Generate Leads

Nick is our leader and founder at SSDM, serving as the visionary; working closely with our clients and our team to develop strategies for success. With his vast experience, Nick is able to impart how sales and marketing work hand-in-hand, always looking at the big picture to develop the most impactful ways to grow a business.

With over a decade at SSDM, Chief Creative Officer and Partner Michael has led the agency to nearly 30 industry awards spanning web development, content strategy, search marketing, and video storytelling. His innovative leadership has earned SSDM multiple 'Best and Brightest Places to Work' recognitions both regionally and nationally. Michael excels at transforming complex marketing challenges into simple, engaging solutions that drive measurable results across all digital channels.

When Nick was in grade school, his mother worked afternoons at a senior living community in his hometown. Because Nick was already home from school, she often took him to work with her. During the many days and hours at this senior living community, Nick got to know several of the residents. Most memorable for him was Pearl, the 101 year old resident with whom he spent much time. He marveled at the wisdom she and the other seniors offered him and deeply enjoyed how much they adored him and made him feel valued.

When Nick began his digital marketing business, he had no idea that this positive experience would become an area of passion and grown expertise. Nick now relishes the opportunity to help support senior communities that use wisdom to help their residents remain as active and vital as possible, all while also making them feel adored and valued.

Growing up, Michael had a great aunt who was more like a grandmother to him. She had raised Michael’s mother from her teen to adult years, in addition to raising her only son, Saintclaire, who had been born blind in the 1940s. This grandmotherly figure was named Thelma and Michael’s family visited her and her husband almost every single weekend of Michael’s childhood. Michael saw how Thelma never spoke differently to her blind son and taught him skills he needed to be as independent as possible…in a time when many would have put a blind adult in an institution. Saintclaire walked their hometown to run his own errands and managed a good deal of his own life. Though Thelma might drive him somewhere or pick him up on occasion, she never made a fuss or positioned her son as being disabled. Saintclaire participated fully in all family gatherings, even helping to clear dishes and fill glasses with sweet tea from time to time. Through unspoken actions, Thelma helped Michael understand that it was possible to care for another human being, but still offer them the best environment to thrive and live without a sense of being limited in their contributions to themselves and others. Her attitude and mannerisms assured that Saintclaire felt vital, independent and comfortable in almost any environment.

Late in Thelma’s life she developed dementia and ultimately had to be placed in memory care. Michael visited Thelma frequently with his mother and family. He witnessed the many pros and cons of the care Thelma received, often noting that not everyone is able nor does every situation allow for a human to be made to feel vital, independent and comfortable.

Fast forward 10 years to a time when Michael is establishing and growing skills on how to market a number of senior living environments. Over the next 15+ years, he has dedicated himself to offering the very best creative strategies (UI + UX) to help assure that the potential residents and their families can easily find the ideal care.

In her early 20s, Tena’s mother informed her that the very social and independent younger version of herself “always made a beeline for the oldest person in any room.” Though Tena had not consciously made this choice as a small girl, it likely translated from the wonderful relationship she had with her grandmother (after whom she was named). As it turns out, Tena became guardian of her mother in her mid 20s and one of her first tasks was to find an assisted living facility that could help assure her mother was cared for, but also give her as rich a life experience as possible. Tena toured 6 and landed on one that her mother lived at for 18 years, before moving on to a facility that could deliver full nursing care. In total, Tena cared for her mother for more than 30 years, with the fabulous help of a stellar pair of senior living communities.

Tena is a seasoned marketer that has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world. What she enjoys the most, however, is using her accumulated marketing wisdom to assure that senior living communities can be so great at marketing themselves that they are able to easily devote more funds to creating the best life-enriching environments for seniors.

For Courtney, family memories were often made around the dinner table, where her Oma shared stories, served up meals fit for an army, and instilled a sense of tradition that resonates to this day. Her Oma’s journey - from her roots in Sulawesi, Indonesia, through her immigration to the United States in 1959, and onward to her 19 years of service at General Motors and 62 years of dedication to her church - left Courtney with a lasting appreciation for resilience, kindness, commitment, and the importance of tradition.

As Associate Creative Director at SSDM, Courtney brings that same dedication to creating work that leaves a mark. Through her experiences, she understands the challenges, decisions and uncertainty that families face when supporting loved ones in senior living - a journey she is navigating firsthand with her father. With every project, Courtney ensures that SSDM’s strategies and creative solutions go beyond marketing - helping families feel supported, heard, and connected as they make important transitions.

When she says she cares, she means it, and when she says she’s here to help, it’s with the heart of someone who values legacy, community, and building something that lasts.

Growing up, Rachel spent time with her grandparents at least twice a week, cherishing the wisdom and stories they shared. Their life experiences shaped much of who Rachel is today, and she always appreciated the wisdom and legacy that came with each passing year. As she watched them transition from a life of traveling the world to needing in-home care and eventually moving into assisted living, Rachel gained a deep appreciation for the professionals and communities that support seniors.

As a Senior Project Manager and CX representative at SSDM, Rachel brings that same dedication to every client. She ensures that each project runs smoothly, while always keeping the residents’ experience at the heart of her work, creating strategies that deliver results with empathy and care.

As one of the youngest members of a very large family, Marie is no stranger to spending time with older folks. She spent weekends during her childhood digging for treasures in her grandparent’s basement, which was packed floor-to-ceiling with all kinds of things (a product of her grandparents living through the Great Depression, no doubt). She loved bringing her findings to her grandparents to hear the stories behind them, or to learn what kind of outdated kitchen gadget she had found. Later, Marie cared regularly for her grandparents as they aged, helping with activities of daily living as well as assisting with bedtime routines as her grandfather suffered with dementia. Ensuring that both of her grandparents remained comfortable and happy during their golden years is something that she continually strived toward during each visit.

Now, Marie understands how important it is to make sure that our loved ones receive the best possible care in an environment that will ensure that they are able to flourish. This core value is at the heart of everything she does as a Marketing Intern, and drives her to continue striving toward excellence for SSDM, its clients, and ultimately, the seniors that are impacted along the way.