| Iceland is most likely not on your radar | | | | Iceland and I had the pleasure of working for |
| screen when it comes to search engine | | | | a well-known game developer. They were |
| marketing, but don't overlook this growing, | | | | hungry to market their online game to the |
| prosperous country when it comes to client | | | | larger world and I helped them develop an |
| development. | | | | Internet Marketing strategy using natural and |
| | | | paid search. I worked with this company until |
| I lived in Iceland for 2 years from 2004-2006 | | | | they were large enough to contract with a |
| and during my time there I was quite | | | | large advertising agency. Now this company |
| surprised by the Icelandic economy. I was | | | | has combined with a large US game publisher |
| employed by a large engineering firm that was | | | | and their collective futures are bright. |
| involved with large, multinational | | | | |
| construction projects in the development and | | | | I also had, and continue to have, the |
| expansion of aluminum smelting plants as well | | | | pleasure of working for several companies in |
| as hydroelectric and geothermal power plants. | | | | the tourism industry. Iceland, with its |
| I was hired to do business communications | | | | unique and beautiful nature, is fast becoming |
| and marketing for this firm and along the | | | | a popular tourist destination. These |
| way, once word got out that I specialized in | | | | companies offer everything from hiking and |
| Internet Marketing, I was approached by | | | | trekking tours to jeep tours and overnight |
| several companies interested in promoting | | | | tours into the beautiful outback. |
| their respective goods and services to the | | | | |
| larger world. | | | | One of the great pleasures of working with |
| | | | companies in this far-off land is the |
| Iceland is a very small country with a | | | | personal nature in which business is |
| population of roughly 300,000 people. It is | | | | conducted. Business is done face-to-face and |
| so small that it makes you wonder how they | | | | personal networking is everything. And, |
| have such a strong economy. But what few | | | | Icelanders are so willing to help you make |
| people know is that Iceland has a very | | | | business connections. I have been in many |
| educated workforce, unique natural resources, | | | | meetings where, the person would say, "I know |
| deep involvement in high tech and genetic | | | | someone who could really use this service, |
| research and a growing tourism trade. What I | | | | let's call him right now." Meetings were |
| discovered, in short, was that Iceland has a | | | | very informal and top executives were |
| lot going for it. | | | | available, responsive and approachable. And, |
| | | | due to the small size of this country, your |
| One of the items that I was closely aligned | | | | reputation and name can spread fast. An |
| with is the knowledge transfer of Iceland's | | | | additional bonus for is that pay rates in |
| years developing geothermal power schemes. | | | | Iceland are quite high. I have even been told |
| These power plants are a major part of what | | | | that I needed to raise my rates because |
| is fueling the economy. This source of cheap | | | | Icelanders are used to paying top dollar for |
| electricity has brought extensive development | | | | professional consulting, low hourly rates are |
| of power intensive industries like aluminum | | | | almost seen as a sign of inexperience. That |
| smelting. And, in a world of rising global | | | | is not to say that I am advocating |
| energy costs, many countries are looking to | | | | overcharging people or companies. But this |
| exploit their geothermal power potential and | | | | was, at least to me, a valuable lesson in |
| they are tapping Icelandic engineering and | | | | knowing the value of your experience. |
| power companies for their experience. | | | | All-in-all, my time in Iceland was some of |
| | | | the most professionally rewarding years of my |
| Software development is also strong in | | | | life. |