Rand Fishkin

Rand Fishkin is a prominent figure in the digital marketing and SEO industry, known for his role as the co-founder and CEO of SparkToro, a company specializing in audience research software. He was previously the founder and CEO of Moz, a leading SEO software company that he helped grow significantly during his tenure.

Early Career and Moz

Rand Fishkin began his career in web design after dropping out of the University of Washington in 2000. In 2003, he launched the SEOmoz blog, which evolved into Moz, a company that transitioned from consulting to software in 2007. Under his leadership, Moz expanded to over 200 employees and generated more than $50 million in revenue. However, Fishkin stepped down as CEO in 2014 due to personal challenges, including mental health issues, and eventually left the company in 2018.12

SparkToro and Current Work

In 2018, Fishkin co-founded SparkToro with Casey Henry, aiming to provide accessible audience research tools that help marketers identify where their target audiences spend their time and attention. SparkToro operates with a focus on sustainable growth and profitability, contrasting with the traditional venture capital model that often prioritizes rapid scaling.34

Fishkin is also an author, having published Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World, where he shares insights from his experiences in the startup ecosystem, including the challenges faced at Moz and his approach to building SparkToro.12

Personal Life

Outside of his professional endeavors, Rand Fishkin enjoys cooking and is married to author Geraldine DeRuiter. He is also involved in various investments and initiatives aimed at supporting startups and entrepreneurs.13

Rand Fishkin continues to be a thought leader in the marketing space, frequently speaking at industry events and contributing to discussions on sustainable business practices and the evolution of digital marketing.45