weedott -
weedott is a social marketing consulting company started by Amy Jantzer and Matt Kruse. The idea was born when we started to integrate Web 2.0 interaction into our ordinary business lives, and it became apparent that a lot could be accomplished in that space. We both share in roles as directors with BNI, the world’s most successful word-of-mouth marketing system. It was obvious to both of us how the principles of relationship building, being specific and the principles of “Giver’s Gain” fit within this new internet paradigm. It is our goal to help business owners craft their internet market strategies by using the most effective tools possible, having analytics to track progress, and having as much fun as possible. We love talking about this stuff, and we cannot wait to share more with you.
Amy Jantzer -
Amy’s father was in the Air Force, so she grew up around the world…Japan, Hawaii, Washington, Virginia, Arizona and Florida just to name a few places. The moving around conditioned her to adjust to change and make the most of every situation. Thanks to her ever changing surroundings, she loves meeting new people and thrives on change.
After graduating high school, Amy moved about 6,000 miles from Hawaii to Orlando. She attended the University of Central FL and received a BS degree in Information Technology. She was able to put herself through school working as a manager at Bath & Body Works and remained with them for a few years after graduating.
She left the retail industry to sell insurance with AFLAC and later expanded her offerings under Delaney Park Financial. She strayed away from cold calling and built a large book of clients using networking and word-of-mouth marketing. About a year into her career with AFLAC she discovered BNI (Business Network International) an amazing organization with a powerful system for growing business. She became a Director for the organization about a year after becoming a member and worked for several years helping members in the Central Florida region grow their own businesses.
Along the way, Amy and Matt met at a BNI training and they discovered they had similar interests in technology, public speaking and entrepreneurship. They kept in touch over the years and eventually realized they had a lot to share and similar passions. In 2008 they put together plans to launch a new business and in late 2009, weedott was born!
For Amy, weedott is the outlet that will allow her to be creative, share ideas, learn new things, meet interesting people and travel the world. For her clients, weedott will be the catalyst that connects brands with their communities and turns fans into advocates. She has a passion to share all that she has learned over the years about connecting people, creating systems, growing a business and above all else…loving what you do!
Amy also serves on the Advisory Board Council at ITT Technical Institute and the Small Business Development Council (SBDC) at UCF. She also sits on the Board of Directors for Project Wings USA, a local non-profit organization working with special needs families.
Matt Kruse -
Matt has spent 8 years working in the financial services industry, a much different career from his start in custom home electronics. It was his time at Hoyt Stereo in Jacksonville Beach that exposed him to entrepreneurship and the value of building a company with a dedication to quality.
Matt began his focus on business ownership when he started a successful insurance agency with his father, Paul and brother, Nathan in 2001. The Kruse Agency quickly grew into one of the most successful captive agencies in the nation as measured by annual premiums collected. While learning the insurance business, Matt discovered the natural relationships that exist between real estate professionals and financial services providers. He worked to bring professionals together with an emphasis on teaching clients the inner-workings of the business.
Matt’s crowning achievement with the agency was the creation of an education team that delivered training to first time homebuyers in the Jacksonville area twice per month. During a 14 months span, the team helped place 95 families into homes. In 2004, Matt had the opportunity to sell the business, and he realized the opportunity to head into the real estate finance marketplace.
As Matt began to learn the finance business, he discovered the world’s largest referral marketing organization – BNI. Along the path to success, BNI has been instrumental in placing clients and referral partners into Matt’s life at just the right time. His involvement in the organization led to his accepting of an opportunity to lead a new retail program at Macquarie Mortgages. While there Matt learned about corporate culture, lending practices and wealth creation strategies.
Currently, Matt is working on two projects – a thriving real estate lending practice and weedott. weedott was started at the end of 2008 with his partner Amy Jantzer, a fellow BNI director in North East Florida. They recognized the emergence of social media as an innovative communication platform for businesses, sales professionals and business owners to communicate with their prospects, customers and clients. His passion is to teach others how to use the technology to further growth in their own companies.
Jacksonville has been home to Matt, his wife Monica and their two children Grant and Mädchen for the past 12 years. He and Monica both graduated from the University of Florida, and they routinely travel down for Gator games. Matt’s burning desire is to raise his kids to love his Lord Jesus Christ. His other passion is perfecting his outdoors cooking skills and throwing get-togethers for his friends.
