As one of the first digital-only, customer acquisition agencies in the Philadelphia area, Dave launched Arc Intermedia in January 2010. Arc was built to deliver measurable results, not vanity metrics, and he structured the company for long-term stability, creating a culture of trust and accountability, with zero layoffs since day one. His role within the agency is to lead sales and business operations with a responsibility of attracting and supporting highly talented digital experts that provide the agency’s clients with the best solutions.
Dave has the belief that every initiative must begin with a clearly defined business goal, ensuring every dollar spent supports tangible growth. His recommendations to clients come easily as he approaches every decision as if each business were his own: his money, his staff, his responsibility, guiding him to bring a practical, real-world perspective to strategy, execution, and performance. Under Dave’s leadership, Arc Intermedia continues to drive consistent results for clients across many industries, as a successful agency they can count on in the future.
Dave has been awarded two patents by the USPTO.
For those interested, here’s the longer story of my experiences that have impacted my business career. Told in my words, I suppose it’s more of a career autobiography.
Several years out of college and working at ad and creative agencies, I co-founded my first company, D&D Interactive, with my then-partner, Dave St. Clair. It was 1996, and the internet was still a mystery to most businesses. Websites were new, and no one really knew what they were supposed to cost or even do. There weren’t established protocols to follow for launching an internet company, but I believed we could create something better. I wrote my first business plan and never considered failure.
We had no clients, no roadmap, and most importantly, no money. The banks had no interest in providing us with business loans. So, I used every dollar of my savings, maxed out credit cards, and leased what we could. I reworked the business plan into a prospectus, pitched friends and family on a tiered, high-interest loan model, and raised the funds we needed. Incredibly, they said yes. Even more incredibly, we paid them all back within the first four years.
We opened with a staff of five in a creative, full-time office in Bala Cynwyd, PA. At first, we provided design and presentation services as we evolved into a full website production company. We attracted high profile, Philadelphia area clients and increased staff. I led all sales, oversaw marketing, handled accounting, and learned how to run a business by running one, day in and day out. We grew a very successful company from nothing.
That 13-year experience taught me how to treat people with respect, how to lead with consistency, and how to always find a solution, no matter what the obstacle. The word “can’t” doesn’t exist for me. Those lessons about culture, stability, team building, and doing the right thing, was the DNA of what would later form Arc Intermedia.
After years in production services, I wanted to focus on what really excited me: measurable marketing, customer acquisition, and programs that could be tracked directly to revenue. Most agencies at the time were still pushing branding, airtime, and promotion. I wasn’t interested in vanity metrics. I was willing to live or die by results.
In January 2010 after much planning, I launched Arc Intermedia.
Arc Intermedia became one of the first digital-only, customer acquisition agencies in the Philadelphia area. No traditional media but rather strategies to drive online traffic, leads, and measurable growth. From day one, we focused on how we could tie every marketing dollar back to business success.
I built the company with a hybrid model in mind. Remote work for those who thrived in that environment, shared office space for collaboration, and a willingness without hesitation to go to the client’s location whenever they needed us. I believed then, and still do now, that true work-life balance comes from trust, flexibility, and clarity in expectations within structured remote work.
When COVID hit, our team didn’t miss a beat. Our processes were already fully virtual, refined, and collaborative. There were zero disruptions, and more importantly, zero layoffs. In fact, since day one, I’ve never laid off a single person. I’ve given raises to every team member, every year. Several members of our staff have been with Arc for over 12 years. Turnover is incredibly low, and our team is smart, kind, and loyal, the three values we prize, protect and reward.
While I handle all sales efforts, I still love the details of our work. I test theories, dive into campaign data, and help clients map strategy to real-world results. I also genuinely enjoy public speaking and have spoken at marketing business events and continually seek opportunities. I also participate in private, educational seminars for our clients to provide further value to them. I’m always happy to provide free marketing advice to anyone who reaches out. My goal is to offer value and share what I’ve learned.
I’ve always been fascinated by business models—how companies make money, how they structure their services, and how they scale. That curiosity led me to join Philly Startup Leaders in 2008, when it was a raw, gritty group of entrepreneurs, developers, and dreamers. I attended meetings, shared ideas, learned from others, and tried my hand at raising capital. It was exciting and difficult, and I loved it.
In 2007, I launched a startup of my own called Last 2 Left. It was a simple, online game built around a universal concept: predicting the final two teams or contestants in any kind of competition from sports and reality TV to politics and tournaments of any kind. Of course, simple concepts require complex execution. I had to build logic models, define rules, plan monetization, and map the user experience. I raised seed money, oversaw mobile app and web development, and acquired over 150,000 registered users with a simple MVP.
