Meet Hayden Koch

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hayden Koch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hayden, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Early in my career, I was thrown into the fire. I had to manage a book of clients that no single person could handle. Rather than giving up, I took it as a challenge. I learned how to execute search strategies at scale. I learned how to manage frustrated or overwhelmed clients.

After about 7 years of managing clients for others, I realized my skill set was well-rounded enough to handle campaigns from top to bottom. There was nothing that companies I worked for had that I didn’t have; no skill or resource I didn’t have in my toolbelt. That gave me the confidence to go off on my own. My long-time clients thank me for it.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, HLK Marketing, started in college as I studied marketing. It was a platform for me to put a brand behind my ideas. I knew at the time that social media was becoming a staple in lives everywhere — and brands hadn’t caught up yet. I knew this was an avenue to explore and test for small brands near Cal State Fullerton, where I received my degree.

After a lot of testing, failures, and successes, I found my niche: SEO, and eventually my specialty, ORM (online reputation management), which helps individuals, businesses, and brands control their perception on search engines.

It was not easy. I had to unravel Google algorithms and build a process that is successful and repeatable. I had to have failed campaigns to understand how to do it better the next time.

I had to learn how to communicate properly with clients when the work doesn’t meet their expectations. How to set proper expectations and boundaries. How I will right the ship when it goes wrong. How to keep them on board when things go right.

I want the world to know that not all SEO and ORM services are alike. Google, and the new AI search platforms, is a big challenge. I take pride in truly providing superior, tailored services that match expectations. Keeping transparency and quality of work at the forefront.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Where I live, Huntington Beach, has numerous spectacular places. The obvious choice is to take advantage of the beautiful year-round weather. The beach is a great choice, but it’s not required. You can feel the wonderful ocean breeze a few miles inland, too.

I would definitely take them to the iconic hiking and trails in the area. Then cap the day off with numerous dinner options — there is no shortage of incredible options in the area, so it really depends on what everyone is feeling. My personal choice would be Korean BBQ, for the engaging and delicious experience.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had several amazing clients over the years who helped me recognize and actualize my potential. They had worked with others in the past, but recognized the difference when working with me; my attention to detail, my thoughtfulness, and my ability to be flexible and recognize what’s important to them helped me stand out. That helped me come into my own, with my confidence (and business) growing in perpetuity.

Oh, and definitely my parents. They’ve always believed in me and knew I had a lot to offer to the world. I’m thankful they never doubted me and kept me believing, through the ups and downs of my career.

Website: https://hlkmarketing.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydenkoch/

Image Credits
they are all personal images or generated by me