Let’s Get Digital this week with our next employee spotlight – Kayla Hageman. Our Let’s Get Digital segment features staff members from different departments around the office. Teamwork makes the dream work, and our employees know how to get the job done!
Kayla is the Creative Director and Co-Owner of Vervocity. She started working at Vervocity (before it became Vervocity) in 2013 as a Web Developer and Designer. In March 2020, Kayla and Cody purchased both Vervocity Interactive and Media Development and merged them under one agency named Vervocity.
Let’s explore her passion for creative and technical marketing and discover what it means to be a creative director and co-owner.
1. What does being the Creative Director/Co-Owner of Vervocity mean to you?
Our industry seems to evolve daily, so we have to stay up on the latest trends and changes for our clients. In my position, I constantly review our projects for quality control and make sure that everything we present to our clients is of a higher standard than they expected. As a team, we work to ensure that we are keeping up with the industry standards for our clients so they can run their businesses.
2. How did you decide to shorten the name to Vervocity?
We felt that the added word “Interactive” was restricting. With the purchase of Vervocity Interactive, we also purchased the company previously known as “Media Development,” which was traditional marketing, graphic design, and videography. So, “interactive” was removed to allow us to expand our service list as a blend of the two companies.
3. What does an average workday look like for you?
This is the most complicated question. My workdays never look the same. I have to balance my “owner” responsibilities and my “client” responsibilities. Some days I work on internal items, some days I work on client work, and some days it is a mix of the two.
4. How do you approach a new website design when starting from scratch?
A new website always has to be created with the client’s needs and goals as the foundation. We always have to consider how the client needs their website to work for them. So, considering the main and secondary call-to-actions drive the design. It determines the design of the header; it decides what the hero area on the homepage is going to look like. For this reason, we create custom website designs for all of our clients.
5. Aside from designing and developing websites, what are other projects you’ve worked on?
As one of the owners, if needed, I fill in with so many roles. I have assisted with many video shoots, making social media graphics, writing blog posts, etc. I love to jump in and help wherever needed.
6. Are there any projects you haven’t done but you would love to work on?
I don’t know about a specific project, but I find it fascinating to see how our team takes a concept and completes the full circle from conception to completion. There are so many projects that I wish I had the knowledge to know how to do, but that is what we have a talented team to do. They really do amaze me!
7. What is one thing you’d like everyone to know about Vervocity?
We are a local, extremely talented team that all live in Quincy, IL, and Hannibal, MO. We do not outsource any services we offer. When you work with Vervocity, you know that you can speak to the person in our office that is actually doing the work for your project. We believe that this approach allows us to focus on results and quality of work.
8. What do you like most about working at Vervocity?
Our staff and our clients. I know it sounds cliche, but when you find a career and a work family that you enjoy spending so much time with, it doesn’t feel like a “job” anymore. Our clients trust us with their projects, and I love learning about their businesses and how they define success. It brings me so much joy and an enormous sense of accomplishment when a client loves their completed project and that project helps them be successful.
9. What advice would you give to someone interested in a career in creative or technical marketing?
Never stop learning. This industry is constantly changing and there is always something new to learn.
10. What is a fun fact about yourself?
My son and I share the same birthday! It was the best birthday present I have ever received.
11. What would you say to potential clients interested in hiring Vervocity for creative or technical marketing?
Our team is very passionate about what we do and we only feel like we succeed when our clients succeed. We complete all the work for all services in-house and believe in being honest and transparent with our clients. We also understand that ongoing support for our clients is crucial to their success. We like to think of ourselves as either your entire marketing team if you don’t have one or we can be an extension of your marketing team. We are very flexible and work with many different types of clients, so we are used to pivoting to our clients needs.
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