ROGERS — There's a culture built around big dreams, innovation and execution in northwest Arkansas, from the international success story that is Wal-Mart to household names such as Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt.
Now, chalk one up for Rockfish Interactive, one of a number of bold new, homegrown companies that have not only pushed the boundaries of possibility, but shrugged off the most significant national recession most of those who now call this region home have ever experienced.
It's been a big September for Rockfish Interactive - a Rogers-based, full-service interactive media company - to say the least. Two weeks ago, Rockfish made national headlines, being named AdvertisingAge Magazine's first-ever recipient of the Top Small Agency of the Year Award. The honor was created to recognize the best work and best agencies in the world with under 75 employees.
That, however, was only the appetizer, as the company received word just a few days later that it was among just a handful of agencies chosen as a finalists in the nationwide search for the best new application for Twitter, the fastest-growing social networking phenomenon in the world.
Rockfish took its creation, called TidyTweet - designed to help filter a Twitter user's message feeds from inappropriate language, users and content - before the thousands gathered at the popular 140 Twitter Conference in Los Angeles last week and won. With that, eyes from around the world were once again turned toward northwest Arkansas.
"From the very beginning at Rockfish, we've had an entrepreneurial vision and believe that all companies and projects begin with a great idea," said Kenny Tomlin, CEO and founder of Rockfish Interactive. "Our developers had one of those great ideas that evolved into a project we felt could benefit our clients, as well as all Twitter users. Our team worked extremely hard on this project and it's great to see them get national recognition for their efforts."
With every passing week, it seems more and more of that recognition is flowing the way of Rockfish Interactive. And to think, at just over three years old, the whole Rockfish concept is still in its infancy.
"My first day, Rockfish was me with my laptop at the San Francisco Bread Company in Bentonville," Tomlin said. "That was it."
Since that day in 2006, Rockfish Interactive has grown to include just shy of 60 employees, while outgrowing three office spaces from Bentonville to Fayetteville along the way. The company now occupies the entire second floor of a large office building at 701 Horsebarn Road in Rogers and, despite the continued struggles of the national economy, has thrived, blossoming from 37 to 57 employees in 2009 alone.
Ask any of those 57 creative innovators and they'll tell you the culture within the doors of Rockfish inspires and breeds success.
"This company is young," said Joey Nelson, interactive creative director. "It's hip. It's cool. It's cutting edge. You wake up everymorning and feel so fortunate to be a part of this kind of environment. We're creating things that don't currently exist. That's what we do. Whatever you can dream of, we can build it."
That culture - that energy - is what's driven Rockfish to create cutting-edge interactive social and media devices for the likes of Maybelline, Pantene, Wal-Mart, Tide, Similac, Genofish, Arvest Bank and more. It's the brains behind the popular iPhone application BlowAKiss, MyWalmart.com, Wal-Mart.com's Twilight Shop, Tyson Hunger Relief and more.
While Rockfish has quickly spread its services and influence to established and up-and-coming companies in northwest Arkansas, it has also become a national player, serving clients from Los Angeles to Chicago to Washington, D.C. It recently opened a second office in Dallas, for which there are big plans for the months and years ahead. And whilethe company boasts an extremely fastpaced environment, that doesn't mean it's forgotten its roots, or will any time soon.
"We're a very tech-driven, digital agency and the goal was to become one of the top in the country, but we never wanted to grow for the sake of growth," Tomlin said. "You have to have a passion to build something that motivates you. It has to be about more than just a paycheck. We're constantly focused on new brands, new companies - the next great idea."
Step off the elevator into Rockfish Interactive's second-floor lair and you enter a hip, modern setting that almost feels like anything is possible. Of course, there are flat screens and computer monitors everywhere. But mixed in are comfy lounges, where employees sink into comfortable, designer furniture, gather around funky coffee tables and run their shoes over thick, bold colored shag area rugs.
Brain-storming sessions are happening everywhere. The thinkers at Rockfish are often crowded around monitors and in conference rooms, but also manage to dish up healthy servings of the video game phenomenon Rock Band with regularity. Yes, you will actually find the whole Rock Band setup - drum kit, guitars, microphone and all- prominently featured one of the office lounges.
Every Wednesday at noon, Rockfish employees flood into the company's kitchen, where Tomlin's wife, Dana, can be foundwhipping up a homemade meal for 57. Outside the kitchen door is the company's very own, in-office coffee bar, complete with itsown barista.
Rockfish is serious about its work. But it's serious in an outof-the box, sometimes unconventional way. And it's track record seems to indicate its working.
"I think a lot of what you see here - the fun environment and the culture - it's all fueled by the kind of work we do," said John Cox, director of technology. "We're motivated and cool under pressure. Those are the kinds of people attracted to what we do.
"There are no cubicles," he continued. "We're not tied down by a legal department 50 people deep. When I was hired here, there were 20 people. Now there are almost 60 and the culture hasn't changed a bit."
For many of those working within the walls of Rockfish Interactive, including director Jerry Osmus, it's an environment and a culture they'd always dreamed of working in.
"You come into a place like this and you can just open up and thrive," Osmus said. "We're kind of like a big family. It's a very open, very collaborative environment. You never just come in, sit down and go home at the end of the day. It's really anything but that."
News, Pages 1, 6 on 09/27/2009