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Meet Josh Utley of Intrepid Network - SD Voyager, July 26, 2018

Josh, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?

At Intrepid Network, Inc., we help people align their brand(s) with opportunity. As Media Production Supervisor, I worked directly with top executives at ManTech to revolutionize our Interactive Multimedia Instruction solution, moving it from yesterday’s Click-2-Learn platform (which produced Computer-Based Training CD-ROMs) to a customized in-house Flash/XML platform that produced Web-Based Training for Desktops and Mobile Devices.

This then positioned ManTech for an upcoming Bid where I developed the required PowerPoint Presentation with Flash and in-presentation memory between slides, ending with detailed test results from the embedded presentation of our courseware capabilities. This “never done before” use of old and new technologies secured the 90 million five-year contract awarded by SPAWAR.

As Creative Director at Touche’ 21, a $10 million-a-year company, I created a national branding & marketing campaign that led to its acquisition by Australian Horizons. I stayed on with them as Creative Director.

Josh Utley, President & amp; CEO, established Intrepid Network in 1996 (then Intrepid Designs) and brings 21 years of real-world experience in the multimedia industry. Previously, Josh worked for Global Horizons, a $10 million-a-year international apparel company; ManTech, a government services corporation with budgets averaging $1 million per project; and start-ups with varying project budgets and industries.

Using the latest technologies and leading open-source software and commercial tools, Intrepid Network supports clients with all their Website Development, Design, Programming, Graphic Design, Video Production, and Photography needs. Utilizing these and other technologies, Intrepid Network proficiently designs & develops projects on time and within budget.

Whether Intrepid Network is producing a website, a content management system, integrating an eCommerce package into a website, or developing an online instructional course, clients are always pleased with the outcome.

Intrepid Network offers quality, performance, and professionalism. You can be confident your project will be completed on time, without hassle or unforeseen challenges. Wondering who the “Network” is? It’s Josh, his employees, his colleagues, peers, clients, and you. Networking drives business success, and the more Intrepid you are, the more successful you are.

Has it been a smooth road?

No journey is smooth. Because I was raised by a single father and came from a low-income family, deciding where to attend college was difficult. I planned to pursue a career in Architecture and attend college in Nebraska, but during my senior year at Point Loma High, I changed my mind and decided to study multimedia at Platt College, where my father graduated in 1986.

I graduated in 1996 with only a diploma in multimedia and graphic design because there really wasn’t an associate program for multimedia back then. I was only 19 when I started my career at Mires Design in downtown San Diego.

Doing 3D for their Intel account was my first project. I remember the Creative Director watching my thumb through a clip art book and saying, "That is fine; you want to absorb all that is in there, just do it quicker." I felt I wasn’t in the right place. So I left and started at Touche’ 21, a surf clothing manufacturer with a women’s line called 619 and a men’s export line called Boomdoggers. I stayed there for a few years and worked my way up from artist to Creative Director.

There, I learned what leadership really costs. Many of the people I had worked with went on to work for No Fear. I also interviewed, but because I chose to stay and finish a deadline with Touche’ 21 and give my two weeks, No Fear told me they had no place for me because I wouldn’t just leave. I stuck to my morals, and I’m proud of that. I would have liked to work with them, though. I still have my recommendation letter from a fellow employee on No Fear letterhead.

Next, I did a 180 and worked for a Department of Defense contractor. I started there as an artist, and within six years I worked my way back up to Creative Director. After producing a demo that played a key role in winning a $ 90 million five-year contract, I was laid off. The money took a while to come in, and ManTech always laid off the highest-paid first. When they asked, I chose not to go back.

Instead, I took my severance and employee stock options and started my own company, Intrepid Network. At the same time, I was going through a divorce and raising my two kids on my own. I would work when my kids were asleep and from parks and restaurants. I even rendered 3D animation videos while driving them to various activities. The first five years were a real struggle; the next five, I found a rhythm. I remember talking with my Mom about how the phone started ringing on its own, without me having to constantly go out and sell. That was a true milestone in my business. Once a person hits 10 years or 10,000 hours, they are pretty much a professional at whatever it is they’ve been doing that entire time.

10 years eventually became 15 years, and a few new opportunities came my way. I landed a three-year contract with UCSD to work on a scholarly community website. They flew me to Oxford for their un-conference, and I’ve continued working for a variety of clients throughout San Diego, plus a few from other states. I’ve worked with the Ocean Beach Main Street Association on contract since 2009. I consider them my favorite client because I love working for the community I live in, seeing everyone in my neighborhood, and knowing my work is appreciated.

Now, after 22 years in the multimedia industry, things keep changing. I now offer video production and editing as my primary social media marketing service, along with website design and development. I also take photos and do graphic design for existing client events and marketing promotions. It’s been a long road, but I’m still excited about new opportunities ahead.

We’d love to hear more about your business.

Intrepid Network Inc. currently has contracts with the City of Imperial Beach and Ocean Beach, San Diego, to provide content management solutions for their BID’s. As a one-stop shop for multimedia services, Intrepid Network not only designs, develops, and maintains websites; we also manage all aspects of a brand’s image. We provide brand support across the entire Internet, including but not limited to all social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Based in San Diego, CA, Intrepid Network, Inc. has built a reputation as being a leading custom website design company. Clients come to us for website design and development because we build amazing websites that connect with their core audience. Your website is an extension of your business and should be a reflection of that. We strive to build custom websites that are accessible to all the major search engines, giving you and your company the maximum exposure possible to reach every single client looking for your services and/or products.

At Intrepid Network, we understand the challenges small businesses face. Our whole purpose is to support business people and help them succeed by building a website that is a profit center. Your website should help you find new clients, make it easier for customers to do business with you, and be flexible enough that you can make updates quickly and easily. Intrepid Network, Inc. is a full-service website design and marketing company. Our websites are amazing. Intrepid Network has over 17 years of Website Design and Marketing experience. Our technical expertise lets us create websites that look great and function flawlessly.

When you partner with Intrepid Network on your website project, you’ll work with a firm that understands business needs and provides professional one-on-one service.

Intrepid Network offers Creative and fresh-looking designs, Clean website programming, fully tested in a wide variety of web browsers and screen sizes for compatibility, Marketing research to learn more about your clients and competitors, Google marketing tools to view your website statistics and trends, Modern features like content management systems, responsive design, automated search engine rank placement, Competitive pricing, and the experience and backing of our company’s president & CEO, who started in the industry in 1996.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?

Yes, San Diego is a great place for multimedia businesses. People are always looking for help with brand, design, and creative content. You can start on your own or run a large-scale team. There is enough business here for everyone.

I recommend attending many mixers and joining a few networking groups. Networking is key.

Contact Info:

SDVoyager – San Diego Source: https://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-josh-utley-intrepid-network-inc-ocean-beach/