I owe my early success as a search engine optimizer to my old blog, newmediaMike. Back then I managed to rank it for the query “search marketing expert,” and nothing impressed clients more than watching me run a live search and seeing me sitting at number one in their San Antonio board room. It was scrappy, simple, and effective, and it opened a lot of doors for me.

When I launched mikeallan.com in 2023 I tried to turn it into a pure SEO site, writing posts on topics like Answer Engine Optimization. The site never took off and I kept blaming it on “shoemakers SEO,” being focused on client work instead of my own. The truth is my business has always grown through relationships and referrals, not blog posts. So why was I trying to force my namesake site into a business box?

Then a plugin broke everything and locked me out. I had to reinstall WordPress from scratch, and it felt like a sign that it was time for a change.

Rebuilding the site made me think about how many times I have rebuilt my life. That opened something in me. I want to share my healing journey, not as a memoir, but through the stories and tools that helped me rebuild from loss, addiction, grief, and the quiet struggles men often keep to themselves. I want men who are carrying things alone to feel less alone.

So mikeallan.com is now my personal home on the web. A place for my recovery work, the tools that helped me heal, and the creative projects that bring me joy, including my AI automotive renderings. A place that feels authentic, not transactional.

If you are here for the first time, welcome.