Chris Kirksey
During my Army career I was a linguist with the NSA and deployed with the CIA on missions across three combat tours. The experiences and training I went through taught me pattern recognition, intent, and the power of communication. All of those and more being skills every marketing campaign requires to succeed. Since 2016 I've put it to work at everything we do for our clients here at Direction.
Meet Chris
I’m a proud husband, father, and CEO. I spent years in intelligence work before building Direction, and both jobs taught me the same operating principle. Results are the only thing that matters.
I love solving marketing puzzles. I thrive on everything from reverse-engineering successful campaigns and recognizing patterns to innovating with technology, identifying the linguistic triggers that inspire people to take action, and developing effective strategies. My passion for understanding people and mastering the art of communication is instilled through training in my team, helping us transform brands into market leaders.
The Turning Point
I walked away from my “dream job” in intelligence work to starting a company all over a single experience back in 2016. It was in a war-torn classroom, where I met an eight-year-old boy learning English, desperate to learn medical skills after losing his sister.
How It's Turned Out
I started my first business at 9 years old selling books on eBay. And since bootstrapping Direction in 2016, we’ve served over 500+ clients, attributing nearly $1B in revenue for our clients directly from the marketing work we’ve done.
I’ve spoken at SXSW, Pubcon, and Entrepreneurs Organization events. Forbes, Inc., and Fox Business have featured my work.
As we continue to grow in the medical space, our mission is to be the leader in healthcare marketing.
The New Art of Communication
Creativity gets attention, but it’s pattern recognition and intent targeting wins markets. The analytical precision I learned around mapping enemy movements now maps buying intent. The linguistic skills I learned to decode foreign communications now decodes buyer psychology.
Every campaign is infused with military intelligence-grade strategic thinking. The result? Healthcare organizations that dominate their markets with the integrity their profession demands.
Beyond the Agency
When I’m not in my CEO seat, you’ll find me spending time with the people who are my entire reason for what I do: my wife and three kids.
I also read a lot. Every James Bond novel and almost all of Ken Follett’s historical fiction. On the business side, anything from Alex Hormozi, Dan Kennedy, and Napoleon Hill.
I also run a charity-focused side project and mentor veteran entrepreneurs building their own companies. I believe we’re called to use our gifts in service of something greater than ourselves. My relationship with God shapes the principles this business runs on and the way I serve my clients, family, and team.
The Mission Continues
For healthcare providers ready to work with an agency they can trust for results – let’s connect. Together, we’ll build lead generation systems that connect the right message with the right people at the right time.
Chris' Blogs:
Chris Kirksey in the media
The marketing industry has two types of people: those who react to change, and those who thrive in it. I’ve spent my career in the second category, building campaigns proven to win through any and all industry changes. Below are a few of the places I’ve been featured in:
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