25 Years in Business. Still Inspired. Still Grateful.

September marked a milestone that’s hard to put into words: 25 years since we opened our doors as a digital marketing agency. In fact, digital marketing didn’t even exist in our vocabulary back then. Ascedia was one of Milwaukee’s early web development companies.

What began as a small, scrappy group of four working out of our homes has grown into something far more meaningful - a place where creativity meets strategy, where relationships matter, and where every project tells a story worth sharing.

I can still remember our first client, a toy company entering the US market and based in Orlando. It felt like we were spending more days working in central Florida in those early days of Ascedia than in Milwaukee.  I can remember writing HTML in notepad. I remember finding our first office where we all could work together in our second year. It was fun. It was exciting. And at times we just thrived on chaos. Our mantra was simple – “We will just figure it out!”

As I reflect, on the hard work, the good decisions, the bad decisions, the impromptu opportunities and the role luck played in our success; there are three groups that are the real reason for our success:

To our incredible team—past and present—you are the heartbeat of Ascedia. Your talent, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence have shaped our culture and elevated our work. Thank you for believing in the vision and working so hard to make it better every day.

To our clients—you’ve trusted us with your brands, your goals, and your challenges. You’ve invited us into your stories, and we’ve grown alongside you. Thank you for your partnership, your feedback, and your loyalty.

To our partners and collaborators—thank you for bringing your expertise, your innovation, and your generosity to the table. You’ve helped us stretch, evolve, and deliver smarter solutions.

25 years is more than a number. It’s a testament to resilience, reinvention, and relationships. We’ve weathered market shifts, embraced new technologies, and stayed true to what matters most: helping people connect through meaningful technology and marketing.

Just for fun, here is a small list of current digital marketing technologies that DID NOT exist in 2000 when we opened our doors – social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), programmatic advertising, marketing automation, SEO tools and analytics, mobile marketing, smart phones, influencer marketing, AI and machine learning, video marketing (YouTube), cloud-based tools just to name a few. What a landscape we have had to navigate these last 25 years!

If you’ve been a part of our journey, drop a memory or moment in the comments. We’d love to celebrate with you.

So, here’s to the next chapter—where we keep building, keep learning, and keep showing up with purpose. 

With gratitude, Dan