Interview

When and how did you get your start in marketing?

I’ve basically been in the industry since the conception of email marketing. A true email OG! It was about a year or so before the Dot Com Bubble Burst in 2000. I was studying Fashion Design but also needed to start paying my own bills. A friend referred me to a startup in SF that needed administrative help. I was offered the role and quickly moved to the team responsible for email marketing. Before I knew it, I was formatting emails (in those days we had to send emails in multi-part mime format to support AOL!). Next thing I knew, I was the email coordinator. I started to realize how much I enjoyed what I was doing and decided to dedicate my energy to pursuing Email Marketing instead of Fashion Design. I then went on to work on the ESP side of the house for the next 8 or so years. After that, I decided I wanted to be on the consumer side for a change. I moved into an Email Marketing Manager role at another local SF Startup and the rest is history.

What are some of your career highlights or campaigns that you’re especially proud of?

Back in 2015, my team then was lucky enough to be chosen by Marketing Quarterly for the “Best Customer Experience Email” award. It was fun to get the recognition but what came next I didn’t foresee. I was asked to join the conference circuit to host my own session at the Adobe Summit. The session had a great response. I was then invited to repeat the session at what is formerly known as, The annual DMA &Then Conference. That led to more speaking and thought leadership opportunities that followed. It was definitely a highlight of my career but I am more excited about what the future holds now. With the help of Iterable and my incredibly talented team, I think the best is still yet to come!

What tips, tricks, or pieces of advice would give a new Iterable user?

Start with Iterable Academy, read the documentation and when in doubt, utilize the online chat portal for support. They are the most helpful support team I’ve ever worked with and they always respond remarkably fast!

It’s not a matter of “if” you can build something, but rather, “how”. There are multiple ways to achieve a similar result but there’s little you can’t do – get creative!.

Prioritize time with your CSM. You’ll be amazed at how committed they are to helping you be successful with your specific campaign objectives and company goals.

What are some Iterable features that have made your job easier? Or have been game-changers for yourself and your team?

The Catalog feature has unlocked a vast realm of potential and endless possibilities for personalized experiences at scale with our members. With it, we can now deliver tailor-made content and provide highly relevant product recommendations, something that was previously challenging to execute efficiently.

Snippets also hold immense potential and offer a multitude of use cases. When properly implemented, they empower us to make global modifications effortlessly by making simple adjustments to individual templates. They serve as a valuable solution for assets that are reused across various templates and channels. Moreover, they can define standard elements within templates and significantly reduce development time. These are just a few examples of the ways we leverage snippets to create efficiency.

As a consumer, what brings you joy from a brand’s outreach/communication?

I love brands that are clever, and create funny & engaging content that makes me want more of it. But what brings me the most joy is when brands get their segmentation right. It makes me chuckle when I hear people say “Google must be listening to me! I said I wanted a new blah blah blah and now I am getting ads about it…”. My next thought is; nope, that brand is leveraging good real-time data and segmentation strategies! And I hate when I get served an ad or receive an email for something I literally just purchased from that brand.

What do you think will be the next big thing in the marketing industry (AI, automation, new channels?)

I think the next big thing is here, AI. We’re seeing every industry evaluate how they can leverage AI. It’s an exciting time! I am curious to see how AI advances Mar-tech to enrich product offerings and enhance customer experience.

What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Sunshine. I feel most optimistic and productive when the sun is shining.

What is one goal you’d like to achieve in your lifetime?

Author and publish at least one book.