Adam Robinson, an Austin technology entrepreneur who died with his wife and their two young children in a fiery Florida jet crash, had just marked a major achievement at his company and was preparing for a live business debate Tuesday. It became his final LinkedIn post.
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 traveling from Austin to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas crashed in a Palm Beach County neighborhood.
Hours before 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 flying 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, he had said RB2B was bringing in $9.5 million in recurring annual revenue. Reaching $10 million with such a lean operation, he said, represented “the promised land.”
Robinson served as CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, an Austin company that helps businesses identify website visitors and connect with them through advertising and marketing campaigns.
The company later created RB2B, a platform designed to help businesses recognize potential customers visiting their sites. Robinson also headed MoltSets, which offers professional contact details such as work email addresses and phone numbers.
Adam Robinson is pictured on a boat with one of his children. Robinson, his wife, Helen Sharp, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, died in the Nov. 1 Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida. (Courtesy: Linkedin/ Adam Robinson)
Robinson’s last post also addressed a disagreement with his friend Jesse Ouellette over the future of RB2B and MoltSets. The two were debating whether the companies should remain independent or merge.
According to Robinson, Ouellette argued that combining the businesses could lower customer attrition and potentially double revenue. Robinson 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 Tuesday appearance 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 continued. “Grab some popcorn and pick a side.”
Adam Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, 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)
Robinson never had the chance to take part in the debate.
The family was honored in a joint statement shared with News Outlet.
“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,” their families said.
Adam Robinson is pictured with 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 whom they loved in return.”
Retention.com, RB2B and MoltSets also described 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 left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at approximately 10:37 a.m. Sunday, carrying two crew members and seven passengers.
The private jet plunged toward the ground before an explosion sent smoke and flames over the modular-home community. (Aki Kuusisto via Storyful)
At roughly 35,000 feet, the crew reported light, clear icing and moderate turbulence before asking to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after receiving approval, the crew said the aircraft was descending and transmitted a mayday call.
Emergency responders closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North and urged residents to avoid the area as flames engulfed the wreckage. (Aki Kuusisto via Storyful)
Federal investigators said Monday that weather conditions are a central part of the inquiry. They also said early indications suggest the aircraft may have begun breaking apart before it struck the ground.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the crash.
