What’s your go-to strategy for keeping the team motivated and on track? 

Long ago, I read a quote that said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”. What I extracted from that was to try not to be so verbose when I communicate with people. The more long winded the answer is, the more opportunity exists for the person you’re communicating with to misinterpret what you’re saying. Especially when you’re writing something as opposed to face-to-face communication, the reader will insert a perceived tone, meaning, etc… As a result I try to be as direct as possible to avoid any miscommunication. 

In terms of motivation, I’m a huge fan of praising people publicly, and if there are things that need to be worked on, discussing that in private. I’ve treated multiple employees to lunch, purchased trophies, and publicly applauded their efforts in front of the rest of the team to single them out for a superior effort. It is my sincere hope that when I do things like that, others will strive to push themselves in pursuit of that recognition. 

I’m also a big believer in knowing what you know AND knowing what you don’t know. There’s nothing stranger to me than someone who’s confidently incorrect all the time. In instances where I know I come up short, or if a situation is not a natural fit for my personality, I consult people that have a better solution than I do. I discuss a proposed course of action and execute that action. I’m a very decisive person and I crave operational efficiency and strategies that lead to actionable results.

How do you approach innovation in digital marketing, and what strategies do you use to foster creativity within your team?

Digital marketing is ever-changing and constantly evolving. It takes a lot of reading and applying what you’ve learned only to realize that a new tool, or a better approach has just been released, or something new is in beta that’s a complete game-changer. A lot of time is definitely dedicated to ensure we remain on the cutting edge of the digital landscape. I wish there were a really fun, interesting answer, but it’s really just a TON of reading and applying strategies and tools to a situation and then verifying whether or not it yielded the desired results. I also ensure that I keep my credentials up to date. I’m certified on everything Google and Amazon have to offer, and I’m always looking for new opportunities to showcase additional credentials I’ve accumulated as well.

What aspects of your role do you find most rewarding, and what keeps you passionate about your work?

I enjoy being immersed in an environment where people are enthusiastic about what they do. It brings me the greatest joy when someone I work with discovers an innovative new solution to a problem, navigates an incredibly tight deadline on short notice and we all share in that personal success. I thrive off of the collective energy of the team. 

We’ve heard that you’re the host of a Hot Ones-style interview for the agency. What inspired this idea, and what would be your dream lineup of spicy guests for the show?

Tamara introduced me to this show years ago, starting with the Terry Crews episode. At the time, I don’t think she knew this would become a thing for me. I love spicy food, I love culinary innovation, and I enjoy the fact that people have to answer questions when they can’t focus on the question itself. The heat builds and it becomes a lovely comedic distraction. I’ll give you a 3 person dream lineup: Jo Koy, Katt Williams, and Nate Bergatze. They’re all accomplished comedians. I like to laugh.

Can you share a fun or surprising fact about yourself that people might not know?

I can build or repair a jet engine incredibly quickly, but I’m less than useless when it comes to automotive repair.