From Magazine Intern to Marketing Maverick: The JB Kellogg Story

Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from the smallest, most unexpected places. For JB Kellogg, co-founder and co-CEO of Madwire®, it all began with an internship at a travel magazine. Back then, he wasn’t dreaming of boardrooms or software empires—he was just a college student learning the ropes, writing content, and dabbling in design projects on the side. But in between deadlines and layout reviews, JB noticed something that would change the course of his life: most small businesses didn’t have a clue how to build a strong online presence. And even fewer could afford the kind of marketing support they really needed to grow.

He started playing around with website design and digital marketing strategies—self-taught, fueled by curiosity, and guided by a growing conviction that he could do better for small businesses. That seed of insight didn’t just spark a career; it sparked a movement.

In 2009, JB teamed up with his father, Joe Kellogg, to turn that insight into something real. Together, they launched Madwire®, a digital marketing company with a bold mission: to help small businesses grow and thrive by giving them the tools big brands use—without the hefty price tag. But instead of following the traditional agency model, they flipped the script.

They built Marketing 360®, an all-in-one platform that combines powerful marketing software with hands-on support from real people who actually care. It offered everything from CRM and email marketing to content creation, ad management, and analytics—all under one digital roof. In a world of fragmented marketing tools, this was a game-changer.

And people noticed.

In just under a decade, Madwire grew from a father-son startup working out of a small office in Fort Collins, Colorado, into a company with over 500 employees. They’ve served tens of thousands of small businesses across the U.S. and pulled in more than $100 million in annual revenue. They’ve been ranked on Inc. 5000’s Fastest Growing Companies list multiple times and even earned nods as one of the best places to work.

But for JB, the real reward isn’t the growth charts or press mentions—it’s the stories. It’s the mom-and-pop shop that doubled their revenue, the local gym that expanded to a second location, or the family-run bakery that finally went viral. It’s the ripple effect of small businesses finding their footing and fueling their communities.

Today, Madwire isn’t just another tech company. It’s a purpose-driven team powered by a shared belief: when small businesses succeed, local communities thrive. And it all started with one unpaid internship, a keen eye for opportunity, and a deep desire to help the underdogs win.