The not-so-mythical marketing resource you might be dreaming of
As a marketing leader or business executive, you have a lot on your plate.
And as “people” people or visionaries driven by a mission, failure just never seems to be an option. So when you find yourself greeting new ideas with a groan because you don’t have the time, expertise or resources to go it alone, it can leave you in a sad, frustrating space. Enter the onset of — of course, you guessed it — “burnout.”
Burnout can sneak up fast, dimming your light, passion and purpose for work.
Burnout quietly — and often over time — takes creative people or visionary leaders into a dark space. Being constrained by time or resource limitations, and not able to actuate your vision — or the vision of board members or someone you report to — can make even the sunniest person turn gray. And the even crazier part about burnout is that you often don’t know your flame is flickering until you’re in the middle of a full-blown dumpster fire that no amount of first aid cream can remedy.
Ever have that feeling that your reward for being efficient and “getting it done” is more work? I’ve been there too. But the thing about creative, visionary leaders is that they DO get it done. Sometimes at any cost.
If you find yourself thinking that there is truly not enough time in the day to do your work, and you're secretly responding to emails under the table while you're supposed to be eating family dinner, maybe you truly have too much on your plate. But unlike family dinner time, with work, you can't scrap it all and go for the ice cream because you feel like it. Ignoring the larger issue only delivers the same problems but for an even longer period of time. Over and over and over. Basically, career indigestion. Very uncomfortable… but also quite treatable.
Am I reading your mind right now?
Not exactly. I am not tracking and targeting you via digital media or search words — I promise! But it wasn’t too long ago that I was you. And I started my business to be the person for you who I so desperately needed. I was at the height of my career while teetering at the peak of exhaustion. I didn't know the answer, but I did know that something needed to change.
I wish I could tell you that I figured it all out and made that miraculous change! But it took me a while — even after being in "the dark space" for so long. Thankfully, a freak car accident left me with a vastly different perspective and the literal jolt I needed. But that's a story for another day. I share this tidbit because you shouldn’t have to wait for a near-tragedy event to give yourself permission to lighten your heavy workload burden. Now. Still need a sign? If you've read this far, maybe this is it.
I’ve served in brand management positions, sales support roles for B2B and B2C companies, and handled growing in-house marketing functions while navigating board relationships and complex team dynamics. Lucky for me, I never lost my passion for graphic design and I’m always game to craft a sell sheet, infographic or Powerpoint (gasp!) if that’s a tool that the team will actually put to use.
Basically, if I can help you help your organization become better, stronger and appeal to more prospects or clients, I’m into it. While you handle the ever-important dynamics between stakeholders, leadership and team members, I can help to expand your capacity, making things happen behind the curtain. Whether it’s managing a new website project — from writing the RFP to interviewing agencies, managing stakeholder engagement, testing and launch — to re-creating 60+ branded forms and sell sheets in InDesign; proofreading a company report; or crafting your social media campaigns, I’m there. If I’m doing my job right, the people you work with will never even know I exist.
I require no kudos, no glory. My job is to make you look good. Period.
I launched my consulting business in 2019 after finding myself in your shoes. I was certainly overloaded with work but was constrained by resources and unable to hire. And even if I could have posted a full-time position, that in itself would have been just another task with many, many layers. (Write the job requisition, add in some KPIs, badger HR to run a salary comp, make a couple of desperate posts on LinkedIn begging my network for a referral. Anyone with a pulse, maybe?)
The reality was this: I didn’t need a bright-eyed, full-time marketing coordinator, an assistant or an intern. I didn't need to get an agency on retainer or hire the CEO's daughter’s friend's mom because she had a Facebook account and "understood" social media. I definitely didn't need the well-intentioned but totally offensive suggestions by leadership that I should "just get a nanny" so I could stay later at the office each day. What I needed was a replica of me ... but for only a few hours a week and to handle very specific projects. The kind of someone who I could trust with distinct tasks and manage with minimal interaction. Someone to take the edge off.
In the midst of desperately needing a magical resource like that in my professional corner — but not even knowing where to find said unicorn — I realized that I had the experience and desire to become it.
It is my professional mission to now become THAT unique, and not-so-mythical, resource for you. And with everything I do, every client I work with, my purpose is to make your life easier.
If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure you’re curious if I’m legit. Can I really do what I say I can do? Or am I akin to a swanky marketing agency that promises to become the cure for all things but must be chased via unanswered phone calls and “hey, just checking in” emails when it's time to deliver? (Again, that story is for another day.)
Today, I help marketing leaders and business owners expand their professional capacity.
My clients say …
“Jenny was able to explain in simple terms what our company is about and aligned the same to our brand. In doing so, she weaved together our story and generated more looks and leads from our social media presence than we had ever had before her engagement. She also produced sales collateral such as sell sheets, case studies and blogs which our sales team found to be highly valuable and useful. Her efforts have directly contributed to an expansion of our sales opportunity pipeline. In addition, Jenny led the development and strategy of the US website using our CRM system platform (HubSpot), and quickly became the go to resource for the US business for all things CRM."
— Jimmy Eyerman, Former President and CEO, TrustFlow Digital Solutions (now Docufree)
"I have had the opportunity to work with Jenny both as a colleague and as a consultant. She has the ability to see an event, organization, or program from a 360° perspective and has a well-honed ability to maximize resources. She delivers a candid assessment, high-quality work, and an exceptional ROI."
— Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD, President and CEO, Maternal and Family Health Services
“When I first started working with Jenny, I had a brand new business I was trying to get off the ground which included a complete re-branding of myself. I had no vision at all of how this would look or what steps I needed to take to accomplish this. I only knew I needed a website. What Jenny did to transform my business (and mindset) from completely directionless to a brilliantly and strategically planned marketing campaign was nothing short of amazing! Jenny formed a vision of my business that I did not even have for myself, and came up with innovative marketing ideas and incredible strategies to set my business marketing up on a solid foundation for success! I get so many compliments on my new website and marketing materials—she makes my business look so elegant and sophisticated. I feel so comfortable working with Jenny—she is a treasure. She even took the time to understand my business completely. There is not one idea we came up with that she didn’t find a way to implement quickly. Jenny is on top of everything, has great contacts and resources in the community, and I will never work with anyone else. She is worth every penny and I am proud to say in a short few months I consider her not only an integral part of my business but a friend.”
— Shelley L. Centini, Esq., Centini Law LLC
It never hurts to have a conversation.
Just don’t expect to get me between the hours of 5pm and 8pm. That’s when I’m busy working for the real peeps in charge — my kids.
But seriously, if you think there may be an opportunity for me to take something off of your plate — maybe help you write a few SOPs (so you literally aren’t the only person with the institutional knowledge inside your head), map out an actionable plan for a website redesign and handle the RFP (been there done that, I know it takes for-freakin-EVER), agency interviews (I’ll help you spot a real ruby instead of just lipstick on a pig), stakeholder engagement and the like, or even sit down and finally WRITE a marketing plan by your [virtual] side, I am your gal.
If you’ve had a pie-in-the-sky project in mind for years but were without the additional brainpower (or moral support!) to light it up on your own, let’s connect before it’s too late.
If your smaller, yet established, organization or non-profit is in need of some foundation-building or approaching a short-term gap in leadership, I would love to put my experience to work for you.
Now you know what I am, so let’s really be clear about what I’m not.
I’m not going after your job.
I’m not looking to outshine you.
And I’m definitely not an employee.
I'm also not perfect, but I will always bring my best for you. When I do my job right, no one (except you) even knows I’m in the mix.
Ready to talk for real? Great.
Let’s chat.
Because if working together makes sense, better to get moving sooner than later.