Minnesota is a place I will always call home. With my family still in Stearns County, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Early on, my parents instilled in me that I could do anything I set my mind to, including going to a private college no matter the cost. In 2006, I graduated from the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University with a degree in Communication. Upon graduation, I knew I wanted to make a difference; therefore, working for a nonprofit was the perfect fit for my first position.
With a new husband and the desire to stay in Central Minnesota, United Way of Central Minnesota was the place I called home for the past 12 years. I had someone say to me once, “If you can successfully market a nonprofit, you can successfully market anything.” It’s not easy to convince someone to give their hard earned money to a charity, especially when you “spend” your money you get something tangible in return.
During my time at United Way, I had the opportunity to work with the amazing team at Gaslight Creative. I first began working with them on a website redesign. While working for a nonprofit, you sometimes get the feeling that your project isn’t a priority to external vendors – sometimes because they give you a nonprofit discount, and sometimes because you don’t spend enough money with them.
The Gaslight team always made me feel like our website was their top priority. Exceptional customer service is not lost on them. I think the concept of great customer service is getting hidden in our fast-paced, technology-driven world, but to a customer, it still needs to be exceptional. Their ability to provide remarkable customer service, adapt to changing marketing needs, and provide an innovative approach are the reasons I wanted to continue working with them at my previous position, and now as part of their team! Working at a marketing agency, Gaslight Creative, in particular, felt like the right move for me at this time in my life.
Throughout the time I’ve spent in the marketing field, things have dramatically changed. If we go way back, moveable type and typewriters were the way to get your message to the masses. I am happy to say those were obsolete by the time I began my career in marketing. When I started, websites were just becoming a necessity – and they were definitely not mobile responsive. Social media was meant for personal use only!
Now websites need to be edgy, SEO-rich, and easy to navigate. In today’s digital world, if your business doesn’t at least have a Facebook page for social media, don’t count on people finding you. And if you are not on page one of Google (let’s face it, if you are not in the top three or four results on Google), you might as well not be on there at all.
With a 14-year background in marketing, I bring the experience of graphic design, public relations, brand management, event planning, marketing strategy and customer relationship management to my position as an Account Manager. Times are changing, and due to human nature, we are afraid of change. I am excited to be at Gaslight Creative and to help our clients navigate through this crazy, changing world of marketing.
Fun Facts about Me:
- I love to ride my pink bike with a large basket on the Lake Wobegon Trail.
- Traveling the United States with my husband and seeing everything our beautiful country has to offer takes me to my happy place.
- I enjoy reading fiction and spending hours in my craft room.
- I am distantly related (I think 3rd cousin) to Tom Brady.
- I play fantasy football and I got third place in my league last year (don’t ask me about this year) and yes, Tom Brady is on my fantasy team!