View Full Version : Sad News Is Never Easy To Pass On
greeneagle
10-04-2006, 07:49 PM
Sad news is never easy to pass on.
I was just informed that friend and fellow WPW member Jacob Wissler (http://www.jacobwissler.com/) owner of Global SEO Inc. (http://www.globalseoinc.com/) and SEO Houston (http://www.seohouston.com/) passed away unexpectedly this past Sunday night or Monday morning.
Jacob was very dedicated to his work and a good friend to have. I’ll miss him.
Ken
MikeinFlorida
10-04-2006, 09:33 PM
Thanks for passing the news along. I've even talked with Jacob on the phone. He was a good man and he'll be missed!
God Bless him!
Chris
10-05-2006, 08:55 AM
that's horrible news. i never really conversed with Jacob, but if the content of his posts were any indication, we are certainly losing a good man. my sympathies go out to his family and friends.
greeneagle
10-05-2006, 09:02 AM
Chris,
It's my understanding he was survived by friends only. If you remember he lost his father not long ago.
Jacob was never married and had no children, but he was a good friend to many.
We actually utilized each others business services. It was enjoyable working with him at both ends of business transactions.
He was also a great business confidant, to exchange business and marketing ideas with.
Ken
dharrison
10-05-2006, 09:07 AM
That is very sad news to hear. I read Jacob's posts a lot and thought highly of him as a community member.
My thoughts and prayers are with his friends/loved ones.
ctabuk
10-05-2006, 09:09 AM
I liked him, always polite and charming, I'll miss the guy. God bless you Jacob, safe journey to the next one. David
This is shocking news, Ken.
1. I will miss his smiling face (picture).
2. I will miss his knowledgable posts.
Bring my condolences from Kjell in Norway to his family if it is possible.
ctabuk
10-05-2006, 09:26 AM
In one of Jacobs last posts here he wrote 'If someone knows the future of the Internet,please let us know,so that can get rich'
I'm changing my sig out of respect.
I have not been around long enough to know him by his posts, but my thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.
~Rae
Horrible news. Jacob was a good guy. He will certainly be missed.
Tiffany
10-05-2006, 05:33 PM
Like Rae said, I have not been around long enough to know him by his posts, but my prayers go out to the people who knew and loved him.
brian.mark
10-05-2006, 06:19 PM
Nice post in the newsletter, Chris. He certainly will be missed by many of us long-time members, and his absense will affect many to come without them knowing it.
Brian.
plasma800
10-05-2006, 06:24 PM
WOW!
I know Jacob personally and I had no idea! He was an interesting cat, this is a true loss ( has anyone confirmed this? How did you guys hear about this?)
jeffposaka
10-05-2006, 06:31 PM
I will miss his posts and expertise. My condolences to his family and everyone at Houston SEO.
How sad. He will be missed.
Mamoon Rashid
10-05-2006, 06:53 PM
shocking news...recently his father died and he was the only son ...i have been talking to him on googletalk regarding work and then his father passed away...and now himself... it really feels strange when someone you know ..is active and all of a sudden he's no more..
May Allah rest his soul.
incrediblehelp
10-05-2006, 07:08 PM
My condolences go out to Jacob and his family. He will be missed.
Irishjim
10-05-2006, 07:25 PM
Jacob, I didn't know you but I've read your posts and was always impressed at how you never promoted yourself or acted above anyone else.
You could be a true Irishman.
Go n-eiri an bothar leat. (May you have a fine journey, literally: may the road rise to meet you.)
janeth
10-05-2006, 07:42 PM
WOW!
I know Jacob personally and I had no idea! He was an interesting cat, this is a true loss ( has anyone confirmed this? How did you guys hear about this?)
My condolences also go out to Jacob's friends and family but I'm wondering how the news came about as well.
khurramali
10-05-2006, 08:07 PM
After reading his biography at http://www.jacobwissler.com/biography.htm. I can only ascertain that the cause of his death could be eating airline food all his life.
In the end he said "I am sick of airports and packing and meals on a plane."
He will be missed by all. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Webnauts
10-05-2006, 08:22 PM
Jacob was one of the most friendly and competent posters I know here at WPW. I will miss him too!
My condolences to Jacob and his family.
Blayne
10-05-2006, 08:51 PM
I followed many of his posts. We will miss you Jacob..
greeneagle
10-05-2006, 08:59 PM
One of the nicest qualities I want to remember about Jacob was that he saw through a lot of superficial issues, and got right down to the basics:
This is an article I carry of his that has played out that simplicity a thousand times over. He and I both enjoyed the directness of it over and over again in our stats:
It's entitled "Internet Marketing Basics" (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-50,GGLD:en&q=Internet+Marketing+Basics) - #2 in the GOOG for us:
Forgive me for linking it here: He was very direct and to the point:
http://www.mountaineagleweb.com/Marketing/Internet-Marketing-Basics.htm
I also have another unpublished article he asked me to publish a while back. If no one finds it offensive, I would consider publishing it in his honor.
Ken
Ken.
You have my vote. Publish it.
