When David Kirkup joined the team of a risk management consulting company specializing in the management of captive insurance companies in 2015, he knew he had an opportunity to make it stand out among its peers. With the help of Michael Mackenzie Communications (MMC), he was able to do just that.
“The captive insurance industry is very ‘Mom and Pop’—very generic,” notes Kirkup, COO of Captive Alternatives. “I wanted to position our firm as a leader—and enable it to grow rapidly. I had known [MMC founder] Jennifer Koon for more than 10 years. She had good references, very broad experience and people spoke highly of her. I knew that she could help us achieve that goal.”
Working collaboratively, Kirkup and Koon developed a plan for immediate collateral and website improvement, as well as a strategy for long-term growth. Over the next nine months, Koon and the MMC team helped Kirkup execute the marketing plan and pinpoint key opportunities that would increase Captive Alternatives’ visibility. “MMC helped me identify shows and conferences where I could get crucial exposure,” says Kirkup.
Significant Growth—and an Honor
Barely a year later, the business was flourishing. “When I joined the company, we were growing very slowly,” says Kirkup. Today, we have more than doubled the number of captives on our roster.” A clear indicator of CapAlt’s success is being named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies—twice in two years. The company made the Inc. 5000 in 2016 and again in 2018, with three-year revenue growth of 137 percent. “To my knowledge, there is no other small captive insurance company on the Inc. 5000 list,” Kirkup says. “Jennifer was instrumental in getting us to that position.”
Reflecting on the changes that positioned Captive Alternatives to achieve that pinnacle, Kirkup notes, “Our website had been launched in 1997. It didn’t stand out. I wanted to take a lead from the tech industry and make it shine. The idea was to build a grand marketing image that placed us well above our competition.”
“We have had a lot of compliments that our website is understandable, easy to navigate, impressive and helpful,” Kirkup continues. “MMC also helped us create several short ‘explainer’ videos—and launch a TV page on the website.”
Asked what, specifically, makes MMC stand out among the marketing “crowd,” Kirkup replies, “Jennifer is very forthright. She makes her opinions clear, and she helped me test my assumptions. I appreciate that.”
“Anyone working with her needs to keep an open mind, and in return, they will benefit from her broad knowledge and experience.”
“On a scale of one to 10, I would absolutely give MMC a 10, ” Kirkup concludes.
About Captive Alternatives
Captive Alternatives (CapAlt) is a leading risk management consultancy helping business owners turn business risk into equity through the use of a Private Insurance Company™. CapAlt’s innovative business model, the Protected Captive, helps business owners identify and manage hidden risks, protect assets, fund growth and reward themselves for effective risk management. CapAlt delivers sophisticated solutions through an industry-first Puerto Rico International
Insurer and manages operations from offices in Atlanta and Puerto Rico. Since 2016, CapAlt has been listed on Inc. 5000’s list of the world’s fastest-growing companies. For more information, visit https://www.captivealternatives.com.
