I thought I would share a little about me, a little about ADOTAT
As you may, or may not know – honestly, you probably don’t know, I’ve been in the online advertising industry for quite a while. In the mid-1990s I owned a video games ad network called Future Games Network, then sold it to a company called Cyberreps which was a startup ad-rep firm, the first one online.
From
there, I was hired as a consultant by About.com to create Sprinks and Luna Network for them—and received an exorbitant amount of money from the company in exchange for my services. The resulting software became the foundation of their ad network; Google acquired it not long after and later rolled it into its own platform.
My experience as CEO of VIzi Media, a large ad network that became one of the most successful in the US market, gave me insight into how to create and scale
similar companies. I was also involved in RightMedia's development—we were their first customer—and DoubleClick Network's beginnings and help them sell to Google.
You may also remember a publication called AdBumb, which Anne Holland—the founder of MarketingSherpa and author of "Information Highway"—called her favorite. ADOTAS eventually became New York Publishing Group’s flagship publication. I sold the company to them in 2009 but they closed it down a few years ago and have not
yet returned my calls seeking more information about why this happened. The Editor Gavin is now at TheTradeDesk, and you may even know him!
I've done a lot—I've been a C-Level executive at several ad networks, the largest affiliate network in the world; I was hired to help create Shopify; and worked on Marketing for Invoca a pay-per-call SAAS platform. One of the investors credits me for saving them from a horrible PR blitz when their CEO was exposed in
media
But in 2020 I thought that my professional career was finally winding down. My other children were on their own, and the youngest of them no longer depended solely on me for care. I had worked the last 10 years on my performance marketing publication, been executive at a Cannabis network, an influencer marketing platform, an even helped create campaigns for Uber.
In 2015, I became a single father and changed my life for the better by giving up
drinking. For several years before that, I had been working on becoming a better person—and now it seemed like partial retirement time: healthy and well-off with no pressing need to continue making money at such an intensity level.
G-d had other plans however it seems.
In 2021, I married and became a father to two more children—who'd been adopted by my wife before we met. They couldn't speak at all, wouldn't be held by anyone else and had food security issues. Their
life before my wife rescued them was a nightmare of abuse which could have lead to their death if she didn’t intervene.
So I started ADOTAT.com, a new publication for the CMO, which grew quickly in popularity. Meanwhile, I also interviewed here and there for possible marketing-related positions—but haven't found anything just yet that matches. As an Orthodox Jew, I am limited often by ethical and other considerations on what companies I feel comfortable working
for.
What else? I have cPTSD (Worked in the World Trade Center, was involved in cleanup), on the Autistic Spectrum. What they used to call Asperger's and my parents just called super annoying and couldn't stop asking questions.
I also most recently was diagnosed with Ehler's Danos Syndrome which explains a lifetime of pain. Basically, the tendons and stuff are extra flexible and things fall apart. It turns out to be co-morbid with Autism, who
knew? The good news is that the leading expert is in my city, Phoenix. The bad news is that this year I've had days when I have been unable to walk, and others where I can run a hill. Long-term prognosis is likely a wheelchair for some days. Experimental medication has helped with the pain.
Baruch Hashem, things are good despite this, and I am happy and enjoying working on a new project, a new publication, and meeting wonderful folks in the industry.
So, there's a
little about me, love to hear back, about your company, what you are doing, or just a hello! We spend too much time in business often ignoring each other, and maybe sometimes all we need is a helping hand, a friendly smile, or an email between old acquaintances.
Pesach LattinPesach@lattin.usConnect with me on
LinkedIn.
