Julie Williams
Founder and Lead Sherpa

“There are people who add to the energy of a team and others who absorb it. Julie doesn’t just add energy, she multiplies it.”

- Mike Holsinger, Former VP Management Rep, DDB Chicago

So, are you a Mountain Climber Yourself?

Actually, no. I live in Colorado and do enjoy the environment at high altitudes in a variety of ways. I am an outdoors enthusiast who enjoys hiking, biking, skiing and just about anything I can find to do in the fresh air.

Why did you start Sherpa Marketing, LLC?

Honestly we were tired of hearing of so many great ideas that never made it off the whiteboard!! How many times have you been in a meeting, brainstormed or discussed tons of high potential ideas and leave them to never go anywhere? We decided to do something about it!

Established in 2000, Sherpa Marketing fills the gap between planning and implementation. Projects fell into one of two buckets: One: those projects with potential that never see the light of day and two: poorly executed projects that fail due to inadequate planning and implementation. Large, established companies have too many meetings and plans then often fail to execute. Small businesses and start-ups are constrained by lack of knowledge and time and budget resources necessary for success.

How did you get into the Go-To-Market field? Why is it a good fit for you?

Well, unlike some people who just “know” from a young age what they are meant to do, my journey was a bit more evolutionary. Looking back, I now realize that I have always been a “get it done” kind of gal. I just never knew how unique my skills were. With every job I’ve ever had going back to my first job at McDonald’s in Dayton, Ohio, I was always the efficient, organized “leader”. I can fondly recall loving to serve and make customers happy. After college, I entered the advertising industry and became an “account manager.” That role is about managing people, timelines, activities and team-building with both internal and clients work groups. The common denominator has always been the people element. I am at my best as part of a team, helping to create common goals, bring energy and sharing in the joy of collaboration and success. I am what one colleague described as “highly caffeinated.”

Me (on the right) and my dear friend Tamara (about 1985) after a shift at McDonald’s in Dayton, Ohio.

Proudest Achievements

Two things I’m most proud of are both professional and personal at the same time. They both speak to my love of social interaction and passion for great service. The first is an achievement called the Keith Reinhard People Award. I received this honor while working at DDB Chicago. It recognizes individuals who “break the pattern, generate trust and appeal to the heart and the head.” Recipients are nominated by fellow colleagues and the award is then approved by the executive management team.

Secondly, I am proud that nearly all of the business that comes through Sherpa Marketing for the past 9 years has been based on referrals. In fact, I had never even “marketed Sherpa Marketing”, nor had a website until just recently! The fact that my business can sustain itself based on its reputation for excellent work and great customer service makes me extremely proud. Here is what one of our clients had to say about us:

“I have known Julie Williams for just about ten years now and we worked together on a very regular basis for approximately three years when I was leading the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Product Planning team. Julie worked with my team and our related telematics suppliers (hardware manufacturer and wireless carriers) and our retail dealers to deliver several unique and impactful marketing programs. We needed her to find ways to do things differently in a very challenging automotive retail market. Getting people to think and, most importantly, act differently in such an environment is incredibly difficult. Julie and her team worked closely with us to understand those challenges and develop programs which she implemented, whether it was a training program, a marketing promotion, or similar effort that greatly contributed to the success of our initiatives. One key capability I clearly recall is Julie’s diligence in her attention to detail and follow up. There was never a meeting left without clear deliverables, timelines and responsible parties assigned. She has an incredible ability to use her personality as well as her business acumen to generate results.”

- Peter Patrone, Manager, Advanced Product Planning, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

The Other “Formal” Stuff

Julie Williams is the founder and President of Sherpa Marketing, LLC and has over eighteen years of experience specializing in the development, delivery and end-to-end management of marketing, sales and process improvement programs for Fortune 500, high growth and entrepreneurial companies.

Prior to the launch of Sherpa Marketing, she held various roles in sales and marketing for Motorola in Chicago, IL. While at Motorola, she was the catalyst in launching the first Motorola co-marketing program with automotive customers Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar. Julie has been recognized as a major factor in the success of these relationships, and as such, Motorola has been one of Sherpa Marketing’s largest clients. Other clients have included Mercedes-Benz USA, ADT Auto, Indian Motorcycles, ATX Technologies, and Auto Konnect among others.

Julie is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Advertising. She resides near Denver, Colorado.

Click here for Julie’s full bio

Williams Family, December 2009