Tech Entrepreneur Chris Sheehy: 13 To Watch in RI in 2013

Tech Entrepreneur Chris Sheehy: 13 To Watch in RI in 2013

While internet preeners worry about their Klout scores or other ersatz indicators of their social media power, Chris Sheehy is tuned into the cyber bricks and mortar that really matter--SEO. The founder of the internet marketing and SEO firm Sidewalk Branding Company is making an increasing name for himself and vision on the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Named a "Top 5 Startup Business in New England" by Mass High Tech in March 2012, Rumford-based Sidewalk Branding has differentiated itself from many SEO/SEM firms by specializing in optimization and marketing of business channels and digital assets. "Your website alone will not get your business discovered online," Sheehy says on Sidewalk Branding's own website, "no matter how cool it looks."

Sidewalk talks

"I blog, therefore I am," Sheehy has joked, but he gets the value in staying relevant in a rapidly shifting world. A plum for 2012: Sheehy's blog feed (called "Sidewalk Talk") was featured on Guy Kawasaki's Alltop Internet Marketing news feed in August of 2012. Sheehy called the shout-out "amazing," but avers that "increasing visibility for my clients is what keeps the coffee flowing."

He also preaches the gospel in a variety of business and academic settings both locally and regionally, including a training course at Pawtucket's University Business Consultants' Professional Development Center. The Center's president, Dennis Rebelo, had this to say about Sheehy: “Chris is a true scholar-practitioner which is why his message is so ‘on point’ in classes; he bridges theory and practice because he lives the talk daily and helps others become bi-lingual in this techno-speak to ensure business sustainability.”

As Rhode Island continues to search for pockets of innovation to boost its recovery, savvy practitioners like Sheehy are poised to lead the way for the many small companies looking to stay relevant in the digital world.