Sage Lewis

I posted about this over at the SageRock.com weblog, but man, I’m freakin’ everywhere!
Newspaper still apparently drives a major engine… including online content. This has been a lesson to me that newspapers are far from dead.

19. Salt Lake Tribune - Business

… Sage Lewis does. The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by
blogging … Sage Lewis, president of SageRock.com that links to articles about
trends …

http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_2681768

22. Hawaii News - Sports - Surf - Weather

… Sage Lewis does. The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by
blogging as a marketing tool. Because of it, more people know what SageRock.com
is. …

http://news.hawaii.com/article/2005/Apr/25/bz/bz03p.html

24. Arizona Daily Star :: Mobile Edition

… Sage Lewis does. The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by
blogging as a marketing tool. More people know what SageRock.com is. …

http://mobile.azstarnet.com/altds/PDA/business/71751.html

39. KRT Direct | Workplace

… PAUL TOPLE/AKRON BEACON JOURNAL (April 18) Sage Lewis, president of
Akron's SageRock.com, is a proponent of businesses using blogs as
marketing tools. …

http://www.krtdirect.com/topics/topical_workplace.htm?s=workplace+OR+wrk

40. Blog News - Page 2

… Sage Lewis does. Salt Lake Tribune | Sunday. Movies. Industry Buzz.
Blogger: David Duchovny is phoning it in for "House of D," but his
commitment to the …

http://www.topix.net/news/blogs/page2

45. CYBERZOO interactive Website Design Development Multimedia Graphic …

… you feel all tech-savvy now because you know what the word
''blog'' means. But do you know what a blog
could mean for your business? Sage Lewis does. …

http://www.cyberzoo.co.za/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=41

| Search 2: SageRock.com

| tracking top 50 of about 1,090 results

5. Arizona Daily Star :: Mobile Edition

… The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by blogging as a
marketing tool. More people know what SageRock.com is. More search engines are
attracted …

http://mobile.azstarnet.com/altds/PDA/business/71751.html

7. Hawaii News - Sports - Surf - Weather

… The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by blogging as a
marketing tool. Because of it, more people know what SageRock.com is. …

http://news.hawaii.com/article/2005/Apr/25/bz/bz03p.html

9. Salt Lake Tribune - Business

… SageRock.com employee Joseph Gut of Medina, Ohio, works in the office.
… The president of Akron's SageRock.com swears by blogging as a
marketing tool. …

http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_2681768

49. Utopian Hell: Blogs for Business

… “They’re easy to use,” SageRock.com’s Lewis said. “You don’t
have to have any technical background.” That’s great to know. …

http://www.utopianhell.com/index.php?id=254

TNS/CMR: Ad Spending Grew 9.8% in’04
I’m always curious to know where people are spending their money. This article covers that and also points out the change from ‘03 to ‘04.

Did you know that local newspaper advertisement ruled the ad buying roost? Amazing!

I’ve also taken the liberty of putting their numbers in a handy chart for you here:

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Now here’s why I love Northeast Ohio.

I just got back from a great meeting with Tim, who I had never met. He happens to be a blogger here:
Gee k ZEN - sit down, shut up, create something that matters

He mentioned that he had drinks last week with George Nemeth of here:
Brewed Fresh Daily
I happen to know George.

This kind of connection happens all the time in this area.

Once our landlord, Mike Owen brought a friend of his by, Jill Bacon Madden, who was working on a couple sites with Drew Holland. Jill happened to need some web marketing.

I’m not sure if this kind of connection happens in other areas. But I totally love it everytime I encounter it.

It’s these kind of connections that make a place special.

Discovery and AOL have launched a 100 Greatest American series. If you were upset at the greatest videos of all time I’m sure this contest will really get your goat.

Greatest American is a seven-hour primetime program to be telecast this summer, Americans nationwide will vote for their #1 choice for the person who has most embodied the American dream, having the biggest impact on the way we think, work and live.

