Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Fleischner.
Michael, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my career in corporate marketing and spent more than 20 years working my way into senior leadership roles. That experience gave me the opportunity to learn how brands grow, how companies connect with customers, and how marketing can make a measurable difference for an organization.
My path into entrepreneurship began with a simple problem. I was trying to get one of my own websites found on Google, but most of the information about search engine optimization was overly technical and difficult for the average business owner to understand. I began studying SEO, testing different strategies, and eventually wrote *SEO Made Simple* to explain the process in a practical, straightforward way. The book became a bestseller, is now in its tenth edition, and led business owners to begin asking me for help with their own websites.
For several years, I built my consulting and agency work alongside my corporate career. I did not make one dramatic leap into entrepreneurship. It was more of a gradual transition. The major turning point came at age 48, when I unexpectedly lost my corporate position. It was a difficult moment, but it also gave me the push I needed to commit fully to the business I had been building.
That business grew into Big Fin SEO, a Robbinsville-based digital marketing agency that has now worked with more than 1,000 companies, executives, and organizations. Today, we help businesses and marketing agencies improve their visibility through SEO, paid search, website development, and Generative Engine Optimization, which focuses on visibility within AI-powered search platforms. We also support other agencies with white label digital marketing to help their clients succeed online.
Along the way, I have had opportunities I never could have predicted, including appearing on the TODAY Show, ABC World News, and Bloomberg Radio, writing several books, and delivering a TEDx talk about the transition from corporate America to freelancing and business ownership. I am also involved in several other ventures, including CapitalQuest.ai, and continue to write, speak, invest, and mentor other entrepreneurs.
Looking back, my story was never about having everything mapped out. It was about staying curious, continuing to learn, and being willing to turn an unexpected setback into a new direction.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has definitely not been a smooth road. For several years, I was balancing a demanding corporate career with writing, consulting, and building a business on the side. The work itself was rewarding, but there was always uncertainty about whether I could turn it into something sustainable.
Losing my corporate position was one of the most difficult turning points. I went from having a predictable salary and a clear professional identity to being fully responsible for generating revenue, serving clients, and creating my own future. It was frightening, but it also forced me to stop treating entrepreneurship as a side project and commit to it completely.
Building an agency brought a different set of challenges. What works when you are a solo consultant does not necessarily work when you begin hiring people and managing multiple clients. I had to learn how to delegate, create better processes, trust my team, and become comfortable with the fact that I could not control every detail. There were projects I underpriced, clients that were not the right fit, and times when I took on too much because I was hesitant to say no.
The digital marketing industry also changes constantly. Google evolves, consumer behavior shifts, and now artificial intelligence is reshaping how people search for information. You cannot rely on what worked five years ago, or even last year. We have had to keep learning, investing, and adapting, including expanding our work into Generative Engine Optimization and AI visibility.
Those struggles have made me a better business owner and leader. I have learned that resilience does not mean being free from uncertainty. It means continuing to move forward, making the best decision you can with the information available, and being willing to adjust along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Big Fin SEO is a Robbinsville-based digital marketing agency that works with local businesses, national brands, and other marketing agencies. Our primary specialties include search engine optimization, Local SEO, paid search, website development, and Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO.
Most people are familiar with SEO, which helps a business appear more prominently in Google and other traditional search engines. GEO addresses the next evolution of search by helping brands become understood, trusted, and referenced by platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Google’s AI-powered results. Today, businesses need to think about both because customers are no longer relying on Google alone to find information and make decisions.
I believe one thing that sets Big Fin SEO apart is our ability to make complicated marketing challenges understandable and actionable. That is the same philosophy that led me to write *SEO Made Simple*. Clients do not need more jargon, confusing reports, or activity for the sake of activity. They need to understand what is holding them back, what opportunities exist, and what steps will produce meaningful results.
We also have a dedicated team of SEO specialists, developers, paid media professionals, and account managers who can support a company across multiple areas of digital marketing. In addition to working directly with businesses, we partner with marketing agencies that want to offer SEO, GEO, and related services without building an entire department internally. We operate as an extension of their team, support their client relationships, and never compete with them.
What I am most proud of is the reputation and trust we have built. We have worked with more than 1,000 businesses, executives, and organizations across dozens of industries, but I am more interested in the individual outcomes behind that number. Helping a local business attract new customers, helping an established company enter a new market, or helping an agency confidently deliver on a promise to its client is what makes the work meaningful.
I want readers to know that Big Fin SEO is locally rooted but capable of serving organizations nationwide. We combine more than 20 years of digital marketing experience with a willingness to keep learning and adapting. The technology will continue to change, but our purpose remains the same: helping good businesses become more visible, credible, and easier for the right customers to find.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that surprises many people is that I am also an executive producer of an independent feature film called *The Strange*. Most people know me through SEO, digital marketing, writing, or entrepreneurship, so the connection to filmmaking is unexpected.
I have always been drawn to creative projects and storytelling, and working on a film gave me the opportunity to explore that interest in an entirely different way. In many respects, producing a movie is not that different from building a business. You begin with an idea, bring together talented people, solve problems with limited resources, and keep believing in the vision long before anyone else can see the finished product. It has been a fascinating experience and a reminder that we do not have to limit ourselves to one professional identity.
Pricing:
- Local SEO starting at $799
- SEO Packages starting at $1,500
- GEO Packages starting at $1,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bigfinseo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigfinseo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigfinseo
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bigfinseo
