhan is the Vice President of Client Strategy at Directive. He wakes up every day to help his team grow, his clients succeed, and be home in time for dinner. Since joining the team in 2017, he has helped Directive expand, define, and perfect the definition of how to service an account at a digital agency, including recording 40+ lessons for Institute, Directive's learning management system. Jesse started down his digital marketing journey in 2014, running all SEO and PPC projects for a boutique digital agency in Orange County. He studied journalism at California State University-Chico and turned that passion into a project, as he regularly reviewed, photographed, and interviewed some of the top recording artists in the world. When he’s not working or at a concert, he’s watching the Philadelphia Flyers, playing video games, or taking a trip around the country with his wife.
Josh Nelson
PPC Innovation Manager
Josh Nelson is the PPC innovation manager at Directive. His interest in marketing began in college where he became fascinated with the intersection of human psychology and marketing. Josh started his digital marketing career as a social media administrator at one of the world's leading wine and spirits companies where he worked with iconic beer brands like Corona Extra, Modelo, and Pacifico. Josh took his talents to Directive, doing both SEO and PPC, but eventually gravitated towards doing just PPC because the blend of creativity and analytics was a perfect fit for him. As a lead PPC, Josh enjoys overseeing PPC strategy process for clients, from the initial planning stages all the way to evaluating campaign performance. He also works closely with the director of PPC to improve processes and efficiency of the department. When Josh is not optimizing everything around him, you can find him playing video games, enjoying a craft beer, or spending time outdoors hiking or camping.
Brady Cramm
Director of Strategy
Director of Strategy Brady Cramm began his journey at Directive over three years ago as the first and original PPC specialist. With a previous background in paid advertisement in the medical device space, he was able to hit the ground running with innovative campaigns. After wearing many hats in the agency, Brady has come full circle and now heads up the PPC department. By keeping a pulse on client competition and assisting his team in the art of crafting no-brainer CTAs, Brady has been able to add his personal touch to every client that enters Directive’s portfolio. Outside of work, you can find Brady reminding people that he wants to get a dog and drinking far too much nitro cold brew.
Andrew Choco
Sr. Director of Growth
Andrew Choco began his career at Directive as a paid social specialist running campaign promotions and advertising for multiple clients. After a few months he moved into a sales role, performing PPC and SEO audits for prospective clients. From there, he jumped straight into the account manager role, where he led strategy for enterprise clients including Cisco, Allstate, SentinelOne, and ClearCompany. After working directly on the client side, Andrew moved back into a sales position where he finds opportunities for growth in any enterprise brands he gets a chance to audit. When he’s not busy on discovery calls or building out proposals, Andrew loves discovering new music, following the downfall of all Seattle sports teams (are the MLB playoffs even a thing anymore?), and looking at pictures/videos of corgis.

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