Aaron Cirksena, MDRN Capital

Project Overview

Aaron Cirksena graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Since then, he has devoted his entire career to financial planning, distribution planning, and managing client funds. He first worked with multiple $1 billion teams at Morgan Stanley and independent firms before moving on to create his own independent services firm, MDRN Capital.

MDRN Capital is revolutionizing retirement planning by offering a comprehensive range of services, including income planning, investment management, tax planning, healthcare, and estate planning, all with a greater degree of effectiveness compared to traditional providers. As a fully digital firm, MDRN Capital prioritizes efficiency and convenience, providing remote consultations and digital account opening. 

Unlike traditional firms, MDRN Capital focuses on delivering extensive services without the need for in-person meetings, allowing clients to enjoy their retirement while their financial needs are expertly managed. Essentially, MDRN Capital embraces a new era of retirement planning.

The Problem

When our team first began talks with Aaron, it was clear that he wanted to position himself as a thought leader in the finance space, drawing from his expertise working with Morgan Stanley to opening up his own firm. We knew that establishing this credibility would also help drive attention to MDRN Capital, so we set the goal of honing in on the unique value proposition and differentiator of MDRN Capital serving as one of the first all-virtual financial planning models. Aaron wanted this to be known for setting his company apart from other agencies. 

To ensure that MDRN Capital and Aaron would rank higher in online search engines, our team knew we would have to grow his online presence across various publications ranging from TV interviews to podcasts and thought leadership articles on finance and retirement planning. We also knew that getting Aaron published in various outlets, along with feature pieces showcasing MDRN Capital’s unique offerings, would grant the exposure he wanted and help both him and his company establish a more solidified presence in the financial space.  

The Strategy

Our strategy centered on two primary goals: positioning Aaron as a thought leader and highlighting the distinctive qualities that set MDRN Capital apart from other financial firms. To build Aaron’s credibility, we secured opportunities for him to provide commentary on a variety of financial topics for top-tier news and finance outlets such as CBS News and GoBankingRates. This not only enhanced his public profile but also led to securing a number of TV interviews and podcast appearances for him.

At the same time, our team leveraged trending news cycles in areas like economics, personal finance, and retirement planning, which significantly increased Aaron’s media presence. Given that 2024 is an election year, we also focused on economic predictions related to political candidates, resulting in substantial coverage and further opportunities for TV interviews. To showcase MDRN Capital’s innovative virtual services, we targeted leading financial outlets such as Financial Planning, Financial Advisor Magazine, and InsuranceNewsNet. 

Our comprehensive outreach strategy included engaging national and local media across various genres and topics, including retirement, income strategies, wealth management, annuities, investments, IRA/401(k) rollovers, asset protection strategies, life insurance, tax-efficient strategies, and IRA legacy planning. This broad coverage effectively increased media awareness of Aaron’s industry expertise and drove heightened traffic to MDRN Capital’s website, enhancing the firm’s visibility and reputation in the financial industry.

Business Impact

As a result of our comprehensive media campaign, Aaron has been published in various syndicate publications, including AARP, MSN, Newsweek, and more. He was also frequently asked to provide expert content as a contributor to GoBankingRates articles, which subsequently led to significant pickups in other top publications like AOL and Yahoo.

Additionally, our ability to secure Aaron with several prominent TV interviews — a key priority established during initial discussions with him — allowed him to reach a national audience and garner invaluable media attention. His Forbes Council pieces continue to consistently rank high in Google search results, and he has noted an increase in both organic web traffic and online domain authority for MDRN Capital.

In only three months since partnering with Otter PR, Aaron has received over 230 pieces of media coverage with an estimated 17 million views, including features and expert contributions in multiple top-tier outlets, solidifying his reputation and expanding his influence in the industry. These results highlight how our strategy successfully helped Aaron ultimately achieve his goal of increased online presence as a thought leader and brand awareness for MDRN Capital.