Adam DeGraide
Encyclopedia
Adam DeGraide is an American business executive involved in the entertainment industry. He is the co-founder of two digital marketing companies, an independent record label and an independent film company.

BZ Results

In 1997, DeGraide began his first company, BZ Results, in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. BZ is a digital marketing company assisting car dealers in Internet marketing. The company was acquired in 2006 by Automatic Data Processing
Automatic Data Processing
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. with about $10 billion in revenues and approximately 545,000 clients, is a provider of business outsourcing solutions. ADP offers a range of human resource, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions...

 for $125 million. The investment bank Presidio Merchant Partners LLC advised on the transaction.

DeGraide started two more companies: a digital marketing company called Astonish Results in Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...

, and a record label/film company called Astonish Records in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

Astonish Results

In early 2006, DeGraide partnered with Tim Sawyer, John Boudreau, and David Simas to create Astonish Results. The company does marketing for independent insurance agencies in the U.S. Rough Notes
Rough Notes
Rough Notes is a USA magazine covering Insurance Business.Rough Notes is a magazine published by the Rough Notes Company for property and casualty insurance agents....

featured Astonish Results in their July 2009 issue with an article titled "Unfair advantage".Summit Business Media featured Adam DeGraide in a series of digital marketing videos aimed at insurance professionals called Serving the Modern Consumer. The videos are hosted on the National Underwriter Life & Health as well as Agent Sales Journal websites. Insurance Journal named Adam DeGraide "The Face of Freakin' Agency Marketing - Kool Prophet Promises Astonishing Results" as they featured him on the cover of their November 16th, 2009 issue.

In 2011, DeGraide helped Astonish Results secure investor Serent Captial to further develop Astonish Results' growth, tools, and services. Presidio Merchant Partners LLC advised on the transaction. DeGraide also partnered with industry leaders Rough Notes
Rough Notes
Rough Notes is a USA magazine covering Insurance Business.Rough Notes is a magazine published by the Rough Notes Company for property and casualty insurance agents....

and Mercury Insurance Group
Mercury Insurance Group
Mercury Insurance Group is an American automobile and property insurance company founded by George Joseph in 1961. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.-History:...

 to host the 2011 e-Agent Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Before becoming the founder and CEO of Astonish Results, Adam DeGraide developed a digital marketing system while forming a web-based marketing strategy for car dealerships. Insurance Journal CEO Mitch Dunford sat down with DeGraide as he discussed how that experience compares to his current experience with the insurance industry, on this featured video on Insurance Journal TV.

Astonish Entertainment

In May 2005 DeGraide started the music segment of his entertainment company: Astonish Entertainment, also known as Astonish Records. He signed four rock artists: No More Kings
No More Kings
No More Kings are a Los Angeles-based rock band fronted by lead singer Pete Mitchell . No More Kings' music is known for its frequent references to figures in pop culture,...

, Aranda, Soular, Dirt Poor Robins, and pop singer David Martin. DeGraide partnered with Dan Beck, Andy Tavel, Jerry Lembo, and Susan Blonde and in 2006 DeGraide formed the film portion of Astonish Entertainment by working with Academy Award-nominated actor/direct William Zabka
William Zabka
William Michael "Billy" Zabka is an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is an Academy Award Nominee for Co-Writing and Producing the film, "MOST." Zabka is best known for his villain roles in several iconic 80s films, such as his role of Johnny Lawrence in 1984's The Karate...

 on a short film/music video called “Sweep the Leg”. Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...

's fourth studio album All I Ever Wanted contains two songs written by DeGraide's band Aranda. DeGraide parted ways with Aranda in the Summer of 2011.

Discography

  • No More Kings
    No More Kings
    No More Kings are a Los Angeles-based rock band fronted by lead singer Pete Mitchell . No More Kings' music is known for its frequent references to figures in pop culture,...

     - No More Kings - Executive Producer/Bass (2007)
  • Soular - Love Crash Heal - Executive Producer (2007)
  • David Martin - Something in Your Eyes - Executive Producer (2007)
  • Aranda - Aranda - Executive Producer (2008)
  • Dirt Poor Robins - The Cage - Executive Producer (2007)
  • No More Kings
    No More Kings
    No More Kings are a Los Angeles-based rock band fronted by lead singer Pete Mitchell . No More Kings' music is known for its frequent references to figures in pop culture,...

     - And the Flying Boombox - Executive Producer (2009)

Filmography

  • Sweep the Leg (music video) - Producer (2006)
  • Michael (Jump In) (music video) - Executive Producer (2008)
  • So, This is the Way it Feels (music video) - Executive Producer (2007)
  • King of 1985 (documentary) - Executive Producer (2007)
  • Most (film)
    Most (film)
    Most is a 2003 Czech film directed by Bobby Garabedian and written and produced by American actor William Zabka. The music score was created by John Debney...

    (short film) - Executive Producer (2003)

External links

  • Rough Notes Unfair Advantage July 2009 featuring interview with Adam DeGraide
  • Insurance Journal Astonish Results Opens Orlando Office, May 2010 (Adam DeGraide quoted).
  • Agent and Broker Ganis Consulting Latches onto Astonish Results, April 2010

Guest Editorial

Rough Notes Learning from Apple, June 2010 guest editorial

Rough Notes The Last Thing Agencies Need, February 2010 guest editorial from Adam DeGraide

Rough Notes Eat Your Failure Flakes, April 2010 guest editorial from Adam DeGraide

See Also

Insurance Journal Insurance Agents Move to the Beat of Rock 'n Roll Marketing, December 2009, Adam DeGraide Quoted
InsuranceJournal.TV called upon Adam DeGraide to host a series of video interviews with marketing and insurance experts called The e-Marketing Minute with the first video airing in February of 2010."The e-Marketing Minute"
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