Webnauts
10-05-2006, 10:58 PM
Ken you have my vote too!
jawn_tech
10-06-2006, 12:20 AM
Jacob and I conversed outside the forum long ago, and I've always been grateful of his insights that he was so ready and willing to share with anyone.
I'm terribly saddened by the news of his passing.
I only have fond memories of all he contributed.
God bless your journey, Jacob.
jeffposaka
10-06-2006, 01:50 AM
Ken,
Publish the article. I want to read it.
Manpasand
10-06-2006, 01:59 AM
Bad news for all of us.
MY deep sympathies with his family and friends.
mantawebsolutions
10-06-2006, 02:31 AM
This is not the kind of news I expected to read in my inbox this morning. I've done a bit of work for Jacob in the recent few months and we talked a bit on his trips to South Africa. He surely was one of the good guys who knew his profession well.
Jacob, you leave behind many who will miss you and your many contributions to this forum and that of the SEO world. Thank you !!!
greeneagle
10-06-2006, 05:06 AM
Jacob and I discussed many business issues. He had an uncanny ability to address complex issues and break them down to simple terms. I still get about 20 visits a day or so from the one article I have published on my Site.
Jacob's strongest point was Marketing not web development or even SEO - he hired, consulted and outsourced for expertise he needed. He had my more complex approach beat "hands down" in some respects.
Actually he had recently given me 2 more articles. They are simple, to the point and very direct. I am going to publish them here first and then publish the second one on my Site in his honor.
Ken
greeneagle
10-06-2006, 05:10 AM
I never published this one because it seemed too commercial:
Selecting an Expert Web Designer
When selecting a web designer, it is import to select someone who is an expert in your field. Instead of selecting a “one man can do it all” shop, it is better to find a web design firm that has a specialty. This also applies to search engine optimization.
If you are in the oil field business, or any of the related petrochemical firms, I would urge you to turn to Ken Webster at MountainEagleWeb. Ken knows more about the oil industry than any web designer in Houston – which is the center of the oil industry. Ken also does press releases and is the best at public relations.
If you need an html site with complex database and some embedded Flash, contact Jacob at http://www.seohouston.com/webdesign/index.htm We also do local and global search engine optimization.
If you want organic search engine optimization, which will cause your company to show up in the natural search results, that is what we do at www.seohouston.com but if you want a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) program which is professionally managed to save you money on every click and eliminate click fraud, the best PPC experts are at www.directoryone.com.
A truly smart web designer knows what he does not know, and sends that work on to those who do,
Jacob Wissler 1/24/06
greeneagle
10-06-2006, 05:16 AM
This one will have more value for many here. He handed it off to me at the end of June 2006:
Getting the Big Clients
So you own a web design or SEO firm and you are making a nice living working on websites for small business; how do you step that up to the next level and work on websites for the big law firms and Fortune 100 companies? Let me explain how we did it:
1. Invest in an office in a nice office tower with an address that says success. This gives clients the comfort of knowing that they can come find you if things don’t work out. Put your address on every page of your website.
2. Keep normal business hours and be in the office 9-5.
3. Advertise – our company spends $24,000 per month on advertising. Without advertising how will a client find you?
4. Wear a suit, nothing too fashionable. You don’t want to dress like a pimp. In the tech industry jeans and a t-shirt are normal. At major law firms with 400 or more lawyers and 1,000 support staff, the managing partner (the person who authorizes payment) will be wearing a Brooks Brothers suit.
If you want to play in that league, you must dress the part.
5. Do not be afraid to admit when you are in over your head. We have had clients ask us to do things which we honestly could not do. We sent them to a firm that could help them, and collected a finder’s fee.
6. Do not expect a link. In some states, law firms need to get every word on their website approved by the state. Getting a government agency or Fortune 100 company to link to you could involve a year of paperwork and approval from dozens of people, including a review by their in house legal department. If you do get a link, it is golden.
7. Stay close to home. We have had great success at hiring people in the Third World, but we have only closed a few sales outside of our metro area of Houston. It is so much easier to sell someone if you can sit down with them face to face. For this reason, we sell to clients in Houston but have the work done overseas.
In summation, selling major clients is all about image, presenting yourself as a professional business person and being able to back it up with a quality product.
Jacob Wissler 6/30/2006
greeneagle
10-06-2006, 06:30 AM
It's not often you are granted the position to help someone speak from the next world, but I think Jacob would reiterate that second article; "Getting The Big Clients", for all of us in the business, if he had the opportunity.
Ken
crankydave
10-06-2006, 09:16 AM
I am fortunate to have been able to interact with Jacob. He will be missed.
My sympathies to his friends and family.
God speed Jacob.
Dave
TechEvangelist
10-06-2006, 09:31 AM
This is sad news. Although I don't post in the forum very often, I read the threads almost daily. Jacob was one of 4 or 5 very memorable members. I thought his postings were well thought-out and reflected his wisdom.
I have also been a world traveler, so I can relate to his experiences. He was still a fairly young guy and left us way too soon.
Here is one of my favorite quotes (author unknown), but I think it applies to Jacob:
"When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that at the end, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying."
Rest in peace, Jacob.
whipnet
10-06-2006, 04:25 PM
Rest in peace fellow Houstonian.
