In the education technology industry, success stories often follow a predictable script - founders with academic credentials, institutional backing from universities, and traditional top-down sales approaches to academic departments. But Trevor Erikson's journey breaks every convention. As Stukent's first hire and CMO, he helped transform a basement startup into an educational technology leader serving over a million students, before co-founding Deviant Ink, a thriving powersports graphics company. His story isn't just about marketing success; it's a testament to the power of unconventional thinking, authentic customer connections, and the courage to innovate in established industries despite overwhelming competition.

Trevor's journey began in sports apparel marketing where he developed his broad skill set across digital platforms. This versatility led him to Stukent, where his ability to wear multiple hats - from copywriter to photographer to web designer - became his greatest strength. In an industry dominated by traditional academic publishers with conventional marketing approaches, Trevor saw an opportunity to create something revolutionary through personalized, high-touch marketing strategies that would transform how educational technology companies connect with professors.

Breaking Marketing Rules

During his early days at Stukent, Trevor Erikson hit upon a critical insight. While competitors focused on standard trade show displays and formal presentations, he recognized professors were people first, educators second. This understanding led to innovative approaches like tracking down professors' favorite candy bars from around the world and creating personalized 3D-printed nameplates - unconventional tactics that would later become legendary in the industry.

Frustrated by the boring nature of academic conferences, Trevor forged a new path. He and his team showed up with energy, personality, and genuine connections that made their booth the center of attention. This approach transformed typically quiet trade show spaces into hubs of excitement, often leading to complaints from neighboring booths about the crowds blocking their spaces.

The breakthrough came through their email marketing strategy. While others feared "over-communicating," Trevor pioneered an approach based on valuable content and authentic engagement. His philosophy was simple: if you have good content and a valid reason to reach out, send the email - even if it means multiple touchpoints per day. This strategy, combined with their high-touch personal approach, helped scale Stukent to tens of millions in valuation.

Revolutionizing Customer Engagement Through Innovation 

Traditional academic publishers relied heavily on textbook sales representatives and formal institutional relationships. Trevor and the Stukent team identified a critical opportunity to revolutionize this approach through digital innovation and personal connection. Their solution transformed how educational technology companies engage with professors, creating genuine relationships rather than just transactional interactions.

The rapid growth came through three key marketing innovations:

• In-person events in unexpected locations like West Yellowstone in June
• Quarterly webinars that became must-attend industry events
• Creative swag professors actually wanted to use, from custom nameplates to branded webcam covers

The technical and creative challenges proved immense as existing systems weren't built for this scale of personalization. As their customer base grew from dozens to thousands of professors, the team had to innovate constantly, creating custom marketing approaches and scaling personal touches through technology. Their fresh perspective became an advantage, pushing them to solve problems that seemed impossible to traditional players.

Turning Side Hustle into Success 

While serving as Stukent's CMO, Trevor co-purchased Deviant Ink, a powersports graphics company. The challenge of balancing a full-time executive role with a growing side business tested his entrepreneurial abilities. His solution was to leverage his marketing expertise while his partner handled production, creating a complementary partnership that enabled growth without compromising either venture.

The success of this dual-role strategy proved transformative. As Stukent continued its meteoric rise, Trevor applied his proven marketing playbook to Deviant Ink, adapting the same principles of authentic connection and innovative content strategy to an entirely different industry. His experience juggling multiple ventures demonstrated that core marketing principles transcend industry boundaries when properly adapted to each market's unique characteristics.

Today, Deviant Ink ships custom graphics globally, from northern Canada to Saudi Arabia. Trevor's marketing innovation continues through initiatives like the Sledder Cast podcast, which serves both as content marketing and strategic networking. This approach maintains the same principles that drove Stukent's success: authentic connections, valuable content, and innovative customer engagement. The company's rapid growth validates Trevor's belief that combining digital innovation with passion markets creates powerful opportunities for scale.

Scaling Through Strategic Content

While most entrepreneurs struggle to balance multiple ventures, Trevor's approach to content creation became the bridge between his companies. His launch of Sledder Cast wasn't just another podcast - it became a masterclass in strategic content marketing. The show served multiple purposes: establishing industry authority, building strategic partnerships, and creating valuable content that could be repurposed across multiple channels.

The podcast strategy exemplified Trevor's marketing philosophy in action. Each episode provided an excuse to connect with industry leaders, creating relationships that often evolved into business opportunities. More importantly, it generated consistent content that could be transformed into email newsletters, social media posts, and blog articles - maximizing the return on every piece of content created.

Beyond just content creation, Trevor implemented a comprehensive digital strategy that leveraged every platform's unique strengths. From dynamic social media campaigns to targeted email marketing, each piece of content was carefully crafted to serve multiple purposes while maintaining authentic connections with their audience. This approach proved that with the right strategy, content creation could become a powerful tool for scaling multiple businesses simultaneously.

Legacy of Marketing Innovation 

Today, Trevor applies these same principles to growing Deviant Ink. His approach remains consistent: identify opportunities for authentic connection, create valuable content, and build genuine relationships. His methodology proves successful marketing requires both technical understanding and human connection.

For aspiring marketers and entrepreneurs, Trevor's journey offers a powerful alternative to conventional marketing approaches. His success demonstrates that authentic engagement and innovative thinking can build multi-million dollar businesses, focusing on fundamental principles of genuine connection and consistent value delivery.

Looking ahead, Trevor continues to innovate in the powersports industry, showing entrepreneurial success comes from seeing opportunities where others see obstacles. His story remains a testament to the power of unconventional marketing, authentic relationships, and the courage to revolutionize established industries through innovation.

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