Such capabilities are exactly why the internet has been useful for all sorts of entities. Individuals use the internet to communicate, keep themselves informed, store and transfer data, and transact, among countless other reasons. Similarly, companies use the advantages of the online sphere to advertise their brands, sell products, and communicate with their markets. In its ideal form, the mostly unregulated online world serves as a space for free trade, harmonious discourse, and valuable public information.
What anyone who has spent five minutes in a YouTube comments section will tell you, however, is that the internet is far from ideal. The power and anonymity the internet provides simply has a way of bringing out the worst in people. With this, the internet becomes a deadly sharp double-edged sword, especially for those who are in the spotlight, like companies and personalities. With a single mistake or the interference of malicious parties, the internet becomes downright dangerous. As the internet's memory is eternal and its reach global, encountering danger becomes nothing short of inevitable.
It should come as no surprise, then, that online reputation management (ORM) has become a booming business. For high-profile personalities like celebrities, specialized ORM firms have been the go-to for missteps, cyberattacks, or particularly vitriolic products of tabloid journalism. Similarly, companies are seeing the benefits of utilizing dedicated ORM services on top of their usual PR efforts. After all, a brand's online presence has become increasingly important to customers. For example, a 2018 TripAdvisor-Ipsos Mori study cited that brands can lose up to 59.2% of their customers with only three negative reviews on the first page of the search.
Frankie Lee is one such entrepreneur who has built his career on ORM. Frankie entered the industry from a very personal note, trying to take down his friends' unsavory private media that were illegally posted online. Following two weeks of tireless trial-and-error, Frankie's friends were rewarded with a squeaky clean online persona. Frankie, on the other hand, was rewarded with an aptitude for the job and a growing desire to help others in a similar predicament.
Shortly thereafter, Frankie established his own ORM firm in Content Removal. Starting small with a simple website and bare-bones logistics, Frankie learned on the job, personally looking for people needing his services and helping them remove undesirable content. His main motivation, then and now, was simply to help other people using his unique skill set.
However, Frankie's admittedly simple aspirations and lone wolf attitude were not a good fit for his business. He soon realized that by growing his business, he would not only bring success to himself but also be able to help a significantly greater number of people. With renewed motivation and a keen awareness of his own weaknesses, Frankie brought in James Thour as operations manager. With Thour on board, Content Removal grew to have its own sales and marketing team and the large number of partners and clients it has today.
In just four years since its establishment, Content Removal has grown to become one of the most sought-after ORM firms. The company now almost exclusively partners itself with household brands, influencers, and celebrities who trust Content Removal as the internet's go-to firm for clearing names and removing unwanted content.
Frankie Lee is currently working on Removed.ai, a SAAS platform for automating the DMCA takedown process for aggrieved brands, artists, and content creators. He also regularly holds The Frankie Lee Podcast, a leading podcast on personal development and entrepreneurship based on his experiences as a content-removal expert, businessman, and professional boxing trainer. You may learn more about his colorful life through his Instagram @Frankielee, or on his website.
