This month, we are celebrating the 5-Year Workiversary of our creative powerhouse and Vice President of Strategy, Jeff Soto.
Jeff joined KWSM as the Managing Content Editor in our Orange County in 2016. His quick wit, leadership, and knack for innovative thinking made him the perfect candidate to begin leading our team’s strategic efforts, and he was promoted to VP of Strategy in 2020.
After 5 years of many laughs and much success (and lots of strange snacks), here’s what Jeff had to say about his time with KWSM.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy helping clients see the possibilities of how marketing can enhance their sales, grow their client/customer experience, and build their business into something more well-rounded in the eyes of new audiences. We get to strengthen their existing relationships or build new, meaningful ones.
What is your favorite thing about our team?
I love how our team complements each other in our processes. From different perspectives to innovative tactics, you never know who is going to step up with a great idea. Everyone brings their A-game to help their colleagues out.
What is a lesson you have learned while working at KWSM?
If I originally thought that there were 64 sides to every marketing situation, I quickly learned that it’s far more exponential. There are often 128, 256, or 512 opportunities in every marketing situation.
What has been the most rewarding experience in the last 5 years
There is a great reward when we sit down for the first time with a client and they are overwhelmed by our team dynamic, collaboration, or responsiveness, and I think even more than that is when we take our clients through the strategy process, and they say at the end, “your team has amazed our leadership with the insight and knowledge about our business, our customers/clients, and our marketing needs and goals.” That really is priceless for a client to acknowledge in the first few weeks of working together that we truly understand their business.
Looking back, what would you tell Jeff from 5 years ago when you first started here?
This sounds cheesy, but if I could tell myself something on the first day I started, I would say to myself, “You made the right decision. This agency is incredible. This agency will fuel your passions and give you opportunities to bring your imaginative ideas to life.”
Jeff and KWSM President Katie Wagner have worked closely together over the years, and she has this to say about this contributions:
“Jeff was the first person to hold the Managing Editor title, and he is KWSM’s first VP of Strategy. He has had a huge hand in shaping the agency and the way we approach our work, and has been instrumental in supporting and leading our team. Jeff is someone who takes on a role and then innovates and expands on it to fill gaps, solve problems, and continue to improve results. He’s never happy with the status quo and we are lucky to have him as a leader in the agency.”
Thank you, Jeff, for modeling what it means to go above and beyond for our team and our clients on a daily basis. We are thankful for your microwave-thinking, abundant creativity, unwavering loyalty, and exemplary leadership. Cheers to 5 years!
Ready to be part of a dynamic, connected team?
We want to work with people who are passionate about digital marketing and excited to be a part of our team. If that sounds like you, we might just be the work-family you’re looking for!
CLICK HERE to learn more about joining KWSM.
