The SPARKVertical Leadership Team
The SPARKVertical executive leadership team is uniquely capable of successfully managing rapid expansions for multi-location businesses and franchises. Our Marketing and Advertising specialists ensure SPARKVertical will quickly and effectively onboard new clients and start executing deliverables within days and weeks – not months.
Don't Go It Alone - Partner with Experts Dedicated to Your Success
“They go above and beyond like no other company or consultant ever has.”
Michael Todd Smith
Founder & Chief Strategist
Michael Smith is the founder and Chief Strategist of SparkVertical, which specializes in growth strategy, marketing, and advertising management for Home Service and Franchise businesses. With over 25 years in marketing, business development, and design, Smith has been fortunate to work with an amazing list of clients-From Heads of State and top CEO's to brands like American Express, Starbucks, Neiman Marcus, and Aveda. He started SPARKVertical as a way to focus specifically on franchises and counts as early adopter clients fast-growing franchisees and agents for American Leak Detection, Mr. Rooter Plumbing, United Van Lines, and Mayflower Transit.
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Aneil Zubair
VP - Digital Strategy
For more than 15 years, Aneil Zubair has worked as a digital analyst and marketing strategist, serving a wide variety of clients and industries. By understanding the fundamentals of how the web functions and how web-based systems work, and staying up on constant changes to data privacy restrictions, search algorithms, and emerging technology, Aneil is able to provide deeper, more efficient, responsive, and agile digital marketing and advertising strategies for SPARKVertival clients. His expertise helps clients to be just as successful in digital arenas as they are in the real world.
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Ryan Llaneza
VP of Franchise Operations
With more than a decade's worth of experience in trade service operations and 20+ years of customer service in a variety of industries, Ryan Llaneza knows how to successfully grow businesses. Most recently he has worked in operational management for plumbing leak detection and residential remodeling companies. Ryan understands the pains that businesses and franchises endure when starting up, scaling, and in some cases, franchising. His strategies help SPARKVertical clients to efficiently and effectively market services, manage sales funnels, close business, deliver results, get feedback, and leverage happy customers for repeat business and referrals.
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Keith Creighton
Copy Supervisor
Keith Creighton is an expert storyteller. For more than 20 years, he has worked with clients in just about every industry, from one-person startups to some of the world’s biggest brands. His engaging copy helps businesses better connect with potential customers and usher them to sales. He brainstorms business names, product titles, and tagline concepts and provides in-depth brand consultations and marketing strategy. For many SPARKVertical clients, he also writes customer service scripts, brochure copy, website copy, packaging copy, press materials, and thoughtful responses to negative reviews.
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Susan Elliot
Creative Director – Design
Susan brings over 21 years of creative experience to SparkVertical. From initial design concepts & branding to final delivery, she is accustomed to tight deadlines, lean budgets and juggling multiple projects. As a print designer, Susan shines where she can exercise her artistic creativity and vision, ultimately informing business success and building better brands.
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