I started my SEO career in Southern California working for a very large, and very well known Internet yellow page directory and learned a lot about small business wants and needs. I believe that the difference of doing work for a large corporation versus a small business owner boils down to expectations and results. Working at this IYP directory taught me that SMBs look at every dollar they invest continually and at every turn. This causes SEOs to be attentive, proactive and creative with their approach and execution and be able to prove ROI.
After my yellow page experience I was recruited to work for a very well respected legal directory which allowed me to specifically focus on the legal vertical. This is the point in my career that taught me that great SEO is both a science and an art. Many attorney websites look similar and have very similar content... it really takes a creative hand to help the consumer differentiate between competitors.
I now focus my time working with attorneys and small to medium sized law firms nationwide.