Former OSU student turns digital advertising into millions

More and more young people are getting a jump-start in the business world by starting their own companies. Former Ohio State student Wil Schroter is one of them. "Not everyone is ready to take that step, but if you're going to sell comic books on-line or you want to start your own restaurant, I can't imagine anything more gratifying than building your own business. And in the end, it pays a lot better," Schroter said. Then a 19 year-old OSU student, Schroter founded Next Generation Digital Advertising (NGDA) in 1995. He started in a rented office above the Newport Music Hall on High Street. NGDA is a full-service interactive communications firm specializing in Web page design and CD-ROM development. In just three years, it has grown to be one of the most successful Web design companies in the area. Today their list of clients includes IBM, Intel, AAA, Bank One, MasterCard, Iams pet food, Ohio State University, Indiana University, GTE and the Lantern. "I always knew I wanted to start my own company," said Schroter, who was double majoring in computer information science and communications. "When I was in elementary school, I used to buy and resell candy to the other kids for profit." Three months after the company was founded, Schroter managed to land his first big client, AAA/Auto Club Insurance. By that time, the news of an Internet design company had stirred interest with students on campus. "At our first company meeting we had about 15 people attend," said Damon Caiazza, a technologist for NGDA. The group thinned down to four dedicated students who were determined to base a company on Internet technology. Caiazza joined one month after NGDA started. He was 21 at the time, and didn't know what he wanted to do in life. He started making sales calls to nearby businesses for NGDA, learning about the Internet as he went along. He later graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications. Joel Jimenez, director of technology at NGDA, joined at the age of 21 only a few months after Caiazza. Jimenez later earned his degree in CIS. "We worked really hard to survive in the struggling years," Jimenez said. "You have a feeling of ownership, it drives you to work harder." Lou Flocken, program director for the communications and marketing department at the Ohio State University Medical Center, has been working with NGDA for only a short time, but is pleased with what he's seen so far. "I haven't found that age has been an issue," Flocken said. "All the projects are well thought out, interesting and easy to use." Flocken said younger adults grew up surrounded by technology and it is second nature to them. "I get a sense of energy and creativity from them," Flocken said. "That is refreshing." In 1997, Gerbig, Snell/Weisheimer & Associates, one of Columbus' largest advertising agencies, bought a 60 percent share of NGDA for $1 million. In 1997 NGDA, had capitalized billings of $3.5 million and estimated capitalized billings of $6 million in 1998, Schroter said.

Be the first to comment on this article!

Add comment


I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Enter the characters in the image above:

log out