Our Beginnings

To truly understand JumpFly, you need to understand the lifelong friendship at the company’s center

start-jumpfly
Born just five days apart,

growing up in the same neighborhood, Brad Garlin and Mike Tatge have been inseparable since their suburban Chicago childhoods.

1985 Childhood friends

2005 The early partnership of JumpFly
2018 Drivers of an uncommon culture
The early days

Google search Recognizing the opportunities of the early Internet, Mike and Brad left their careers to start a new company together, NetVentures. This introduced them to Goto.com, the inventors of the Pay Per Click Advertising model still used today by Google, Facebook, & Amazon.

1998  - Prequel

404 The boom led to a bust for NetVentures and many others in early 2000. Mike and Brad then decide to pivot and help businesses use Goto.com and PPC ads to find new customers online.

2000 - The "bubble" bursts

clapperboard Mike & Brad sign an ambassador agreement with Goto.com as the first ad agency strictly focused on providing PPC Advertising Management.

2001 - Take 2

basement After building to 50 clients, they incorporate as JumpFly. Brad's basement is the first official JumpFly office. Hires employee #1 while still basement bound.

2003 - The basement

moved The growing company moved to a rented townhouse and kept adding staff. Jack O’Donnell, who still serves as one of the company’s strategy directors, came aboard during this time as the second non-founder hired.

2004 - The townhouse

Lucys Now seven strong, JumpFly moves the office to a house that the team dubbed "Lucy's" in honor of the previous owner. After enjoying Lucy's and their continued growth for almost three years, it was finally time to lease a "real" office.

2005 - Lucy's 

JumpFlyAt the Elgin, IL address it continues to grow JumpFly can look back with pride on keeping its unique culture intact. As an industry pioneer now employing more than 40, it remains privately held, with many early hires still around. That means the company is free to remain non-conformist, focusing on long-term employee and customer relationships that transcend the transactional.

2008 - Real office digs

2010 – 2020

Driven by a different perspective than its venture-funded competitors, JumpFly fostered an uncommon culture to forge stability and nurture long-term client relationships.
A core knowledge base that continues to grow organically: Digital Marketing Blog
Awards, high-level partnerships, and respect

A natural transition beyond PPC to Smart Digital Marketing

design for advertising

2022 – Service Expansion

We added a new Creative Design department, expanded Marketplace offerings, and created an AI Committee to evolve our services through new technology.

2023 – We Turned 20!

JumpFly celebrates its 20th anniversary with a truly EPIC party celebrating our uncommon culture

2024

All grown up, soul still intact

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“Everybody wants to raise each other up.”

Charlotte St. Pierre

“Our most valuable resource is our human resource.”

Cary Goldstein

Kelly Spryszak

“Coming to JumpFly was a cultural change that was incredible.”

Rob Abraham
100%
of employees say JumpFly is a great place to work.
*compared to 59% at the typical company

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