One Day One Job

Capstrat

Willy Franzen — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:26:55 +0000

I enjoy when companies include essentially useless numbers on their websites. It’s fun to see how many cups of coffee they consumed last year or how many left-handed employees they have, but it doesn’t really tell you much. Capstrat has one really important figure mixed into their “a few things you should know” section–they’ve increased employee headcount by 23% over the last year. That’s a big number in any industry, but it’s especially impressive at a full-service ad agency. I’ll bet it has a lot to do with being a leading name in the growing Raleigh, NC market. Capstrat calls itself “the agency helping companies succeed at critical moments,” which lines up perfectly with their top billed skill of finding the perfect way to say exactly what needs to be said.

Cap Off Your Search

I’ll say what I always say about agencies, look at their work. Capstrat’s work page will show you what they’ve done for UNC, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, Cotton Inc., the EPA, and Duke Energy. Capstrat typically works with clients in the health care, technology, professional services, and energy fields, though I’m sure they’ll start branching out as they continue to grow. If you’re interested in meeting the team, you can check out the company’s People page. If you want to read what they’re thinking, take a look at Capstrat’s Blog. And if you want to see what they’ve accomplished, scroll to the bottom of Capstrat’s About page to see all of their awards. The accomplishments keep growing, and that’s why it’s a great time to take a look at the agency’s Careers page. Right now they have a few opportunities that are perfect for new or recent grads including Social Media Account Coordinator, Associate Copywriter, and Production Designer. Take a look at the descriptions and see if they’d be a good fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Capstrat?

RunKeeper

Willy Franzen — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:18:12 +0000

It took way too long, but spring (summer?) is finally here. For me that means that I played my first game of beach volleyball on Tuesday, but for many others it’s time to go on a run. The amateurs and the experts are both out in force, and many have ambitions of running faster or longer. If you truly want to commit to improving something, you have to measure it. RunKeeper is Boston, MA based company that “transforms your phone into a personal trainer, helping you track your runs, set your goals, and stay motivated to go that extra mile!” If you use Facebook, you’ve almost certainly seen a friend post one of their runs via RunKeeper.

No Run Around

Tracking workouts used to be tedious. RunKeeper makes it seamless. All you have to do is open an app and tap a button and you’ll know where you went, how far you ran, how fast you were, and what your heart rate did during the run (this requires extra hardware). RunKeeper displays your data beautifully, and makes it easy to share with friends if that’s something that you want to do. It’s a pretty simple app, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to. What isn’t so simple is RunKeeper’s business model. Apparently they want to become the platform for personal health information (they call it Health Graph). Here’s a decent explanation of what they’re trying to do with the business. If you’re excited about being a part of this, then take a look at RunKeeper’s Jobs page. Right now they’re only looking for a Software Engineer, but keep watching for other positions (or reach out to them and inquire about them).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use RunKeeper?

Datalogix

Willy Franzen — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:56 +0000

I use a credit/debit card for almost all of my purchases. It makes it extremely easy to track where, when, and how I spend my money. I actually get annoyed when I have to pay cash. Unsurprisingly, I’m not the only one who likes to collect data on my purchases. Pretty much every business that could potentially sell me something would love to have more data about me. Datalogix is a company that collects that data. They are based in Westminster, CO, and they “leverage the power of purchase-based audience targeting to drive measurable online and offline sales.” They started by collecting offline purchase data, but now they’re mixing that data with online, direct mail, e-mail, and mobile. That’s an amazingly powerful combination.

Be Logical

Datalogix doesn’t say a lot about what they do on their About page (it’s a very simplistic explanation), but this TechCrunch article does a great job of explaining why Datalogix was recently able to raise $25 million to keep growing their business. The gist of it is that they have the holy grail of consumer data, and mixing it with online data provides amazing targeting opportunities. You can see how some companies have already used Datalogix’s products and services to drive sales by checking out the company’s success stories. It’s all a little creepy, but it’s happening. If you’re fascinated by what Datalogix is doing, check out their Careers page and their Students & Grads page. The latter mentions that they have specifically entry level opportunities for people interested in Business, Analytics, and Engineering. Datalogix’s Current Opportunities page doesn’t show these jobs (even though the page describing them directs you there), but there is an option to fill out a general application. I’d do that since most of Datalogix’s other jobs require at least some level of experience.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Datalogix?

NutraClick

Willy Franzen — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:38:42 +0000

I’ve mentioned a few times that I’ve been working hard to get in shape for my wedding. So far I’ve lost about 35 pounds while adding muscle. All of my success has come from the Paleo diet and a personal trainer. I like sticking to the basics when it comes to health, but some people are looking for an answer in a bottle. NutraClick provides such answers. They are a Boston, MA based natural products company that builds “brands by developing winning products and leveraging the power of online marketing to drive offline demand.” So far they have products in Sports Nutrition, Natural Health, Age-Specific Skincare, and Beauty (with a side of social selling), and I’m sure more are on the way.

