Laura Tidwell
Founder, President and CEO
Enginehouse Media
Laura Tidwell, founder, president and CEO of Enginehouse Media, one of the fastest growing Internet advertising agencies in the country, distinguished herself early on as a pioneer of the Internet.
In 1992, Tidwell jump-started her own company called Circulation Sales Inc., which specialized in promotions and sales for the San Jose Mercury News, The San Francisco Chronical, and The San Francisco Examiner. She also gathered valuable Internet information for the Mercury News during an early Internet partnership program with AOL.
In early 1994, Tidwell met Vince Gelormine, author of several Internet books and founder of LinkStar. Convinced of the enormous possibilities for success in the Internet world, Tidwell decided to sell her business and work with Gelormine for one year to gain the experience needed to start her own Internet Company. As director of sales and marketing at LinkStar, she developed one of the first revenue-generating banner advertising programs and secured top name advertisers such as Microsoft and TravelWeb.
One year later Tidwell formed Advantage Advertising, specializing in consulting for online advertising and developing online media buying strategies. She successfully serviced clients such as Encyclopedia Britannica Online, and Thomas Register on American Manufacturers. In November of 1998, the company name changed to Enginehouse Internet Media Buyers.
Today, Enginehouse Media operates as a full service ad agency with offices in major markets around the country.
Laura Tidwell answers these questions:
1. What was your first job in technology?
2. What has been your greatest challenge and what strategies
did you use to overcome obstacles?
3. Who has been the most influential person in your life?
Why?
4. What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to
women beginning their careers in technology?
5. What new technology do you believe will have the most positive
impact on the world in the next 20 years? The most negative impact?
On the lighter side:
1. If you could have dinner with any 2 people (living or not),
who would they be?
2. What was the last book you read? What books do you love to recommend?
3. If you couldn't do what you are doing now, what profession would you choose?
4. What is your definition of success?