Jay Pinkert is a principal with Shatterbox, a marketing and communications consultancy that helps professional firms and small businesses distinguish their brand and win clients through content-driven programs and niche development.

Shane Bryant, founder and owner of HVAC service company Smart Air in Austin, Texas, didn’t seek referral business through Yelp — it found him.

A scant two years since Shane launched his company and the first five-star reviews started appearing on the local business ratings and reviews site, more than 70 percent of Smart Air’s leads are directly attributable to Yelp, and the company has grown from two employees to eight. (more…)