Jennifer Lanza-Degnan
Project Manager Sherpa

Why did you decide to join Sherpa Marketing?

I would trek anywhere with Julie. She was one of my first partners in advertising and greatly influenced me without being overbearing. She recognizes the value in everyone and therefore motivates talented people to create great work. Most of all, I share in Julie’s philosophy of doing business: get the job done, but always with a sense of humor.

What is your role on the Expedition?

My background is in account management which means I am responsible for determining my clients’ needs (working with the strategy guys), finding the right talent to execute their goals (motivating the creative guys) and effectively implementing the strategy in the appropriate market (managing the traditional media and Internet guys).

Why should we trust you to lead us?

If I’m on the wrong path, I’ll get us back safely to camp. I am a resourceful partner, but when I don’t know the answer to something, I’ll ask. In fact, the question I ask most is “Why?” If you don’t know why you have a specific goal, strategy or why you paid $1 million+ to place an ad in the Super Bowl, maybe we should take a step back and talk about it.

I am also a big believer in making data-driven decisions instead of shooting in the dark. I have found that learning about target markets directly from the horse’s mouth is more valuable than determining marketing goals based on a committee’s anecdotal research.

What is your professional background?

I have had more than 12 years experience leading marketing efforts for both the titans of marketing as well as those marketers yearning for name recognition. I refer to my six years at DDB as my Ivy League post-graduate education. The successful account managers at DDB had only a short time to prove they were listening to their clients while “on the road” to inspire compelling creative “back at home.” Success was judged quickly and harshly both for the individual and the agency. My experiences at Nickelodeon and SiteLytics have only strengthened my ability to understand a broad range of clients and their diverse needs in a short time.

And on a personal note…

As a resident of upstate New York, my challenge is to keep my husband, two small children and large dog engaged outdoors, even when the weather suggests we should all stay under a blanket by the fire 8 months of the year. In the summer we are like caged animals that have finally been released to the warm sunshine. We are lucky enough to live in a forest preserve which provides great hiking opportunities among all of our other wild furry friends. When I’m not out playing with the family in the summer, I’m trying to re-live the good ‘ole days on the softball field.

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