About us

Our story is unfolding…

Our entrepreneurial adventure took flight in 2009, fueled by a decade of corporate experience, before being reignited in 2014.

Status26 Inc. was founded by Mike Stewart and John O’Grady, two industry veterans with a shared vision.

The concept of Status26 Inc. was sparked during a discussion between Mike and John at the Lean Machine Startup course in the Kansas City Startup Village. Witnessing the challenges new brands encountered when launching companies and introducing fresh ideas to the market, they felt compelled to create a solution.

Status26 symbolizes readiness for takeoff. At T-minus 26 seconds before liftoff, the fuel ignition sequence begins. Just as in business, you must be primed and ready, positioned on the right platform, aimed in the right direction, and sufficiently fueled.

Mike built his expertise through a ten-year stint in sales and internet marketing with Verizon Yellow Pages and SuperPages.com before venturing into his own SMB SEO business in 2010.

John left SuperPages.com as the Director of Operations before the Yellow Pages’ decline to establish a call center and support system for RV Global in Thailand. Given their shared experiences and mutual professional respect from their time at Verizon Directories and Idearc Media, it was only logical for them to join forces to remedy the shortcomings of the website agency model.

Mike, a stalwart member of DFWSEM and current Treasurer of the Board, is also a PubCon Member Speaker, SEMPO Ambassador, and volunteers for the Great Dane Rescue of North Texas. Additionally, he participates in various other professional digital marketing groups in North Texas. John brings academic rigor to the team, holding a Master’s degree in Business from SMU’s Executive Program in Dallas, TX.

First of all, the best type of marketing is marketing that doesn’t feel like marketing. It makes the people feel like they a part of it. 

– Hopsin