Listen to this article

Date: July 27, 1994

Title: Top 20/Imedia

While the big guys of the advertising world are struggling to restructure and become technically competitive, millions of advertising dollars are being directed to Imedia, a small company in Morristown. “Ten years ago, I could not have gotten the clients I have now,” says founder Jo-Anne Dressendofer, who credits her company”s technical expertise with making the difference in landing clients like AT&T, Northern Telcom and Novell.

Big companies with their plush offices and padded invoices used to have all the advantages. But Dressendofer believes that small can now be powerful. One of Imedia”s clients is SHL Systemhouse, a Canadian computer system integrator that does $1 billion in business annually. Dressendofer got the job she says because the company “couldn”t find any firm in New York City to represent them.”

Imedia specializes in marketing services for high-technology companies, often helping them with product launches. Its roles range from developing marketing plans and setting up distribution channels to supporting sales at trade show booths. “Business is changing too fast, and product managers can”t take time to talk to ad account executives who know nothing about their industry,” says Dressendofer. As for competition from the major ad agencies, she says, “It”s impossible for them to do the same thing I do right now.” Imedia often stays with a product throughout its life cycle, although that may be less than two years in those rapidly changing fields.

Everything has come very fast for Dressendofer, who has accomplished a lot in her 33 years. After working at a video production house and a stint at AT&T, she started her own company in 1987, when she was only 27. Imedia set up shop in a cubicle in one of AT&T”s offices, and soon the former employer became the first client. The match benefited both. Dressendofer”s experience with AT&T products, customers and way of doing things provided project continuity for both AT&T and Dressendofer.

Quickly outgrowing the cubicle, the company moved first to Woodbridge and then to Morristown. Imedia now employs 27 people and also has offices in Burlingame, Calif. and Chicago. Revenues were $1 million in the first year and have climbed steadily. Presently at $5 million, sales could hit $7 million this year, she says. Dressendofer candidly admits that she lacked the business experience of some entrepreneurs, but she shows a lot of business savvy with a debt-free financial statement.

Imedia has done well largely by word of mouth. The company has never had a sales force, although in August it will hire its first sales and marketing manager. The company has had a policy of full-time market managers, whom Dressendofer calls “subject matter experts,” for projects, and that will not change.

Rapid growth has created some problems along the way. Dressendofer was forced to learn to delegate more responsibility in 1992 after seven key employees threatened to quit unless they were given greater decision-making authority. When a manager for the Morristown office was hired last January, Dressendofer still found “handing over the business to someone else the tough part.”

The boss, though, has become a manager. The transition has caused “a little sales decline,” she admits, and a few customers are “upset because I”m not servicing them anymore.” But she feels this is only temporary, and a crucial step if the company is going to continue growing.

Dressendofer says her main priorities now are to handle the new offices in Chicago and Burlingame and a newsletter called Info-Server, which Imedia recently acquired. It is targeted at computer-industry service providers. She is also keeping a close eye on a deal with Hill & Knowlton in Chicago. The world”s largest public relations firm is allowing the small Morristown company to “co-locate” with it, and she thinks this will “significantly help Imedia penetrate new markets.” s