Supplement Your Career

NutraClick’s business is based on six core ideas: innovative product development, data-driven marketing, industry-redefining technology, world-class customer care, relationship-based sales approach, and logistical excellence. It’s working out pretty well for them considering that their products are available in 30,000 retail locations even though they still see themselves as an online business. The company’s story is pretty interesting, and so is their approach. Their whole model is centered on demand-generation, which is the kind of thing that major brands do. Most smaller companies are in the business of fulfilling demand. I have to imagine that working at NutraClick would be an amazing learning experience, and that’s why you should check out their Careers page. Right now the job most suitable for a new grad is Marketing Analyst, but there are some other positions worth checking out. You also have the option of applying for an unlisted position if you don’t see anything that suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you tried any of NutraClick’s products?

C. Wonder

Willy Franzen — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:33:48 +0000

While I really enjoy reading about entrepreneurs’ personal journeys, I don’t take much interest in their personal lives unless it’s especially relevant to the business’ story. A divorce would typically be completely irrelevant in one of these posts, but today’s it worth talking about. You’ve probably heard of Tory Burch, an extremely successful fashion brand named after its founder (who is now a billionaire). Tory Burch, the person, got divorced from J. Christopher Burch in 2006. After the divorce, Chris Burch decided to start a chain of retail stores called C. Wonder. His ex-wife obviously left a lasting impression, since it’s widely cited that New York, NY based C. Wonder has taken a lot of inspiration from Tory Burch’s designs, while selling the “preppy” goods at a much lower price. There were a few lawsuits and some bad blood, but all seems to be settled now.

Wonder Where You’ll End Up

Chris Burch was heavily involved in the Tory Burch business, so it’s not like he started C. Wonder out of spite or something. He knows what he’s doing when it comes to fashion and retail, and that’s why C. Wonder “offers an entirely new retail experience: clothing, accessories and home decor products of outstanding quality and astonishing value in a setting that excites and inspires.” C. Wonder’s philosophy is focused on offering a retail experience that “delights” customers. You can get a sense of what they mean by visiting their website, but to really get it, you have to find a store near you. Once you do that, you can check out C. Wonder’s Careers page. They have some great opportunities like:

There are also a ton of retail opportunities, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you shopped at C. Wonder?

National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition

Willy Franzen — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:25:40 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day! I’m lucky enough to get to spend today with my mom. She’s in town for some wedding planning stuff, so we’re enjoying our first Mother’s Day together in years. While I have great memories of all of the amazing things my mom has done for me, some of the most important things that she did happened before I can remember. Good mothering is most essential in the first few years of life, and that’s why the National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition was started as a response to the US Surgeon General’s conference on infant mortality. They’re an Alexandria, VA based non-profit that “is a recognized leader and resource in maternal and child health, reaching an estimated 10 million health care professionals, parents, and policymakers through its membership of over 100 local, state and national organizations.”

Be Healthy!

Much of the change in life expectancy over the past few centuries has come from a reduction in infant mortality. While mothers have some instinctual knowledge of how to care for their babies, much of what needs to be done is non-obvious. The National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition has four key programs are centered around providing information that helps mothers take the best care of their babies. These include: Healthy Beginnings, National Premature Infant Health Coalition, Perinatal Nutrition Working Group, and Text4Baby. The last one is most interesting to me because it takes a simple technology medium that nearly every new mother has access to and uses it as a way to provide easily digestible tidbits of extremely important information. If you’d like to be part of this kind of work, check out National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition’s Idealist page. While they don’t have any full-time jobs posted right now, they have internships in Partner Outreach, Communications, and Data and Evaluation. Unfortunately, the positions are unpaid, but they might help you get your foot in the door.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition?

Lend for America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 May 2013 16:48:40 +0000

College students have a reputation for being broke, yet they always find a way to buy the essentials (most often that seems to be beer). In fact, most students borrow money to pay for their education, so it seems a bit odd to consider them a lending source. Yet that’s exactly what Lend for America is doing. They’re a New Brunswick, NJ based non-profit that believes that “with the right tools, college students can change the lives of their communities’ low-income families and gain a broader social perspective.” The tools they are talking about are centered around microfinance–a way that people even on college student budgets can make a meaningful investment.

Lend Them a Hand

Lend for America’s inspiration comes from the fact that so many college students “hunger for a substantive way to make a difference in their communities.” Instead of relying on individual students to act alone, they encourage students to form “campus microfinance institutions.” They already have chapters at Brown, ASU, UNC, Yale, Alabama, Georgetown, Rutgers, Grinnell, SMU, Notre Dame, Bentley, Wisconsin, and Northwestern, and they’re looking to add more. Lend for America supports these organizations with “access to [their] resource library, small grants, invitations to our annual conference, unlimited technical assistance including on-site consulting, and networking opportunities.” It’s a really cool model that I think has a lot of potential. If you’d like to be part of it, check out Lend for America’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Program Associate, and there’s als an LFA Fellowship Program.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Lend for America?

