I registered Sierra Blue in 2014 as a business in Sacramento, but its origins go back 27 years to 1995 as an IT consultancy based across the street from the State Capitol at the old Lombard Building. Using a fax machine and operating without a business name, I blasted hundreds of lobbying and law firms in Sacramento. My client roster grew like a week overnight. My facsimile was simple:

Get the Internet installed in your office and start doing research and using email from the comfort of your own space. $375 plus modem and dedicated phone line. 1 hour of instruction is included.

The graphic designer whom I shared office space with literally laughed at me, “Internet consultant is not a job – that’s not a thing.” 

I ignored her, and flew the coup. A large lobbying firm hired me as their in-house IT guy to manage a startup that managed hospital records. It was exciting to be part of a well-funded Internet-based company. Unfortunately, I missed the big payday when the company was acquired a few years later by a large hospital network for a cool couple hundred million dollars. I kept calm and carried on. 

In 1997, I moved to the Bay Area where I worked as an IT professional at the world headquarters for ADP and Anderson Consulting. Living and working in the center of the dot-com boom was an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. A typical pay-day included a Friday night out to Fry’s with the boys where we bought computer parts to build new systems, and then out to dinner, usually Indian food around San Ramon. Good times.

I returned to Sacramento and was hired by the State Assembly where my official title was Consultant to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Some members recognized my IT skills and before I knew it, I became the “in-house” Internet guy, building Intranet sites to help members track the news that that needed in their districts.

Through the years, my title changed, but essentially, I am a digital communications specialist. Some of the titles I’ve had in this space include, in order of succession:

• IT Tech Support Level II
• International Help Desk
• IT Manager
• Microsoft Certified Instructor
• Webmaster (design and development)
• Graphic Designer
• Digital Advertising Manager
• Online Marketing Specialist
• Google Partner (Advertising and Analytics)
• Google for Nonprofits specialist

Of the people I met at work, the “Googlers,” are the only ones that I’ve kept in touch with. It might have something to do with the immersive training we went through; eating, living, and breathing Google 24/7. Upon completing training and certification, Google hosted an elegant Halloween party in Las Vegas. After a while, this cat jumped the proverbial fence. I rounded up my crew of confidants, you know, people I could trust with a saucy secret.

Hey, you guys wanna grab a limo and go to Freemont Street?

The rest is history and although this was in direct violation of our signed agreement, we adhered to the most important part – NO SOCIAL, NO PHOTOS. I saw a group of our managers and trainers sneak out the night before and jump in a limo – what’s that saying, “Do as I say, not as I do?”

After training, the 300 of us split up into 5 groups – Chicago, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I worked Christmas Eve, again, and upon turning in my last report, we received a message from management that the division I worked for was the number 1 producer in the country. How did we beat New York and Chicago?

I knew the next chapter would have to involve Google. So in January of 2014, I was grandfathered into a new Google program called Google Partners. I was hired by one of the largest web design firms in Sacramento to manage their Google for Nonprofits projects which included an annual budget of more than $3 million. I increased their fundraising by 300% in 3 months. My portfolio included some of the biggest names in Sacramento:

• The Sacramento Zoo
• The Sacramento Public Library
• The Crocker Art Museum
• The Sacramento Philharmonic
• The B Street Theatre

Today, I continue to offer the full spectrum of web-based services from design and development, to advertising and grant management. From 2014 to today, I’ve managed more than $4 million in Google Grants with an average “take-home,” of fundraising dollars of $500K per client. 

If your organization would like to discuss how I can help you accelerate your goals and objectives, please contact me. I offer free consultations to new clients via Zoom.

Sincerely,

Ché Perez

Che@sierrablue.biz