Austin tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson had just marked a major business achievement and was preparing for a live event Tuesday when he published what became his final LinkedIn post. Days later, he was killed along with his wife and their two young children in a fiery Florida jet crash.
Robinson, 45, his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were among nine people killed Sunday when the Learjet 60 carrying them from Austin to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas crashed into a Palm Beach County neighborhood.
On the day of the crash, Robinson announced that RB2B had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue, or ARR.
Adam Robinson and his wife, Helen Sharp, were traveling with their two young children when the Learjet carrying them from Texas to the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Nov. 1. (Courtesy: Facebook)
“RB2B is $10m ARR with 1 FTE,” Robinson wrote. “MoltSets is almost $1m ARR.”
Two months earlier, Robinson had said RB2B was bringing in $9.5 million in annual recurring revenue. He described reaching the $10 million mark with such a small team as “the promised land.”
Robinson served as CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, an Austin-based company that helps businesses identify visitors to their websites and connect with them through advertising and marketing.
The company later introduced RB2B, a platform designed to identify potential customers visiting business websites. Robinson also headed MoltSets, which supplies business contact details such as work email addresses and phone numbers.
Adam Robinson sits on a boat with one of his young children. Robinson, his wife, Helen Sharp, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were killed in the Nov. 1 Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida. (Courtesy: Linkedin/ Adam Robinson)
In his final post, Robinson outlined a disagreement with his friend Jesse Ouellette over whether RB2B and MoltSets should continue operating as separate businesses or be merged.
Robinson said Ouellette believed combining the companies could lower customer turnover and double revenue. Robinson, however, preferred keeping the products separate.
“My question: WHY DO I NEED TO DO EITHER OF THOSE THINGS?” Robinson wrote.
“Honestly, I’d be thrilled if RB2B never grew another dollar,” he added.
The pair planned to resolve the dispute during a live debate Tuesday on “Claude Did What!!??”
“So we’re settling it LIVE,” Robinson wrote.
“There’s much more to his argument, but I’m saving it for Tuesday,” he added. “Grab some popcorn and pick a side.”
Adam Robinson was CEO and co-founder of Retention.com and also led RB2B and MoltSets. His companies remembered him as “a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest.” (Fox News)
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Jacksonville Man on Probation Arrested With Gun After NE 24th Shooting
Robinson never had the chance to take part in the debate.
The Robinson family was remembered in a joint statement provided to News Media.
“Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever,” the families said.
Adam Robinson and his family. (Courtesy of the Robinson, Sharp, Reed, Fehr and Cetina families via Red Banyan)
“Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.”
Retention.com, RB2B and MoltSets also remembered Robinson as “a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest.”
A Learjet 60 crashed into a South Florida neighborhood Sunday afternoon. (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue)
“He cared deeply about the people around him and brought energy and conviction to everything he built,” the companies said. “His loss is deeply felt across our team and the tech community, as we collectively mourn this significant loss.”
The Learjet departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at about 10:37 a.m. Sunday with two crew members and seven passengers aboard.
The private jet dropped rapidly before an explosion sent thick smoke and flames into the air across the modular home community. (Aki Kuusisto via Storyful)
The crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence at about 35,000 feet before requesting permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after the request was approved, the crew reported they were descending and issued a mayday call.
Emergency crews shut down Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, warning the public to avoid the area as flames consumed the wreckage. (Aki Kuusisto via Storyful)
Federal investigators said Monday that weather conditions are a major focus of the investigation and that there are indications the aircraft began breaking apart before impact.
The cause of the crash has not been determined.