AOL Television: Greatest American

These are free spots in Ohio where you can use the internet:
free wi-fi Ohio hotspots wireless internet access list

Then check these out at RubberBuzz.com:
Surf RubberBuzz at These Akron WiFi Hotspots

Cleveland had more than Akron. Now I’m on a mission. I’m going to start promoting these in Akron.

If you are interested in setting up a wireless hotspot in Akron and don’t know how to start, email me or give me a call.

I just came across a good article at Fast Company about Progressive and Peter B. Lewis

Did you know he has one leg? Facinating.

As it pertains to Peter, here are some out takes from the article:

When Progressive employees describe how their company approaches the auto-insurance business — and business in general — they use words like “intense,” “aggressive,” and “unconventional.” Those words also describe Peter Lewis, the company’s resident trailblazer and firestarter — and its CEO for the past 33 years. Lewis is 64 going on 24, with longish white hair and a smile that suggests irreverence, mischief, and candor. He has the rakish charm of Peter O’Toole and the zaniness of Christopher Lee. He will say anything. About his wealth: “I’m as rich as Croesus.” (Which is true: His shares in Progressive — nearly 10 % of the total — are valued at about $650 million.) About how “stupid” his competition is: “All these other companies are trying to follow us. Meanwhile, we’re getting better.” About how reckless he was behind the wheel before he hired a driver: “I was a serious accident waiting to happen.” About how 20 years of therapy helped him accept that other people tend to consider him eccentric. When Lewis tells you he’s “done it all,” you can’t be certain what he is referring to — but you don’t doubt for a second that it’s interesting.

Lewis’s office overlooks the Progressive campus and several large sculptures, which are part of the company’s renowned collection of modern art. Directly across from his metal-and-glass desk are 10 Andy Warhol prints of Mao Tse-tung. His trademark black Stetson hat rests on a nearby table, as if it were another work of art. Last year, because of severe circulatory problems, Lewis underwent a below-the-knee amputation on his left leg. So, until he gets a prosthesis later this fall, he must maneuver around the office in a wheelchair. He does so nimbly, like a crafty wizard tinkering in his workshop.

Here are some dates that seemed to be of particular importance in Mr. Lewis’ life.

In 1952, his brother Jon died in a car accidental going on a fishing trip in Canada.
In 1957 , as a salesman, he suggested Progressive write on nonstandard motorists.

Because of Proposition 103, in 1988, California voters passed a referendum designed to regulate auto-insurance companies and to roll back escalating rates. Peter says, “I decided that from then on, anything we did had to be good for the consumer — or we weren’t going to do it.”

Progressive refers to “information transparency” — a policy of sharing with customers information about prices, costs, and service. We are exposing our data to the customer.

Peter Lewis traces his company’s ascent to two no-nonsense operating principles: “hire the best” and “pay the most.”

“If you want to improve something, start measuring it,” Lewis says. “Then attach rewards to positive measurements, or penalties to negative ones, and you’ll get results.”

“The question is, Can we win the pennant? Today 4 out of 100 cars in the U.S. are insured with Progressive. People laugh when I talk about 100% market share. But if we can get better than everybody else in every aspect of the business, why would anybody buy from another company? Of course, I’d settle for 25%. People tell me that 25% can’t be done either, but people have been telling me things like that my whole life.”

Peter B. Lewis, as I suspected, is a multi-dimensional business man. He appears to adhere to some innovated, visionary business principles.

…more as I can find it.

Here’s my last Peter B. Lewis blog entry.

George over at Brewed Fresh Daily found my blog and commented on this article. Consequently, it has generated a bit of response. Check it out out and let us know what you think: Sage Lewis: Andy Birol Slams Youth

I’ve always had a very soft place in my heart for Saul Bellow’s Herzog. The “Reality Instructors” of that book haunt me to this day. I often ask if I’m becoming one and how best not to become one.

Paglia recently reminded me that Artists never die. This will be true for Mr. Bellow. He was one of the all time great authors.
Boston.com / A&E / Celebrity news / Nobel laureate Saul Bellow dies at 89