Thrive Internet Marketing Agency marks two decades today of delivering results-driven marketing solutions that empower businesses to achieve long-term growth.
Founded in 2005 by Matt Bowman, Thrive began as a one-man operation, helping a handful of clients with local marketing. Today, the company has grown into a full-service digital marketing powerhouse with over 160 employees spanning 22 states and 13 countries and serving clients in 16 countries across multiple industries, from startups to large franchises.
“This is honestly a kind of unbelievable milestone,” Bowman said.
“Twenty years ago, when I started, I never thought I’d have anyone other than me working. So many people have contributed to Thrive becoming what it is today.
“I want to thank all of our former and current employees, as well as all of our clients, for helping to grow Thrive into one of the nation’s leading digital marketing agencies. It’s an honor to lead such a talented team. I started the company wanting to help businesses grow through the power of digital marketing, and I still get to do this 20 years later. I’m forever grateful.”
Our Story: From Humble Beginnings to Global Reach
Bowman, a fifth-generation business owner, grew up surrounded by entrepreneurs and was inspired to continue his grandparents’ legacy of running a business.
In 2005, Bowman ventured into digital marketing and built MLB Web Design (now called Thrive). Armed with a laptop, a vision and an unwavering work ethic, he managed every project personally, from designing and coding websites to communicating directly with clients and ensuring their success.
Bowman vividly recalls the early years of building the company from scratch:
“I started Thrive at a little desk in my home office. A few years later, we moved into a building where we couldn’t afford the rent, so we bartered with the owner to do web work for them so we could have access to this little room. We had people sitting at the same desk together, so we were crammed in there pretty tight.”
As the company’s reputation spread, new clients came on board and the small team began to expand. By 2009, Bowman had hired his first team members and moved into the Wade Building in Arlington, marking Thrive’s first official office.
From MLB Web Design To Thrive: A New Name, the Same Mission
In a pivotal moment for the company, MLB Web Design rebranded to Thrive Internet Marketing Agency in 2012. The rebranding process involved extensive exploration of both names and visual identities.
“We had all kinds of ideas on the name,” Bowman recalled. “I think Grizzly Bear was one of the names we were considering. I’m glad we settled on Thrive. It’s a great name.”
That choice proved prophetic. “Thrive” perfectly captured what Bowman wanted the company to represent – a place where clients, employees and partners could grow and prosper together.
Growth, Grit and the Power of Partnership
By 2015, Thrive had a team of eight and moved into a small, two-story building that Bowman affectionately nicknamed “The Farm.” No, it wasn’t surrounded by cows and horses. It was in the big city of Arlington, Texas.
In the years that followed, Thrive’s growth accelerated rapidly. A transformative chapter began in 2016, when Bowman partnered with Kurt Knapton, a seasoned business leader and investor with deep experience scaling data-driven organizations.
“That was an important year,” Bowman said. “Kurt joined as a strategic investor. Kurt really challenged me to think bigger.
“Our first meeting as partners, he told me to tell him about my three-to-five-year goal. I remember saying, ‘My what?’ I was so focused on the whirlwind of the day-to-day of the business, I didn’t know what I was going to do in three to five days, much less three to five years.
“He really challenged me to, one, make a plan and then take baby steps to implement that plan. There are a lot of things Kurt contributed to the business, and the result of it is that we have grown dramatically.”
Knapton’s vision and business acumen helped ignite explosive growth at Thrive. His partnership pushed the company to think beyond immediate operations and develop long-term plans that would fuel years of expansion.
That forward-thinking approach carried into 2019, when Thrive established its permanent headquarters in Arlington. The new space, located in a commercial building off Park Springs Blvd., just south of Interstate 20, represented another defining step in the company’s development.
Aaron Whittaker, Thrive’s Vice President of Demand Generation, has had a front-row seat to the company’s transformation into one of the nation’s most recognized digital marketing agencies. Whittaker is Thrive’s longest-tenured employee. He joined Thrive in 2009 and just celebrated his 16th year with the company.
“It’s been incredible to witness Thrive’s growth over the past 20 years,” Whittaker said.
“Seeing how many businesses we’ve helped succeed is proof that putting our clients first works – and it’s something I’m truly proud of. This milestone isn’t just about longevity; it’s about the impact we’ve made together. Looking ahead, I’m excited for Thrive to continue leading the way in helping businesses grow in the new world of AI-driven search.”
Two Decades of Digital Innovation
From the beginning, Thrive has been leading the charge in digital marketing. In 2005, the industry looked vastly different. Social media was in its infancy, smartphones had not yet become mainstream and search engines like Google were still evolving into the industry-defining platforms we know today.
Through it all, Thrive adapted and turned challenges into opportunities.
Josiah Wiles, who was promoted to Thrive president in 2024 and is in his ninth year with the company, has been a key figure in the accelerated growth.
“There are a lot of key leaders at Thrive that deserve a lot of credit for helping us reach a level of growth that very few digital marketing agencies experience,” Wiles said.
“Our executive leadership team, Thrive directors and managers have been great to work side-by-side with as we’ve grown the company into one of the nation’s top digital marketing companies. Really, all Thrivers have shared key roles in our success over our 20 years in business.“
Now, as digital marketing enters the era of artificial intelligence (AI), Thrive remains future-ready, harnessing AI-powered tools and data-driven insights to drive smarter, more impactful marketing outcomes.
Industry Recognition and Sustained Excellence
Throughout its two decades of operation, Thrive has earned consistent recognition from leading industry authorities and review platforms. From early accolades as a trusted local agency to being named among the top digital marketing agencies in the United States, Thrive’s reputation has grown alongside its global footprint.
One of Thrive’s most notable achievements is being named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for seven consecutive years. This recognition reflects Thrive’s strong culture of innovation and proven track record of helping clients achieve long-term business growth.
Cindy Deuser, Vice President of People Operations, has played a central role in nurturing and sustaining that culture.
“What started with a CEO who built his company with six strong core values of Gratitude, Respect, Ownership, Work Ethic, Think Bigger and Honesty is now a home and work family to Thrivers in different countries,” said Deuser, who started at Thrive in 2020.
“Our culture continues to be our winning formula and it is never finished. It grows with us each and every day, which prepares us on a daily basis to face our challenges and celebrate our wins!“
Commitment to Social Responsibility
Beyond business success, Thrive has remained deeply committed to giving back to communities locally and globally.
Through initiatives such as Kiva microloans for entrepreneurs, charitable donation matching for employees and active participation in community service projects, the company continually fosters a culture of generosity and shared purpose.
This dedication to social responsibility reflects Bowman’s vision of building a business that creates meaningful change in the world.
Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter
As Thrive celebrates 20 years in business, the company is not only reflecting on its legacy but also charting an ambitious path forward.
Wiles doesn’t want to rest on the company’s laurels.
“We want to keep pushing for that next level of growth,” Wiles said.
“With the growth of AI and the shifting SEO focus from clicks to visibility, we believe we’re a leader in AI search. Because of our in-house demand generation team, we’ve been testing AI and learning more about the best ways to optimize your business for AI search long before many others were. This has given us a distinct advantage in this new market.“
With a strong foundation of GROWTH values and a proven ability to adapt, Thrive looks forward to shaping the future of digital marketing for the next decade and beyond.
Your success story could be our next. Let’s thrive together.