The idea was strong enough to earn me two U.S. patents in 2010 and 2012. The process of working with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, designing user flows, pitching VCs, and managing investors gave me an entirely new business lens.
That lens now benefits Arc Intermedia clients. I bring startup thinking to established companies and help early-stage brands think clearly about marketing, monetization, and product logic. I believe that pitching your value should be clear, fast, and impactful. That mindset is baked into how we help our clients build digital marketing programs and the presentations designed to communicate our thinking.
The alarm goes off at 5:25 a.m. My wife is not a fan.
In college, I fell in love with working out and never stopped. Now this super early time slot, with no technology beyond an iPhone playlist is how I unplug, clear my mind, and reset before the workday begins. No social media. No screens. No distractions. This is my digital detox and zen. It keeps me centered and sharp, and it makes me a better thinker and decision-maker for the agency.
Sports have always played a big role in my life and the pickup games involving every sport were endless. I played travel baseball growing up and ran track in high school. I started as a sprinter but quickly realized I wasn’t quite fast enough, so I pivoted to the 800 meters. Two laps were plenty. Skiing remains one of my favorite sports and one of the best, in my opinion. There’s just something about standing at 10,000 feet elevation in the winter cold, looking down a mountain, that feels both humbling and energizing.
I play golf too, although it’s a bit obvious I haven’t put in the 10,000 hours. Being outside on a beautiful course almost makes up for the blow-up hole, or two. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to blend that love of sports with business. I’ve worked with clients like Baseball America, Softball America, Three Step Sports, PGA golfer Jim Furyk, and drivers Kenny Brack and Davey Hamilton. The mindset behind sports of being disciplined, competitive, and team-oriented is embedded in how we work and who we hire at Arc Intermedia.
As a dad of two boys who love sports, I’ve spent a lot of time on baseball fields and football sidelines. I’ve coached seven seasons of flag football and more than ten seasons of baseball, from Little League to a pre-teen travel team. Managing and herding a team of 12-year-olds in Cooperstown for a week? Absolute labor of love.
But in 2019, I decided to do something more. At the urging of parents who were frustrated with the high prices and politics of travel baseball companies, I launched Hornets Baseball, a nonprofit travel team focused on quality, affordability, and fairness. I built a 13U program with real structure, a formal LLC, insurance, accounting, and budgeting.
This wasn’t a “for profit” business which exposed me to new challenges. I estimated costs, offered payment plans, and refunded any leftover funds. I hired highly qualified coaches with college playing and coaching experience as “daddy ball” wasn’t allowed. Our travel was smart and limited to a two-hour radius from Baltimore to Allentown and Harrisburg to Atlantic City. The team played in high-level tournaments like Perfect Game and PBR and recruitment showcases with college scouts. It was a full year offering with winter workouts, spring practices, summer tournaments, and a fall season.
I handled everything from scheduling tournaments, scrimmages and practices, renting facilities and fields, to marketing, branding, uniforms, building a website, and even social media. The uniforms looked great, and I would argue the best on the circuit. By our second season and with my digital marketing skills, we attracted over 50 players eager to try out. The program offered a high-level experience at less than half the cost of traditional travel teams and became very attractive to both parents and players.
That experience taught me a lot about value, logistics, service, and consumer marketing. Families trusted me with their kids, time, and money and I never took that lightly. That mindset is directly transferable to how we serve clients at Arc Intermedia. We aim to deliver the best possible outcome at the best possible value, with care, honesty, and precision.
I’ve been fortunate to lead multiple successful ventures, and I believe deeply in giving back. My family regularly volunteers, including meal prep, home repairs, and community projects. In April 2023, I was appointed to the role of Councilor of Communications at Saint Luke Church. It’s a volunteer position where I help guide marketing and technology decisions, assist in hiring, advise staff, and vote on how money is allocated to causes locally, nationally, and internationally.
The organization does meaningful work through hundreds of volunteer opportunities each year and manages significant financial giving. It’s been a rewarding way to give back, connect with others, and gain perspective on those in need. As simple as it sounds, I also donate blood every two months, with appointments scheduled a year in advance to ensure nothing gets in the way. It’s a critical need that unfortunately only 3% of eligible adults donate so I encourage others to do so as well.
At Arc Intermedia, I passively encourage giving back by offering additional PTO for volunteering and closing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to highlight and encourage community service. We celebrate the ways our staff gives back to causes important to them. This fosters a culture to be kind and is a better way to live.
