Sara Santiago
President and Founder
Roll Mobile
Milwaukee
www.whyroll.com
Employees: 10
Milwaukee-based Roll Mobile was established in response to the increase in need for mobile technology, and Sara Santiago was a big part of that vision.
“We knew mobile was going to blow up,” she said. “I had left my full-time job with a software company and was doing contract work when I teamed up with Dan Early and Mark Roller at Ascedia to help with a rebrand.”
Santiago had always envisioned owning her own business and was inspired by several colleagues to do her own thing.
“After many discussions with Dan and Mark we just knew we had to move forward,” she said. “We had already been doing mobile applications years before any other major agencies were doing it. We had a great team and a wealth of knowledge but forming a separate company that just focused on mobile and mobile strategy was a big step and a big deal for us.”
Roll Mobile was formed in 2009, and Sara Santiago was named president of the new firm.
The three grew Roll’s client list organically and relied mostly on referrals from existing clients to continue their growth.
“We’ve continued to see really great growth,” Santiago said.
Santiago credits the interest in the market for some of the company’s success, but said it wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and commitment of her staff.
“The team I have is incredible,” she said. “They are really hard-working and really just good all-around people and they are all smarter than me so it allows us to provide impeccable service and really great mobile apps and websites. We’ve got the perfect cocktail, I think.”
At the end of the day, her success is driven by relationships, she said.
“Success follows when you are able to tap into those relationships and really discover how we can help each other succeed,” Santiago said. “It is relationships and a lot of hard work, but at the end of the day I love this job and I love this team so we know it’s completely worth it.”
