Rand Fishkin
Rand Fishkin is the cofounder and CEO of Alertmouse, Snackbar Studio, and SparkToro. He previously founded Moz, which was acquired, and cofounded Inbound.org. His expertise includes marketing and entrepreneurship.
Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson and Founders Share Key Startup Lessons at Seattle Flow Day on May 15
At Seattle Flow Startup Day, experienced founders including Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson shared lessons from their hardships, emphasizing building passionate companies, maintaining emotional stability, hiring capable people, disciplined fundraising, questioning the need for venture capital, and considering acquisition early. Kittleson recounted surviving a disastrous network outage that nearly ended his startup, highlighting resilience and customer-driven growth.
Seattle Startup Alertmouse Launches to Rival Google Alerts with Improved Online Mention Tracking
Seattle startup Alertmouse, founded by tech veterans Rand Fishkin, Adam Doppelt, and Nathan Kriege, offers enhanced email alerts to track online mentions more effectively than Google Alerts. The service scans websites multiple times daily to provide timely notifications for individuals and brands monitoring their online presence.
Rand Fishkin Raises $2.15M From 38 Angel Investors for Seattle-Based Snackbar Studio's Debut Game Launch in 2026
Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro, launched Snackbar Studio, an indie video game company in Seattle, raising $2.15 million from 38 angel investors to develop their first game, The Snackbar at the End of the World, planned for a 2026 PC release. The funding model uses personal networks rather than VC money, with open-source pitch and funding documents to support other indie developers.
Rand Fishkin of SparkToro on Shift AI Podcast: AI Should Reduce Work Hours and Enable Better Decision-Making
Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro and former Moz co-founder, discusses on the Shift AI podcast how AI can reduce workload by automating busy work and enabling better decision-making. He emphasizes prioritizing quality decisions over long hours and shares insights on entrepreneurship, AI’s potential, and startup challenges.
Sarah Bird departs Moz after 14 years and seven-plus years as CEO following June acquisition by iContact (J2 Global)
Sarah Bird is leaving Moz after 14 years at the Seattle SEO software startup, including more than seven years as CEO; Moz was acquired by iContact (a J2 Global subsidiary) this past June and Bird transitioned to EVP and chief revenue officer of the Moz Group before announcing her departure. She plans to take the winter off to rest and has no firm next steps yet.
iContact (J2 Global subsidiary) acquires Seattle SEO firm Moz; terms undisclosed
Seattle SEO software startup Moz, founded in 2004 by Rand Fishkin and Gillian Muessig, was acquired by iContact (a J2 Global subsidiary); terms were not disclosed and Moz will keep its brand while joining J2’s email marketing portfolio. Moz, which employs 177 people, is profitable, serves clients like Alaska Airlines and Zillow, and will pair resources with iContact for combined search and email marketing solutions.
GeekWire reveals winners of fourth annual Seattle 2.0 Startup Awards, naming 14 category champions including Investor Chris DeVore
GeekWire announced winners of the fourth annual Seattle 2.0 Startup Awards at the EMP in Seattle, naming champions across 14 categories who received custom framed records. Notable winners highlighted include Chris DeVore (Investor of the Year) and Shauna Causey (Schmoozer of the Year).
Organizations
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Alertmouse Cofounder & CEO 2025–present, CEO · current
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Snackbar Studio Cofounder & CEO 2023–present · current
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SparkToro Executive Officer, Director, Promoter 2018–present, Cofounder & CEO 2018–present · current
Education
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University of Washington None, Finance · 1997–2001
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Newport High School 1993–1997
