I've had three careers in my life: soldier, journalist and marketer. I served eight years in the United States Army. I graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a degree in journalism and worked as a business writer. Then I was introduced to direct-response television (DRTV) marketing.In 2003, I joined IdeaVillage Products Corp., one of the top marketing and distribution companies in the DRTV industry. I spent five years there and rose to vice president of marketing. In 2008, I launched SciMark (scimark.com), a marketing consulting firm for DRTV companies. I also created and launched the “The SciMark Report,” the first blog dedicated to covering the 'As Seen on TV' business. As a consultant, I advised every major company in the industry, helping them improve their processes for evaluating new products and perfect their commercials and advertising strategies. As part of this work, I co-pioneered the first system for online sales testing that aligned with DRTV metrics. I have also written and directed more than 150 commercials.In 2010, I co-founded Paragon Products (paragonproducts.com), a firm that identifies and develops innovative consumer products and then creates effective direct-response advertisements for those products. With more than two dozen Walmart and Amazon bestsellers in its history, Paragon has become one of the industry’s most consistent sources of DRTV success. I live in New York's Hudson Valley with my wife and three children.