*
carol
10-06-2006, 05:11 PM
Wow, what a loss. I was always very impressed by his posts. God bless you Jacob.
carol
noel_x99
10-06-2006, 07:33 PM
Our condolences to Jacob's friend and family. He often gave wonderful advice. He will surely be missed.
edhan
10-07-2006, 01:38 AM
Though Jacob may have left this world, it will always be in our thoughts and memories of him. I will send prayers to bless his soul. We all will miss him though I may not know him personally.
barrone
10-07-2006, 05:50 AM
Thank You Jacob for all the words...
jgarner
10-07-2006, 11:28 AM
I think he would like that. My vote as well.
wilderness
10-07-2006, 02:48 PM
Wow. Jacob always seemed like such a gentleman. His posts had clarity and were insightful, his replies always courteous.
I'll miss seeing him here.
Good Luck in your new adventure Jacob!
ron angel
10-08-2006, 05:38 PM
[quote="greeneagle"]Sad news is never easy to pass on.
I was just informed that friend and fellow WPW member Jacob Wissler (http://www.jacobwissler.com/) owner of Global SEO Inc. (http://www.globalseoinc.com/) and SEO Houston (http://www.seohouston.com/) passed away unexpectedly this past Sunday night or Monday morning.
Sorry to hear that, he will be missed
www.ssrichardmontgomery.com (http://www.ssrichardmontgomery.com)
AmericanOnlineMall
10-09-2006, 08:33 PM
A big Loss to the Web World.My deepest sympathies .
MatthewP
10-10-2006, 10:02 AM
So many of us struggle to do what Jacob did with ease, cut out the fluff and get to the point. Jacob will be missed.
timmathews.com
10-12-2006, 11:29 PM
Jacob lives on in the forum. What a great histoical record of his thoughts, insight and more.
Thank you Jacob.
Ellygator
10-18-2006, 11:04 PM
Wow...he was so nice and I just met him. He was the 3rd person (and last) to immediately jump in and greet me and offer his assistance!!! This to someone who introduced herself as a total newbie...total. He enouraged me. And, he did that on my birthday.
I'll say a prayer for him and his...and extend my sympathies to them.
I know he'd be pleased to see the newbie's work...from my last post ("A Snappy Hello" in the introductions) saying I know nothing...I didn't even know what FTP was...lol...to now I have 4-5 sites up...not fully...need more content...but content is easier to get than setting it up when you are new. But they are up and I think look pretty decent!
Thanks for befriending me and offering any help.
Kelly
greeneagle
10-19-2006, 12:04 AM
Ellygator,
I'd like to take the opportunity to welcome you to WPW also.
Please feel free to participate at WPW.
I look forward to your continued contributions.
Ken
ST3PHAN13
10-24-2006, 02:47 PM
It is truly heart wrenching to hear of such a great loss to the SEO world. There have been many great contributions to this era of the internet, and as I understand Jacob has had quite an impact with many years of contributions.
Additionally, I send my condolences for his family and friends. On many occasions, your colleagues and friends are considerably closer than family and on some level, I am sure that is something we can all appreciate.
Ken, I am sure it would be very honorable of you to publish the article in his namesake.
Stephanie
Easywebdev
10-27-2006, 07:13 AM
Wow, just got to this topic today. I did some work for Jacob touching up photographs (his avatar was one) and found him very pleasant to deal with.
My deepest condolances go out to his friends and family.
R.I.P Jacob.
greeneagle
11-04-2006, 09:59 AM
Recently I have entertained calls from Jacob's friends who have thanked us for this thread in his memory.
Yesterday, I spoke with an elder gentleman that frequently expresses wisdom in his communications here and most likely everywhere he goes.
He conveyed that he had just realized his 80th birthday and during the conversation also revealed that he had recently (August) lost his wife of 58 years.
He told me during the conversation (paraphrased):
I thank God that she went first, because I wouldn't have wanted to have her go through this grief.
That reminded me of this thread where Jacob recently lost his dad:
http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?p=273137&sid=14ffb36b33f1e0d32424a8eac7b28370
Frequently (all too often), we see long time partners, lovers, family members pass on before their time soon after losing a significant other.
Jacob's Dad was all he had... He spent every weekend going from Houston to Abileen? visiting his elderly father in a nursing home.
It can be quite depressing losing someone that close. Many give up and lose all purpose in life and follow closely behind.
The elder gentleman that I spoke with yesterday had the right mindset, he said:
"I have to focus on the good memories and go on."
It's a real shame we don't spend the time we should honoring our elders in our culture, for the wisdom they have to convey.
Ken
Mamoon Rashid
11-04-2006, 10:52 AM
I am lucky to born in a culture where we dont send our elders to old homes....
my dad is 80 and my mom is 75...and I consider myself very lucky that they are still living with me...or I am living with them...
parents are to be cherished...they are the one who love you unconditionally.
jawn_tech
11-04-2006, 11:51 PM
Well said, Mamoon.
I've made it explicitly clear to my parents I'll be there for them if/when that day comes, a nursing home will never be necessary for them.
We have a cool hospice program in our area -- my family received services from it and my mother is now an active volunteer for it.