Vibrant Media

Willy Franzen — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:30:13 +0000

As an online publisher I understand how difficult it is to balance ads and content. I’m lucky in that the job search space allows a little more flexibility–most job postings are technically ads, so people don’t really differentiate between “editorial” and paid placement (though I still try to). The toughest part for most publishers is that ads perform best when they blend in with the content. This is really hard to do in an honest and unobtrusive way, but that’s exactly what Vibrant Media tries to do. They are based in New York, NY, and they are “the world’s leading provider of in-content contextual technology that gets brand content and advertising discovered across platforms.” With a network of more than 6,000 publishers they are able to reach upwards of 300,000,000 unique visitors every month.

See Vibrant Colors

Vibrant Media is probably best known for their in-text ads (which I find pretty annoying), but they also have offerings called Brand Canvas, in-image, and display. Brands like Crest, Sprint, and Chrysler are featured on Vibrant Media’s site, though I couldn’t find a formal list of clients (or publishers). There’s actually a lot you can learn about Vibrant Media’s ad platform on their site, so dive in and read up on the details. If you like what you see, check out their Careers page. Right now they have Client Service Specialist positions posted in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York as well as HR/Recruiting Assistant and Taxonomy Analyst. All of these positions look like they could be a good fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Vibrant Media?

Coldwater Creek

Willy Franzen — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:13:28 +0000

Right after I graduated college, I started investing in the stock market. I’ve more than doubled my money since then, which means that I made some pretty good decisions. One stock that I was considering at the time was CWTR. It was around $45 back then, and I thought that I had a few good reasons to believe that the stock would go up from there. Luckily, I didn’t buy. The stock is now at less than $4 per share–and that’s after a 4 for 1 reverse stock split. I’m glad that I avoided that -98% return on investment. While Coldwater Creek, which is based in Sandpoint, ID (with a design center New York, NY), has certainly struggled over the past 6 years, that doesn’t mean that you should overlook the potential opportunity. The multi-channel “specialty retailer of women’s apparel, jewelry and accessories” started as a one-room mail order business. They obviously had an amazing growth period that took them to going public, and now it’s time for them to get back on track.

Step into the Coldwater

I have a habit of only writing about fast growing startups and obviously successful companies, but the opportunities for rapid growth and interesting work can be exceptional at “broken” companies. I’m not the one to tell you why Coldwater Creek is struggling after having so much success building a brand for middle-aged women (their models don’t look young, and I find that clothing companies usually use younger models than their target customer), but here’s an article from 2008 that touches on some of the likely reasons. And here’s a more recent article on how Coldwater Creek is trying to regain profitability. If you really want to learn more about the company, look over their product lines on their website and then check out their Investor Relations page. Maybe you can even stop into one of their stores. The good news about Coldwater Creek is that they have quite a few job openings for new or recent grads including:

Assistant Merchant
Assistant Technical Designer
Business Analyst
Forecasting Analyst
Assistant Product Manager (New York, NY)
Designer Assistant (New York, NY)
Product Management Assistant – Print/Color/Accessories (New York, NY)

There are also a ton of opportunities at Coldwater Creek’s retail locations all across the country.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Coldwater Creek?

YaSabe

Willy Franzen — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:52:36 +0000

I made a big mistake in sixth grade. I decided to take French instead of Spanish. In the time since, the Spanish speaking population in the United States has skyrocketed, while whether the French speaking population has grown or shrunk is pretty much irrelevant. Here’s a stat that tells you all that you need to know: almost 10% of all U.S. based Google searches are done in Spanish. Bilingual marketing is becoming a huge business, and we all know that local marketing is already huge. YaSabe is a Herndon, VA based company that is brining the two together. They are “committed to connecting businesses, Latino culture, and community allowing users to be ‘in the know’ and confidently make choices about how and where to spend their time and money.”

Now You Know

With 1 in 6 people in the U.S. being Hispanic (and 25% of the under 18 population), there is massive growth potential in Hispanic marketing. Could there be a better way to tap that market than a Spanish language local search engine? I don’t think so, and that’s why YaSabe has seen 1,000% traffic growth over the last year. While I’ve been browsing their site’s English version because of my poor decision in sixth grade, you should probably browse it in Spanish. If that’s out of the question, then I’m not sure it’d be worth your time to check out YaSabe’s Careers page (though don’t quote me on that, they do identify some positions as bilingual and some lack the designation). Right now they’re hiring:

Most of the job postings lack experience requirements, which makes it a bit unclear which positions could be a good fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you speak Spanish?