Jared Girmscheid

Jared Girmscheid

If I wrote that every day at ReachLocal was a victory, I would be lying. As anyone who works in advertising understands, some days you come away with a win and some days you don’t. The goal, as well as the overall gauge for a successful career, is to have the highest possible winning percentage. This is where ReachLocal differs from every other company in the digital advertising space. 

At ReachLocal I feel like I have the absolute best opportunity to win for my clients and myself day in and day out. This advantage comes from several factors. First, our technology is second to none. It is incredibly encouraging to walk into a meeting and know that, regardless of the type of business, you can offer your clients a unique suite of products that will meet all of their digital advertising needs and keep them competitive in their local marketplace.

Secondly, I have never worked under a leadership team that has made me feel so confident in our ability to succeed. Generally, with my previous employers, leadership seemed pretty far removed. At ReachLocal, I have constantly seen that our leadership is working on our behalf to help us succeed. From new technology, to actually helping us with individual clients, I have never seen a leadership team that is truly willing to do whatever it takes to help each and every local IMC succeed. 

Finally, the culture could not be more conducive to winning.  I have been in the Chicago office since it opened, and can say first hand, that I have never worked with a group of people who are more committed to their client’s and each other’s success on a daily basis.

All of these factors together, however, are also what makes this job so challenging. I came from a major publisher and the bulk of our business was pre-existing clients. There was not nearly as much pressure to find and acquire new clients. At ReachLocal I have had to build, and maintain my book of business from the ground up which is no easy task. As I mentioned earlier, all of the tools are in place, but it is certainly not a “nine to five” job, as I am always looking for new prospects and am expected to be available for my clients when they need something.

At ReachLocal, unlike previous employers, I feel as though my career rests solely in my hands.  I know I can count on the technology, the leadership, and my fellow IMCs. It is up to me to win, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way. (2009)