_Rockit Science Agency's Brad BonGiovanni Awarded Business Report's Top 40 Under Forty

Friday, November 13, 2009

Being laid off was a blessing in disguise for Brad BonGiovanni.

It provided the necessary motivation to launch Rockit Science Agency from a home office in 2002 as an interactive Web company. As the agency has grown to six employees and into a location on Perkins Road, BonGiovanni has added services that include advertising, Web sites and design.

“I’m in the marketing and advertising business, but it took me five years to realize I need to market and advertise myself,” he says. “You spend so much time looking at other people’s businesses and how to help them generate revenues and sell products that when you start looking at your own, you’re either so critical of yourself or you just don’t have the time so you put it off.”

There seems to be little to criticize. Rockit Science garnered national recognition this year with a Silver Award in the national ADDY competition for a Web site designed for LUBA Workers’ Comp.

“What we’re doing now is introducing our national flair, our creativity, into a local market that people are not used to seeing,” he says. “That kind of helps freshen everything up here in the marketplace.”

Rockit Science has made strides in securing both local and national clients, but BonGiovanni is wary of too much growth too fast. He plans to grow slowly and continue to hire within the state.

“We’re very proud of that because there is a large talent pool,” he says. “I don’t feel limited. There’s some great talent here, and we’re excited to be doing business in town.”

BonGiovanni has made it a priority to give back to the community. Rockit Science donates a free branding campaign every year for a nonprofit organization to draw awareness to their cause; his year’s beneficiary is the Volunteer Health Corps. And after being hit by a drunk driver earlier this year, he also created a nonprofit that provides two scholarships to college students.

“I wanted to raise awareness to wear their seat belt because it saved my life,” he says. “I also wanted to raise awareness of what we do in the advertising and media world, help kids in college understand what this field is all about and hopefully have some people follow in our footsteps.”

If you could have a job other than your own, what would it be? “Probably an Air Force pilot. I’m fascinated with aircraft and speed and the thrill of flying an F-16 or F-22 Raptor, the newest hardware that technology has to offer. That’s exciting to me.”

Click here for the complete list of 2009's Forty Under 40 winners.